FARMING OUTLOOK.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16886, 10 November 1922, Page 5

FARMING OUTLOOK.

HON W. NOSWORTHY’S VIEWS.

In proposing at the Canterbury A. and 11.I 1 . Association’s Smoking Concert last night, the toast of “ The Canterbury A. and P. Association and Kindred Associations,” the Hon W. Nosvorthy, Minister of Agriculture, dealt with a number of questions of genera! interest and importance to farmers. The Minister said that as a Canterbury boy. born and bred, it gave him great pleasure to propose the toast. He thought that the first show under the association’s auspices that he had attended was held on the old grounds at Sydenham ; ho was then eight years of age. and he had been present at the association’s shows over a period of a great many years. He believed that the work of agricultural and pastoral associations was beginning to be recognised. For many years the Government had been urged to establish a Royal Show, and he could assure them that nc thing would give him greater pleasure than to see the advene of that show*. He believed that it would have teen established ere this, but for the war and the unsettled financial position. Every thousand pounds counted nowadays, and it vas very hard to w riggle a thousand pounds out of a Minister of Finance who was also Prime Minister. He could not say that

they could blame him for that. Mr Massey recognised, as he himself did, the great lift it would lie to the country that the establishment of a Royal Agricultural Show would be. He trusted that it would not be long before such a show was an accomplished fact. Referring to the agricultural and pastoral outlook, he said that he could not remember a worse period than the period they had experienced during the past eighteen months. They had bad times in the 70‘s and 80’s, they had had droughts and slumps, and tightness of the money market, but never such a rapid collapse. He was hopeful that they had seen ths worst oi it, and honestly he believed that the corner had been turned, although there was a gpod deal of spade work to be done before they were in a comfortable position. It was only by perseverance, hard work, and energy that they could puli out of the hoi© in which they found themselves. Quack remedies would be of no avail— nothing tut individual enterprise and persever- | ance would put them cm the road to success- and to the position in which 1 they desired to see the country. Referring to the decrease in the Dominion’s flocks, lie said that by some it had been attributed to the in crease in dairying: that accounted to some extent, but other reasons were the unsatisfactory tenure in respect ot high country that had prevailed for some years; indiscriminate burning; and the neglect of rabbits. 'this had resulted in the carrying capacity of the back country going down considerably. The tenure question had been improved by giving longer periods, tfie right to acquire the freehold, and the rc newiug of leases for thirty-four years. There should always be on such country ■\ mec of people who would take an iuterfest in their work : it was only by bleeding a highland people in. the back country that they could get the benefit of that country. He commented mi the growth ot the dairy industry and .-.aid that ten or fit teen years ago few would have imagined that it would l>e depended on to keep the finances of the country going. Agricultural and pas toral associations could do much m backing up the Government, by eradicating rubbish and by encouraging the use ol the very best bulls, rams, and stallions, to make the flocks and herds cf the country what they ought to he. His own conviction was that they were living iu a country second to none in the world. (Applause.) There was no country, out of Great Britain, likt-s New Zealand for the breeding of stud stock and for maintaining the bone and i sinew of such stock. In years to come the export of stud stock from New Zealand was going t-o he something tremendous in comparison with what it was to-day. They would have other coumtries flocking to the Dominion to buy stud stock and paying big prices tor it, and A. and P. associations should spar© no pains to invite a keen, living interest iu the improvement of the Dominion’s flocks and herds so that th© Dominion would be able to make for itself a reputation second to none in tiie world. Already the Dominion’s butter, cheese, and lamb was second to none on the London or any other market in the world, and its wool, taking the clip all over, were hard to beat in any part of the world. Dut»

there was room for improvement and it could be done by heavy culling and by judicious management of thoir flocks. As Minister of Agriculture, he had had a hard row to hoe as compared with his predecessors, and he appreciated the help he had received, and the Government had received, from A. and p. associations, and his regret was that owing to the critical times, the Gov eminent had not been able to extend to the associations the full measure of help that they wore entitled to. OT HER SPE-A K ERS. Mr R. E. Alexander responded, on behalf of the Canterbury A. and P. Association. Mr W Perry fMastertou A. and ir. Association) said the Metropolitan Show was the finest he had attended, the Canterbury Association’s »how was the finest so far held in the Dominion. The Canterbury Association would be ready in the near future to hold a Royal Show. Such a show was necessary as visitors from a distance wanted to see the best that the Dominion conid produce gathered together m » nc ' centre. Mr T O Havcock (AV airarnpa Agricultural awl Pastoral ,Association) said that, the £3OOO necessary to establish „ Royal Show should be a morebagatelle amongst the breeders of the Dom jlr Ernest Harden (Argentina) said that, it was absolutely time that the Dominion had n Royal Show. It was very hard for anyone to come to New Zealand to visit several shows owing to the time and expense involved and the difficulty of carrying from one show to another the type of sheep, or cattle, or pigs seen in one show. As to the Do minion’s future in respect of stud stock, ho said that there was no doubt that in the course of time it would be a big asset, but if the Dominion was to keep its export trade nothing but the best, stock must he sent out of the country. It was no use sending out stock thatwas going to he criticised on the other side, iiany vrerei prepared to buy stud stock at a reasonable price, provided they got a decent run for their money. As regards beef production, New Zealand could never hope to touch the Argentine ; as a butter and cheese producing country New Zealand could always beat the Argentine. But on beef. New Zealand was on a wrong horse al together. Before long the Argentine would send to the British market nothing but chilled “baby” beef—the beef from animals two years to two years and a half old. New Zealand was too far from the English market *0 supply chilled beef.