INTENSIVE FARMING.

Waipawa Mail, Volume LII, Issue 117, 8 July 1931, Page 3

INTENSIVE FARMING.

MODERN SCIENCE. AND APPLIED PRINCIPLES. V ELLINGTON, Last night. “Certain it is that it would be to the commercial advantage of many farmers in the dairying districts of this Dominion in the light of modern science to farm more intensively a smaller area of land, thus rendering available the surplus for the profitable occupation of fresh settlers.” These remarks were made by His Excellency the Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe, in his address at the opening of the conference of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union to-day. “The farmer’s capacity to earn a livelihood depends,” said His Excellency, “in no small measure upon the well-being of the rest of the community and the extent of the public burden which he has to carry in order to afford them relief in times of trade depression, such as those through which New Zealand, in common wth the other countries of the world, is passing. It is no exaggeration to say that New Zealand has in the past been over-generous in her public expenditure, basing it upon the assumption that the transient post-war level of prices was likely

to continue and that an average stari dard of living and a rate of publir expenditure upon social and othoi communal services, unsurpassed ii scope and generosity throughout thi world, might be maintained withoul any serious impediment to the para mount process of wealth production “This assumption has proved to be ill-founded, and rigorous public and private economy lias become inevitable, if this Dominion—still perfectly solvent—and its agricultural industry—still sound, progressive and confident in spite of its present difficulties —are to avoid the financial precipice which, but for drastic retrenchment, lies not far ahead. Retrenchment or economy is an uncomfortable process, involving much sacrifice, patience and self-control. But it is vital to the country’s future. “Incidentally an obvious universal and unbending determination on the part of the whole body politic to embark upon it will do more than anything else to enhance the credit of the Dominion in Great Britain and other countries of the world, ami thereby enable her at less cost to herself to obtain her monetary requirements and meet her financial obligations. “Nothing, however, should be done except in face of dire necessity to hamper legitimate industrial enterprise or stifle the incentive to produce more wealth and with it the capacity both to employ those who are unhappily and through no fault of their own out of employment, and to meet the burden of taxation. And be it remembered that the land is the only true source of wealth. FALSE ECONOMY. “Economy which is not far-sighted and discriminating is false economy, such as, for instance, a cessation of the progressive reclamation of potentially fertile land or tile use of fertilisers and of lime where output is bound to shrink materially through

their discontinuance. Denmark has found it true economy and a sound national investment to convert worthless heather land, and Holland great stretches of water?, into Cultivable soil at a cost far exceeding the actual market value of the reclaimed area. “Many farmers are looking for higher world prices of primary products to restore their fortunes. Some improvement, especially in such commodities as meat and wool, may confidently be expected in the future, as an impoverished world gradually regains its purchasing capacity. But it is in reduced costs of production and enhanced turnover rather than in increased costs of farm products that the farmer’s economic salvation will be found, especially in view of the competition which he has to face in the British and other markets of the w'orld. “Let me give you an illustration of what I mean. The average output of butter-fat per acre in New Zealand is 801 b., and suck an output leaves at present prices no margin of profit. But several enlightened dairy farmers whose farms I have recently visited are getting, with high quality pasture, and its prudent fertilisation, upwards of 2501 b. of butter-fat per acre, and, at current prices, are even to-day making a good net profit out of their business. Such examples can usefully be copied.