IN THE FAR NORTH.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13744, 27 May 1910, Page 3

IN THE FAR NORTH.

INTERVIEW WITH THE HON. T. MACKENZIE. The Hon. T. Mackenzie. Minister of Agriculture,, who arrived from Wellington yesterday morning, and left by the first express for Dunedin..was interview - <:d by a "Press"' reporter regarding his recent tour of the Far North.

Mr Mackenzie stated that he_ had .pent three weeks in the remote North, enquiring into matters there and transacting Departmental business. He said that the bush sickness, a disease/which attacks stock after de|Kisturing und causes them to languish and die, was very prevalent in the district, causing considerable loss to settlers. He had made- careful investigations into the disease, with a view to ascertaining what could be done in the way of remedying it.

'"I also paid a very interesting visit to tho gumfields." continued Mr Mac-, kenzie. "There are from SOTO to 10.001) men employed there, and of these about 2000 are Austrians. They arc indeed a cosmopolitan lot, but the rough element is not, I think, so bad as it usfd to be. There are some very fine men among the diggers, and one of these is the secretary of the Giimdiggers' Union, whom I hud the good fortune to meet. Considerable feeling, exists ngainst the Austrians, on the ground that they spend as little money as possible in the Dominion, and when they have made «bout jC-jC-D they clear out of the country. The Austrians want to work the fields systematically by running v great trench through the swamp hinds, find take in all the gum on a face, but if this is done it will exhaust tho fields. The problem of what is to be done with the waste hinds is a big one." Mr Mackenzie added that if anything were done in the way of excluding Austrians an international difficulty would crop up immediately. Questioned as to matters affecting the Tourist Department, the Minister .tated that a number of additional scenic reserves had been set apart both in tho North and .South Islands, but it would be indiscreet to divulge their localities just'at present. The North Island papers lately contained several communications written over different pseudonyms attacking the "extravagant administration of the Momouliaka experimental farm in the North island, and Mr Mackenzie stated that the director characterised these statements as a "tissue of lies." It had been ascertained that the letters had been written,by an ex-employee on the estate, under different names, to the different papers. As far as the fu. tine policy of the farm wos.concerned, it was not by any means intended to abandon experimenting except, in such cases that have reached tho stage of demonstration. As much money hail been spent on the farm this year- as had been expended last year and also the previous year. He heped the experimental farms would show hotter results next year than ever before. The Minister declined to be drawn as to thi! political outlook, hut stated that import ant developments were possible before next election. To-night Mr Mackenzie will open the new drill hall at C-waka. and on the 31st ho will open the Otago A. and P. Association's Winter Show. He leaves for the North the following morning.