Farm Adviser Defends British Expert’s Visit

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30294, 21 November 1963, Page 13

Farm Adviser Defends British Expert’s Visit

(Special Correspondent N2J>.A.)

LONDON, November 20.

“Most surprising” is the comment of Mr N. R. Woods, of the New Zealand Farm Advisory Service, on criticism by Dr. J. D. Stewart, senior lecturer on farm management at Lincoln College, that the two-year visit to New Zealand by Mr O. G. Williams, of the British Ministry of Agriculture, is “not needed.”

Mr Williams, who is regional director of the northern region of Britain’s National Agricultural Advisory Service and who is shortly to become regional director in Wales, is to leave for New Zealand next March to work with the Farm Advisory Service. Mr Woods recently arrived in London on a three-year attachment to the High Commissioner's Office. He is at I present in Rome attending the F.A.O. meeting with Mr [ D. N. R. Webb, Directori General of Agriculture, and I Mr D- W. Woodward, Senior i Trade Commissioner in Lon!don. | Mr Woods said in a state- ! ment: “I might have expect- ! ed Dr. Stewart to criticise dei lay in making the move to : invite Mr Williams to New ! Zealand but his attack on the : proposal itself is very diffiIcult to understand. ! “Through his associations I with both university and I agriculture Dr. Stewart (should be very well aware

of the need to draw from the widest possible field of experience in obtaining new ideas and new stimuli in which continued improvement and development of our Farm Advisory Service is dependent. “I agree that we need a substantial increase in numbers of qualified staff but we must also ensure that those we have are used to the best advantage. “For these reasons alone this appointment should be welcomed. “In addition, however, Dr. Stewart is not entirely correct when he makes the sweeping assertion that we have nothing to learn from the British in this particular field. “There are any number of aspects of British agriculture and the British Advisory Service from which New Zealand farmers and the New Zealand Department of Agriculture can learn ■ a great deal. “Three such aspects which

come immediately to mind are recent developments in the field of grain drying and handling, the recent establishment of farmers’ secretarial services throughout the country and the development of a farm record book which has proved so successful that the National Farmers’ Union has taken over from the Ministry of Agriculture responsibility for its publication and sale. “Then there are the general principles behind the success that Britain achieved in establishing an •economic’ approach to farm management and the farm management’ approach to farm advisory ' work in a relatively short I space of time. | “The undoubted strength i and prestige of the New Zealand Farm Advisory Service is largely a result of its openminded attitude to new ideas in the past. "The confidence that Dr. Stewart expresses in the service is indeed gratifying but we can never afford to become complacent if we are to maintain these high standards. “The British Ministry of Agriculture will undoubtedly profit as a result of this move but this is purely quite irrelevant. “The exchange of ideas that will be possible while Mr . Williams is in New Zealand will benefit not only the Department of Agriculture but universities, improvement clubs and all those associated with agricultural industries who recognise the increasingly important roles of farm management and farm advisory services in seeking solutions to problems facing farmers today.”