When speaking on this Estimate last time, I talked about some schemes we had put before the Government some of which were approved before the change of Government in June, 1954. Moneys were allocated for them but there is no expenditure upon them. Many of them have been placed in abeyance. These schemes were designed for the purpose of trying to get better production from the land. We had, for instance, a credit scheme for fertilisers. That was on our list and I am sure it is in the possession of the Minister for Finance.
In that scheme it was suggested that interest free loans would be issued to farmers, or loans at 2 per cent. interest at the most. The purpose behind these credit schemes for farmers is well worthy of consideration. Fertilisers should be used in this country as we use seeds. They should be applied each spring for the purpose of growing one crop.
If we were to adopt that policy and have our people educated to do this there would not be much difficulty in making the money available. As a matter of fact, fertilisers would be available more cheaply to the farmers than they are at present. Credit should be made available early in the year, in October or November, immediately after the harvest. Farmers should be encouraged to buy in store at that time, avail of the rebatements given by manufacturers, the discounts given by distributors and retail merchants and cover the storage charges which are incidental expenses charged by the manufacturers and retailers. This money should be made available to the farmers for 12 months and in the case of dairying counties repayable by the 15th October and in the case of tillage areas by the 1st November. If it were properly managed and worked that would have been of inestimable value to the country.