WARMLY PRAISED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 273, 17 November 1936, Page 9

WARMLY PRAISED.

NEW ZEALAND PASTURES. I LORD HARTINGTON IMPRESSED. ) (From Our Own Correspondent.) ' HAMILTON, Monday. 5 Warm praise for the richness, f variety and fertility of Dominion pas- ■ tures was voiced by the Marquess of ; Hartington, British Under-Secretary for ' Dominion Affairs, in an interview to-day. ■ Lord Hartington, who visited tlie Wai- , kato Land Settlement Society's Whata- " whata block, said there was nothing alien about the Waikato countryside; it reminded him of rural England. Lord Hartington said he was greatly impressed with the incredibly 6hort time in which Waikato land had been converted from a wilderness of swamp and scrub to smiling pastures. From all appearances the work of the Waikato Land Settlement Society had not been in vain. Commenting on Empire trade, he pointed out that England had to consider lier market, although she was prepared to take as much produce front the Dominions as was humanly possible. Tlie English coal industry had been very hard hit, and at present there appeared to be no prospect of immediate alleviation. . "There is no doubt that the New Zealand farmer is better off than the British producer, because of his immense rjatural advantages," added Lord Hartington. ' "The capital costs oi' farming in Britain i are very high, and before the land can f be made productive it had to be drained 'i with subterranean channels." Generally speakinc, he thought labour costs were cheaper' in England, though it was diffi- _ cult to make a comparison as the Home , labourer obtained free meat, buttei, „ potatoes, and other farm products which " reduced his domestic expenses. Furtlie . the labourer usually had a small h..iclin D of land to supplement his inc ° m % - t "As in this country, tlie rcaHy farm worker is difficult to obtru", added. He expressed.the o— that J, as living standards « C 1 0 profitable •t East, there should soon an( j )f outlet for New Zea, ?" d of tbo , cheery r. cheese there. He sp ket n nd the 10 outlook for of snhanC ed is prospects or a i i.l prices. -