78 



PRODUCTION 



agricultural co-operation * have done much to enable New Zealand 

 producers to take advantage of their resources. With regard to 

 the future, it is hardly likely that the present rate of progress can 

 be continued indefinitely, though several witnesses before the 

 Dominions Commission in New Zealand expressed optimistic views 

 on this matter. 2 The further adoption of machinery, especially of 

 the milking-machine, may add to the productive capacity of the 

 country, but in the main further developments depend upon 

 improvements in transport and the wider use of more intensive 

 methods. In the last resort it is a question of population, which 

 has not yet reached the optimum for surplus exports. 8 



The population of New Zealand has roughly doubled since 1890 

 In spite of this fairly rapid proportionate increase in population 

 there were about 40 acres of occupied land per inhabitant in 1911 

 as compared with less than 1 J acres per inhabitant in Great Britain, 

 where the severer climate is less favourable to animal industries.* 

 Further, the demands made upon land in New Zealand for 

 other purposes than for the maintenance of food-producing animals 

 are small. The ratio of these, therefore, to the population is very- 

 high. The table below shows the ratios per 100 of the population 

 and the changes in these ratios at intervals since 1891. 



It will be noticed that there has been a general slight decline in 

 the combined ratio of these animals to the population since 1891. 

 But the study of the movements of exports has brought out two 

 facts : first, a general change from wool sheep to mutton and 

 lamb breeds, and second, a much greater proportion of dairy cows 

 among cattle. It will be noticed, further, that the ratio of cattle 

 to the population shows an upward movement owing to the advance 

 of dairying, while that of sheep has steadily but slowly declined. 

 However, the turnover from the sheep flocks has increased owing 

 to the above-mentioned cause as well as to marked improvements 

 in meat-producing breeds and methods of feeding and fattening. 



1 Dominions Commission, Minutes of Evidence, New Zealand (Cd. 7170, 

 Q. 2630. " The whole dairy industry in New Zealand is associated in a system 

 of co-operation." There is also extensive co-operation in the meat industries 

 as shown by evidence given before the Commission. 



3 Ibid,, Evidence of J. A. Johnstone, G. R. Marshall, Albert Kaye, an 

 others. 



3 For a discussion of this question, see Chap, ix., below. 



4 For details of comparison, see Dominions Commission, Minutes of Evidence, 

 New Zealand. Christchurch, J. C. N. Grigg. Witness stated that it costs 

 ^10 more per annum to maintain a cow in Great Britain than in New Zealand, 

 on account of differences in climate and feeding (Q. 2523). 



