FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 1905. A RETURNED COLONIST.

Bush Advocate, Volume XVII, Issue 4, 6 January 1905, Page 4

FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 1905. A RETURNED COLONIST.

«. . Mr J. M. Johxstox, a well-known resident of Palmerston North, has just returned to the colony from a lengthy visit to the Old Country, and has given some impressions of his trip to a Wellington newspaper. Like other recent visitors to England, Mr Jobnstonwas astonished at the extent of the ignorance prevailing at Home in regard to this colony. The reason for this, he thinks, is the small attention the colony receives from the newspapers. Very rarely is anything to be seen in tliem about the country. "Oil," said one newspaper man to him, "JN"ew Zealand ? We don't know how much to believe of what comes from there." The affairs and news of other parts of the world figure largely in the British press — news from China, California, the Cape — from everywhere, in fact, except New Zealand. Then again, Mr Johnston noticed that the advertising of New Zealand was persistently and lamentably neglected. This was in marked contradistinction to the methods employed in advertising Canada. On all railways and steamboats and places of public resort, America and Canada were kept before the public by picture and print. "I never went to an agricultural show in Great Britain, big or little, and I went to many," said Mr Johnston, "without finding on the ground a Canadian tent, and in that tent were samples

of wheat and other produce, and outside boys were to be seen distributing leaflets and handbooks. We are asleep in regard to this matter, and sadly neglecting the opportunity of doing good work. See what the result is- ! Why, a nobleman one day said to me, 'What wild animals have you. got in New Zealand ?' When I said none, he was greatly surprised, and wanted to know what sort of cattle were indigenous to the colony ! That seems queer, of course, but a bank manager actually asked me how long it took to go by train from Sydney to Wellington, and a lady wanted to know how far New Zealand was from New York." Mr Johnston admits that the Agency-General does good work, hut he considers it undermanned, and its scope is not wide enongh. The Tourist Department, he says, should have an ofliee in London, aud it should be conducted on progressive lines, and with appreciation of the object in view. He found that on the steamers running via Suez to Australia, there is always a supply of literature concerning .Caffada, but there is never anything about New Zealand. Mr Johnston thinks that, this should not continue, and he suggests that it would be a good iplan, for instance, to have pictorial publications placed on the ships in London* to be followed by others of later date when the vessels arrived at Fremantle. Mr Johnston also thinks that it would be well that the mail agent on the San Francisco steamers should be given the status of an agent of the Tourist Department, and should have assistants to relieve him of part of his postal duties, so that he might devote some time to conversing with passengers and distrlbting among them literature descriptive of New Zealand's resources and attractions. It would also, in his opinion, be a good idea to have monthly letters from New Zealand published by arrangement in leading provincial newspapers throughout England, Scotland, and Ireland. Mr Johnston, it will be remembered, purchased the Kerry and Dexter cattle that -arrived in the colony some months ago, and as may he expected he had a few words to say concerning them. He declared there was no doubt whatever that the Kerry, for rough hill country and cold country was superior to any other stock — that was to say, they -would give the largest yield of butter fat under such conditions. The best authorities in Ireland, agreed that no cattle, milked so well on poor land as the Kerry— it was the best " poor man's cow " in Ireland. They would he very suitable to such country as the highlands about Apiti, Mangaweka, Kimbolton, Hautapu, or in parts of the Waikato, or on pumice country. They were not to be compared with Holsteins on "warm" lands, but for " cold " country they were far away superior. Every one of the cattle purchased was true to type. Three of them were exhibited at Park Eoyal show. So far as the Dextefs were concerned, they were not to be beaten for crossing for beef. While in England, Mr Johnstone was shown by the Duke of Devonshire's manager two Dexter steers that werei being fattened for the Christmas show of fat stock at Islington. The first prize in fat stock went in the previous year to a beast of the Dexter cross. On the King's farm at Sandringham, Dexters were the favourite animals for beef. Mr Johnstone thoroughly approves the appointment of a High Commissioner for New Zealand in London, and thinks there is great scope for an energetic representative to bring our produce to notice.

