"COW'S IDEA OF HEAVEN"

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 226, 23 September 1932, Page 8

"COW'S IDEA OF HEAVEN"

NEW ZEALAND PASTURES. U.S.A. EXPERT IMPRESSED. FUTURE OF DAIRY INDUSTRY. "The pasture lands of New Zealand must be just about the cow's idea of heaven," declared ' Mr. W. A. Lloyd, Regional Director for the Western Division of the United States Department of Agriculture, who is at present visiting Christchurch, and who talked for a few minutes with a "Press" reporter. As may be gathered from this remark, Mr. Lloyd hae been greatly impressed with the conditions under which the: dairying industry is carried on in the Dominion.

Mr. Lloyd is in charge of that division of the Department which supervises agriculture in the Western States of the Union, as well as Alaska and Hawaii. He was formerly Dean of the Agricultural Extension of the University of Hawaiii, Honolulu. He is making a short holiday trip of 16 days in New Zealand, the greater part of which time he is spending in the North Island. Thorough Organisation. "The pastures of New Zealand are simply marvellous," said Mr. Lloyd, "and once having seen them one can no longer wonder that New Zealand butter ie a world-wide standard of quality." Mr. Lloyd said that he had been greatly struck by the thorough organisation of the dairying industry in the North Island. An excellent type of cattle was grazed on land that must have no equal in the world, while the factory system of production left practically nothing to

be desired. Mr. Lloyd said that not a great deal of New Zealand butter was sold in the. United States, but he was thoroughly familiar with its good qualities, as it was consumed almost solely in Hawaii. A fact that lie had ascertained since his arrival in New Zealand was that the cow holding <he production record for the Dominion had been fed on grass alone. Such a thing would be almost inconceivable to United States pastoralists, said Mr. Lloyd. There the cattle had to be fed very largely on stored or artificial foods, concentrates, etc.; during the winter. May Fly to Franz Josef. Mr. Lloyd passed through Wairoa on Saturday, and there were one or two appreciable earthquake- shocks while he was there. He said that the damage evidently was a great deal more substantial than the inhabitants themselves anticipated in the first place. The thermal regions ol Kotorua interested Mr. Lloyd very much, but he is regretting that he will Le unable to visit . the glacier districts' 6f the South Island. His wish may yet be gratified, however, for he has since made inquiries of Mr.: J. C. Merer, instructor to the terbury" Aero Club, as to the possibility of making the trip to Hokitika by air. It is possible that Mr. Lloyd will travel to Franz Josef in one of the Aero Club's machines.