Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 1930. THE EMPIRE FARMERS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 137, 22 March 1930, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 1930. THE EMPIRE FARMERS.

Ashburton town and county to* dav united in extending* a hearty welcome to the most important party of visiting farmers that has yet honoured this district. The Visitors were welcomed first because they represent the Homeland and two of the sister Dominions, typifying that unity of Empire which we as a loyal people cherish and foster. They were w armly received also for the more personal reason that their tour is the result of a desire on their part to learn atl first hand of the conditions! of husbandry in this outpost of the King's Dominions, to encourage and foster intercourse between his Majesty s subjects, to extend knowledge of the Empire, and, generally, to promote a spirit of unity and patriotism among all classes of the people. These are the objects of the tours —of which the present ope is the fifth —organised by the British National Union. Not only .will the overseas farmer gain, it is to be hoped, much useful information on this tour, but their fellows in the Dominion should also derive benefit from contact withagriculturists and breeders from abroad. This benefit will be the .more general as the visitors include representatives of almost every phase of British agriculture, including* stock-bieedjng, sheep and general farming, cheese manufacture, seed growing, and dairying. The industries of wool and agricultural machinery aie also represented. Political economists tell us that, with the exception of . hunting, husbandry is the oldest occupation in the world, and it is also one in which methods do not change readily. It is therefore fitting that in this age, when the discoveries of science .are being applied more and more to primary production, the problems following upon changed conditions should receive the concentrated attention of practical men. To ensure the solution of the difficulties that arise, the widest knowledge of overseas practice and advances is essential. Beading does supply a great part of that knowledge, but: personal examination on the spot is of greater value. Unfortunately the present tour has been arranged on an itinerary that: does not allow of the visitors seeking the full amount of information they would undoubtedly like to receive, or imparting the full measure of knowledge they would as undoubtedly he willing’ to convey. Their stay in Ashburton County has been too brief for them to obtain more than an impression of the methods pursued here. At the Mayfield Show they had the advantage of ascertaining, with a minimum of time, the (luality of some of the finest products, animal and vegetable, oi Ibis County, hut excellent as that object lesson was, there could not be the same opportunity of ascertaining how* those results are obtained as there would have been, bad the tour been more, leisurely. This consideration, however, does not minimise the hope that their visit to Ashburton County has been as pleasurable and as profitable as kindly intentions could make it.