Feilding anglers complain that the Oioua river has practically not been fishable since the opening of the season. Intending competitors are given a final notice that nominations for the Bernet Cup, the first distance of which will be run on Wednesday next, close with Mr Glass to-morrow (Saturday) night. Edward Acton, of Pleasant Point, one of the oldest South Canterbury settlers, died on Wednesday night, after a lingering illness, aged 71 years. Deceased took an active part in public life for many years. Mr Heeles, a resident of Wellington, after a trip to England, in an interview with a Post reporter, said :— " My impression is that unless England wakes up she will be a Second-rate power within the next decade !" Whatever would Mr Balfour say to this ? The sudden death is announced, at Howi'ck, (Auckland), of Mr W. H.Gaw, late railway traffic manager at Christchurch. He had been suffering from paralysis, and recently retired from the Government service on a pension. The thoroughbred sales were continued at Auckland on Wednesday, when the Cambria Park Stud Coy's yearlings, brood mares and stallions were sold in 32 lots, realising 2443 guineas. Seven yearlings a f or Glenora Park brought 745 guineas. Will yon kindly turn over to page 6 in these columns and you will find there E. Lloyd and Co.'s particulars of their Red Letter Sale. They are now offering a first-class stock of general drapery at enormous reductions. It will pay you to read the advertisement, and doubly so to visit their establishment, and see for yourself the genuineness of their bargains* You will be heartily welcomed, whether you purchase or not. All dressmaking at reduced rates during sale. — Advt. Mr Wright, Dentist, will visit Weber at Mr Harvey's Hotel from 16th to 18th January : Herbertville 18th to the evening of the 20th January.— Advt.

The Gothic which left Wellington yesterday for London, took about ntteen thousand cases of butter. A party of Hastings residents ascended the Dome on the 27th of December. Another party climbed a high peak south of the Dome on the 26th. As showing |the activity of the flax business m Southland, it is reported that 4536 bales, weighing 900 tons were received in Bluff stores during December. _-^¥. 1 Pre " lier an d party attended the liokitika races on Wednesday, and were guests of the Westland Jockey Club, being entertained with a number of other distinguished visitors. We regret to hear that one of the little girls of Mr PaulNissen, of Norsewood, broke one of her arms in the hay field yesterday. The sufferer was at once takent-to the doctor, and is now progressing favourably. Harvesting, is now in full swing on • the Hastings plains. The recent storm has made the cutting of hay and grain very difficult, as it is almost impossible to get the cutting machines under the broken drown crops. The Wellington and Feilding bowlers passed through Dannevirke yesterday en route to Gisborne, where the bowling tournament commences on Monday Messrs Boland, Parker, and Bartlett who are to represent Dannevirke with Mr Potts, left for Gisborne to-day. Sir Joseph Swan* of Sunderland, who as recently knighted, is a brother of Mr G. H. Swan, for many years Mayor of Napier. The new knight invented the Swan incandescent electric lamp and the modern photographic dry plate, and he also affected improvements in photo-mechanical printing. He is in his 76th year. A fine exhibition of wrestling (says the Standard) was given by August Carlson of Dannevirke, and J. Sandow at the Masterton sports on New Year's Day. Both men kept going for over an hour, but neither could effect a throw. Carlson is one of tbe best athletes in the colony, and has few equals at tossing the caber, throwing the heavy hammer and similar featßS. When in Ireland Mr J. M. Johnston saw a man cutting a ten-acre crop of bats with a hook. He saw another person cutting oats with a scythe— and cutting it so that the stalks fell into the standing crop. At Killarney he went into a shop to buy a shillelagh. The seller of blockthorns had heard of New Zealand. your Mr Seddon's a foine man" he remarked. "He was here hot long ago. and bought a bundle." The Department of Agriculture has been advised that quantities of clover seed, badly infested with "dodder," arebeing sent to New Zealand. The Department emphasise the necessity for farmers to be careful, as "dodder" is a serious pest. The Noxious Weeds Act makes it an offence for anyone to sow, sell or offer to sell seed containing, dodder. Officers of the Department have been instructed to keep a sharplook out-'for offenders.