INCREASED OUTPUT

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 22660, 13 July 1945, Page 2

INCREASED OUTPUT

PRIMARY PRODUCTION CLAIMS BY HON. B. ROBERTS (By Telegrapn—Press Association) WELINGTON, Friday Preliminary business in the House of Representatives this morning included the usual notice of personnel of select committees to sit during the session and these will probably be set up next week. Before the House commenced work, Mr Na»h stated that he would again ask for an adjournment until Wednesday. In a notice of question, Mr A. S. Richards (Government Roskill), said he would ask the PostmasterGeneral, the Hon. F. Jones, whether he would take into immediate consideration the question of issuing a special set of postage stamps to commemorate New Zealand’s war effort.

Mr Richards pointed out that other Dominions had issued sets and said that such stamps were a recognised source of revenue.

Mr E. P. Aderman (Opposition— New Plymouth) gave notice to ask the Minister of Manpower, the Hon. A. H. McLagan, if he would release from manpower direction 20-year-olds who had completed their studies at teachers’ training colleges and who were probationary teachers. Mr Aderman said that while there was a grave shortage of teachers these students had been drafted to digging potatoes and picking apples. Debate Resumed

The Hon. B. Roberts, resuming the Address-in-Reply debate, denied that primary production had declined during the war or under the Labour Government. Quoting figures to support this, he said the butterfat production for the five prewar years averaged 189,000 tons, and f (or the last five years 191,500 tons. 1 This year’s estimate was 193,000 tons.

Butterfat production over the last nine years averaged 191,811 tons, and for nine years before that it averaged 149,888 tons, showing an increase of 28 per cent in the latter period, as compared with the former. With crops such as peas, beans, barley and potatoes there had been an increase of 57,600 acres on an average over the last five years, compared with the previous five years, while in addition linen flax had been developed. Grass seed exports for the past five years averaged 73,820 cwt., compared with 61,520 cwt., for the previous five years. Vegetable production in the last three years averaged 160,000 tons, compared with 80,000 tons for the three years prior to the war. Record for Wool Wool production for the five prewar years averaged 134,000 tons, whereas the average for the last five years was 148,000 tons, with the current year's estimate at 160,000 tons on a greasy basis, a new record for wool production. The meat average for the three pre-war years was 470,000 tons, compared with an average of 526,000 tons for the last five seasons.

Mr T. L. McDonald (Opposition— Mataura) said the Minister’s figures paid a great compliment to farmers, who had carried on under difficulties during the war and, in fact, ever since Labour took office. The Government’s policy had driven production from much-needed butterfat to wool, the disposal of which presented great difficulties for the next few years.

While further rationing imposed to help meet world food shortages could V not be objected to, a better approach " to the problem would have been to stimulate production. Little had been done to galvanise primary producers to a super-effort, and a supereffort was needed.

There were shortages occurring even in New Zealand which could be avoided. In the south there was a shortage of milk, which had been rationed in some places. He knew of one family which had only a cupful of milk daily after providing for the needs of the baby. Small producers, such as sheep farmers ,who used to keep a few cows or people on borough boundaries should have been encouraged instead of being discouraged by too many inspectors and too much regulation. One farmer in his district was recently visited by five Government officials in one day. Coal Miners’ Argument Mr Macdonald said the argument among coal miners appeared to be why earn a large amount when a big part goes to me State. The same applied to other industries. A greater effort had led to less return, in spite of the fact that an asset might be diminished in getting the return. If the incentive to produce was limited by rising taxation then there should be a revision of taxation. The Minister of Finance should be capable of devising a taxation method that would stimulate production. Mr Macdonald said that if it was at all possible the New Zealand Division should be returned to New Zealand. Had there been any request from outside the country for New Zealand land forces in the Pacific? he asked. If there had been, it was reasonable to ask that it be placed before the people for their consideration. It was natural that New Zealanders should want to get in and help Britain and the other Dominions in the Pacific, but were our men wanted? Frankness on the part of ffie Government would remove an aneasiness that was growing throughout the country. If the men were required, the Government’s decision to send them would receive the support of the people, but if the suspicion grew that the Government was urging that New Zealand troops should be included in the Pacific forces it would affect public morale.