DEVELOPMENT OF NEW ZEALAND

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27097, 21 July 1953, Page 7

DEVELOPMENT OF NEW ZEALAND

BRIGHT FUTURE SEEN FOR AGRICULTURE FAREWELL VISIT BY SIR ROY PRICE

After spending four years in New Zealand as United Kingdom High Commissioner, Sir Roy Price will leave for England next month. In Christchurch yesterday, on his last visit to the city, he said that the newcomer to New Zealand could not but be impressed with the great developments that had taken place in little more than 100 years of European settlement.

“To think that all this has been done in just over 100 years is astonishing,” said Sir Roy Price. “It is an extraordinary achievement particularly considering that the population is relatively small and was even smaller in the days when much of this development was going on. “If the same imagination and initiative are shown in future generations it is not hard to imagine what great developments may be seen. They may not be spectacular in that there there are no very vast areas of virgin land to be brought into production, but you do have great potentialities for increasing production by such means as aerial topdressing, the increased use of fertilisers and the use of perhaps improved fertilisers, and the continuing development of improved scientific methods of farming and agriculture.” The New Zealand farmer was fortunate to be so well served by the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, the agricultural colleges and research institutes. The work of the Grasslands Division had been of enormous benefit not only to New Zealand but to every country interested in grasslands and pastures. “You may not have spectacular developments,” continued Sir Roy Price, “but it does seem to me that you have every reason to be confident of sure and steady growth. Future of Commonwealth

Because of its favourable climate ■New Zealand was in the fortunate position of being a low-cost producer of farm products, he continued —of commodities like meat, butter and cheese which everybody the world over wanted. „ .. “We are sad to be going away, said Sir Roy Price, “but we go away with a feeling of satisfaction and confidence because our stay here has fijyen us a faith in the future of New Zealand and at the same time a faith in the future of the Commonwealth. It makes one feel that the kind of association we have in the Commonwealth is an example of the way in which people living in different circumstances and having different interests—by getting together and making an effort to understand each other’s points of views can make an association which can wield an enormous influence. Fortunately in the case of the British Commonwealth it is an influence whichwill always -be exerted for the welfare of mankind. Membership of an association of this sort carries responsibilities for the individual —one must make a conscientious effort to understand what others are thinking and why they so think. I think any association or organisation in which world or Commonwealth affairs are discussed arid studied is valuable, for sometimes without having considered all aspects of a subject people make snap decisions. With countries in the Commonwealth all comparing notes we get a good all-round picture of the particular problem we are thinking about”

Sir Roy Price and Lady Price will sail for England in the Dominion Monarch on August 6. Lady Price, who is recovering from an operation, is not accompanying her husband on his farewell visit to the South Island. Today Sir Roy Price will visit Dunedin, and tomorrow he will be in Invercai.gill.