The Wanganui Chronicle. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 1914. NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 20039, 24 March 1914, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 1914. NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURE.

The annual report of the Department of Agriculture, Industries and Commerce for the year 1913 is of a decidedly satisfactory and encouraging nature. Tti his preface the Minister of Agriculture, the Right Hon. W. F. Massey, reviews the past year and contemplates the future in a spirit of welcome optimism. "Never in the history of the Dominion!," he says, "have .agricultural and allied industries presented a prospect more encouraging to primary producers, and more significant of increased national prosperity." According to the Minister, the past year was noteworthy for the favourable conditions attending plant and annual production., except in one or two isolated instances. Combined with this, solid advancement is recorded in the methods of production, resulting in a greatly increased toll of wealth being extracted from New Zealand soils. It is pleasing to bo assured by the Minister that the New Zealand farmer is keeping fully abreast of the times and is realising the necessity of a closer study of his business. The pastoral industry of the Dominion is on a eolid foundation, but Mr Massey is by no means in agreement with those who consider that the limit of our production of nmtton and1 wool has been reached. The critics, he says, have spoken without a proper knowledge of the position. In his opinion, not only have we not reached the limit of °ur production, Ibut the field for expansion is considerable, particularly in the hinterland of ijbo Noirth Island, where forests have yet to be subdued, and country specially suitable for sheep has still to be utilised. The Minister is especially emphatic as to the duty devolving on the farmer in' regard to the important matter of national conservation. And in this connection, Mr. Mas-

sey holds it to be the first duty of .tti Agricultural Department to educate the

farmer to a right appreciation of this need of maintaining the natural wealth in lias keeping. "In this country," the Minister proceeds, "we have not as yet brought into production all the land available.. We have already arrived at that step when better use must be made of the land in occupation not only by bringing large grazing tracts under the influence of the plough, but by staying the depletion of the virgin fertility on the cultivated lands, and adopting sane ■methods of maintaining the productive capacity. Not only must every tiller of the soil be brought to a realisation of his duty towards his country and posterity, but the national conscience requires awakening to the importance iof any public undertaking to this end, 1 for the soil is ' the one unfailing national I resource, the sole asset that does not perish, because it contains within itself, if not abused, the possibility ot infinite renewal.' " It goes without saying that the Minister is fully alive to the great problem of what lias been termed the rural exodus—the steady drift of the rural population towards the towns. This problem is facing the public men of all nations, especially in the countries of the Old World, and Mr. Massey is evidently anxious to see tbia young country saved from the evil consequences of this great economic tragedy. Touching on the worldwide efforts that are being made to discover a means of winning man back to the soil, Mr. Massey gives a special word of praise to ex-President Roosevelt for his work in this direction, and incidentally sketches the general and immediate needs of country life as summarised by Mr. Roosevelt from the findings of the Rural Life Commission which he caused to be set up, and which did such valuable work for the farmers of the TTiV'ted i States. According to this summary, there is required: (1) Effective co-oper-ation among farmers to put them on a level with the organised interests with which they do business; (2) <a new kind of school in the country, which shall teach the children as much outdoors as indoors, and perhaps more, so that they will prepare for country life, and not, as at present, mainly for life in the towns; (3) better means of communication, including good roads, the rural telephone, and a parcel post; (4) ' better sanitation. The Minister also ( sketches the work that is being done ■ along the same lines in England and France, and it is reasonable to- assume j that his observations are made with a 1 view to the practical application of j sound principles to our own rural problems. Up tiH quite recent years it was common belief that it would always prove the most profitable course for New Zealand farmers to market their produce in Britain, and that London would always be the best marketing centre. While nothing has occurred to weaken the position of London as the world's greatest market, the increasing inability of the farmers of other coun-. tries to meet the local dearaand for foodsupplies is presenting fresh avenues of trade, which promise to be, temporarily at least, more remunerative than the London connection; while there is a growing feeling among some of our'producers that other ports than London will prove more satisfactory for reaching British consumers. The new American tariff promises to have a still further expanding effect on our export trade, and indirectly to strengthen the position of New Zealand cheese on British 'markets. . With wool, meat and dairy produce on the free list, The effect on our wool trade should be highly beneficial; our meat will have a new and important outlet, and Canadian cheese exports to Britain will probably decline, even more than they have been doing of recent years, with the improved market for Canadian butter which the j United States will now afford. In Mr. Massey's opinion, what is taking place in the United States of America may not improbably be the forerunner of a world-wide movement in favour of the removal of Customs and other restrictions against foodstuffs. In the leading nations of the Northern Hemisphere the non-producer is increasing out of proportion to the producing population, and the consequent expanding cost of foodstuffs is emphasising the importance of removing tariff barriers on the necessaries of life. The New Zealand farmer has, therefore, every reason to regard the future with confidence. His markets are assured, and if he supply the oversea consumer with high-class products, he may rely on obtaining satisfactory values for tbpm.