DELAY IN SETTING UP NEW COMMISSION ON SHEEP INDUSTRY

Wanganui Chronicle, 24 February 1947, Page 6

DELAY IN SETTING UP NEW COMMISSION ON SHEEP INDUSTRY

The prolonged delay in the setting up of the Sheep-farming Industry Commission is the subject of critical comment among farmers. As the result of representations by farmers’ promised about a year ago, but its establishment is r.ot yet in sight. It is stated that the Government is finding it difficult to select the members, particularly the chairman, but, as one leading farmer put it. "Surely it is not beyond the capacity of any Govi eminent to find, say, five suitable . men who could do thejob."

A previous commission was set up on July 5, 1939, but returned its warrant of appointment on September 27, 1939. In a short report the commission stated that it was intended that sittings would be held in each of the sheep-farming districts in both islands, and that a comprehensive examination of the conditions and problems of the industry would be made on a Do-minion-wide basis. Prenaration had been made for the collection of a mass of statistical data not hitherto available, hut the outbreak of war had made it inadvisable to continue the work of the commission as originally nlanned. It confined its report to recommendations for future investigations. EXPERT AVAILABLE Tire chairman of the commission was Sir Francis Frazer, who had previously been chairman of the Dairy Industry Commission and who for a number of years held the position of chairman of the Executive Commission of Agriculture. It is stated that his duties as an adjudicator on transport and ether problems prevent his services being used as chairman of a commission affecting one of the country’s basic industries. Farmers generally deplore this situation, but still contend that alternative chairmen could be found. If a member of the judiciary cannot be spared, there is a well-founded suggestion that the position should be given to Mr. A. H. Cockayne, former Director-General of Agriculture, suggests an Auckland source. Mr. Cockayne started in the department as a research officer and showed extraordinary versatility in constructional investigation on all types of farm problems. He was the first to enunciate the technique of maintaining fertilisers and subsequent stock management. No person is more adequately equipped in scientific qualifications and extensive experience, both on the animal and nutritional aspects of sheep-farming, and it would be a mistake not to use his service on such a vital commission. PREPARING DATA In its report the 1939 commission regretted the “lack of authoritative information relative to the statistical position of the industry and to its general economics.” It complained that “it is impossible to obtain sufficient data relative to farms on which sheep are kept to determine how many of these farms are satisfactory economic units." This state of affairs is being rectified. The Division of Rural Development of the Department of Agriculture has a number of able rural economists preparing data in anticipation of the promised commission, and the investigations of these men, together with their services, will be at the disposal of the I new commission. In the meatime the I farmers are impatiently waiting fqr | fulfilment of the Government’s promise.