2j Apkii., 1917. 1 Increasing Primary Production. 241 



relied upon to re-establish his former leadership in agriculture, and make 

 his country less dp|)endent on outside food su]iplies, and far less vulner- 

 able to enemy attacks. 



The Lesson to Australia. 



The moral of the Gci'nian devcldpnicnt of agricultural resources is 

 not likely to be lost on a l)ody such ;is I he Australian Nativ(^s Associa- 

 tion. This island continent of Australia, with its ."5,000,000 S([uare miles 

 cd' tci'ritoi-y, is lield by a mere handl'iil of people — about one and a-half 

 to the square mile. 



Thanks to the sheltering care of the Hritish flag, and the admitted 

 might of the British Navy, we have been able to hold and develop this 

 continent on our o\ni lines. What changes may be effected in the policy 

 of nations as a result of the present world confiagratiou we know not. 



We should realize, though, that if we wish to hold this continent and 

 sha])e its future policy, we must develop its resources, increase its popu- 

 lation, and )irove our right to ludd it. The mineral wealth must be 

 exploited, the pastoral and agricultural lesonrces develojied, and manu- 

 factures stimulated. 



A liberal policy for the encouragement of mining, agriculture, and 

 manufactures must, therefore, be adopted. I propose to confine my 

 remarks solely to the agricultural and pastoral industries. For if these 

 can be made to flourish, trade and manufacture will thrive, and the 

 whole community will be prosperous. 



Germany has shown how, on 133,000,000 acres of land (about two- 

 thirds the size of New South Wales) it is ])Ossible to maintain and feed 

 a poj)ulation of 68,000,000 people, i.i'.. more than two persons every 

 i acres. Here, in Australia, our population is about two persons per 

 1,000 acres. 



That we can immeasurably increase our agricultural production must 

 be obvious. The settlement at Mildura is one shining example as to 

 how it can be done. At Mildura a population of 6,000 souls makes a 

 comfortable living from 12,000 acres of land. Along the Murray valley 

 there is sufficient land and water (if conserved) to provide for 100 

 settlements such as Mildura. 



We are approaching a critical period in our national history, and the 

 need for the development nf our agricultural resources was never more 

 urgent. 



The loan e.xpenditure to finance Australia's share in the war is 

 rapidly increasing, and with it the annual interest charges are mounting 

 up. These increasing interest charges must be met by taxation. Every 

 bag of wheat, bale of wool, box of butter, or carcass of meat we can 

 exjiort during the currency of the war assists our Allies, helps to lighten 

 the burden of taxation, and drives a nail in the enemy's coffin. 



Australia's expenditure during the first year of the war was 

 £73,000,000, of which more than half represented loan ex])enditure. 

 Last year the loan expenditure was in the neighbourhood of £50,000,000 

 sterling, and next year the amount will be even higher. The only way in 

 which Australia can maintain her financial stability and remain solvent 

 is to increase the output of exportable products — wool, meat, butter, and 

 wheat. These products Australia can raise to perfection, and the allied 

 nations can consume all we have to spare. 



