AID TO BRITAIN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 137, 22 March 1948, Page 4

AID TO BRITAIN

New Zealand’s Effort

VISITOR’S APPRECIATION “During my tour of South Canterbury, Otago and Southland I have very much appreciated the practical way in which New Zealand is helping Britain in her present trouble. I have also appreciated the wonderful expressions Of sympathy for the people at home,” said Mr Edward Burgess, representative Of a British agricultural engineering, firm in an interview this morning.

“New Zealand’s attitude in this matter is far more sympathetic and helpful than I had hoped to find it. It might almost be said that New Zealand has a broader understanding of the position than Britain herself, because the distant view gives a wider outlook.”

Farming in Britain

Mr Burgess said that while some of the older farmers in Britain to-day were conservative, lie considered the younger generation to be the best and most progressive in the world. Farming in Britain was highly mechanised, and there were more . tractors, per acre, than in any other country. It was impossible to compare British with New Zealand farming as conditions, climatically and economically, were so different. He had heard it stated that climatical conditions in Southland and Otago were comparable with those in Britain, but he did not think this was the case, it being much colder in the southern half of England. During his stay in New Zealand he had talked with many farmers, amid it seemed to him that they knew thenjob very well. New Zealand farmers had much that farmers in Britain could learn, and the British farmer had knowledge that would be useful in New Zealand. New Zealanders had already taught the British farmers the value of quick rotation. Farming in Britain was much more intensive, and husbandry was, perhaps. better. The soil in Britain was less fertile than in New Zealand, and was more carefully conserved. New Zealand farmers appeared to be fully aware of the erosion and conservation problems that lay ahead of them. Irrigation Not Needed

' Stating that irrigation works were not needed in Britain, Mr Burgess said that the problem was just.the op-posite-drainage, He expressed the opinion that irrigation in New Zealand would lead to more intensive farming which would lead to the problem of labour. The wartime agricultural committees were still active in England, he said. The committees, consisting of farmers and Government officials, watched over the farming in the various districts'. If they considered that a farmer was not working his holding to its best advantage, they were empowered to instruct him os to the right methods. They also had a say in what crops a farmer was to put in. i ( '■.. •, ■ Machinery pools were features in each district and if, through no fault of his own, a farmer was faced with harvest, or drainage problems, elc,, too big for him to cope, with, he was supplied with machinery from the pool. Mr Burgess concluded by expressing his pleasure at the excellent way, in which British diesel tractors, which put. no strain on dollar resources, were doing their work in New Zealand.