MAIN ECONOMY

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21356, 26 February 1941, Page 10

MAIN ECONOMY

FARMING INDUSTRY NEED FOR SOUND BASIS GOOD LIVING EMPHASISED (By Telegraph.—Sp.'clal to Times) CHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday The need for farmers to co-oper-ate and use to the fullest their opportunities for acquiring scientific knowledge of their industry before they could demand of the country that it put the industry on a paying basis, was emphasised by Mr T. A. Carroll, of Wairoa, in an address at the graduation ceremony at Lincoln College after he had been presented with the Bledisloe Medal. “ Let us rise to the occasion now, particularly in view of the reconstruction that will be called for after the war,” said Mr Carroll. 44 The basic industry to keep this country from bankruptcy is farming, and the industry must be so organised that the good farmer will get from it a good living.” There was an outcry against farming today, because it was believed tbat it was a hard life with no money in it. Farmers must not accept that judgment as final, because the whole economy of the country depended on farming. That opinion had, however, become a sort of bug, for which lack of capital, unsatisfactory tenure of land, the inability of some farmers, and a lack of scientific training were probably some of the main predisposing causes. “ You members of the board, and you legislators, don’t you think you can find the solution while you are considering all the other problems? ” Mr Carroll asked. ‘‘ls it not worth while to make some effort to dispel this bug that is being allowed to go unchecked? “ But first, there must be co-opera-tion among farmers. I appeal to farmers for greater unity, and for greater use of opportunities. We have got to do this before we can ask the legislators to make the effort.”