SPEECH BY MR. M'NAB.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 196, 13 May 1908, Page 8

SPEECH BY MR. M'NAB.

FARMERS' UNION DINNER. FATHERING AT PALMERSTON NORTH. (DY TipiGBAPH.— SrECI.lt, COBEESPONDKiIT.)' Palsierston North, May 12. The annual dinner of tho Farmers' Union was held; at Dawick's Buffet this evening, Mr. .' J. Balsillie, ,' president of the local branch, presiding. Representatives of. tho provincial executivo wor.o present, arid'other prominent members of tho Union from various parts of. tho, district. Tho Hon. R. M'Nab, Minister for Lands, also by the evening train. ' : : In the course of a lengthy toast, list, "Tho Legislature"' was proposed by tho Chairman, Mr. J.'Balsillie. The Hon. I!.' M'Nab, responding,' said he was pleased to he present, at tho gathering. It , did.'not matter to, him whether the Farmers' Union was a political organisation, as, long as the parties were trying to foster thoir own interests. '.- It would bo .a mistako if tho farmers failed "to take an interest in politics. Ho had troublo in his own district over the samo question. Where the political machinery .was so. mixed ,iip ; ; with , any particular trado or industry it was impossiblo to , keep, out of politics. V Thero was no branch of Department: Works that was so free from party struggles as his Department. Ho was not going to deal with tho question of Socialism that evening. Tho problem that faced : the .Department*,-was tiio country and tho people. Tho early pioneers who were connected with agriculture in the . Old Country did. not; have the expert knowledge, except, that handed down by thoir forefathers. Here they came" to : a new country, Under different conditions,., of climate and soil. How were they, then, to stand on an equality;, and derivo the best results from the soil? This was where tho Department camo in. To; farmers ho would say, "If you.want to get the'greatest profit out of tli'o country .it has 1 to bs > managed in the , .samo . way a3 a, farmer manages his farm." . Let them look. at what .had been . accoinplished (luring the.last.t-hroo years since the Ward Administration . camo into power.' ■ Tho .Veterinary.: College' in .Otago v/ould .be .of enormous . .benefit to tho Dominion. . .He hoped' to see the day when tho hcsd_ officers of'the Stock Department were thoroughly trained veterinarians. He hoped soon to bo in a position to say that they would take the first ten young men out of tho school and give them positions. There was a 2_reat, 'difficulty in getting sufficient veterinarians,from ither parts of tho world. , They had to face the problem of having them trained in-this country. With regard to the . Dairy School,' as'soon'as the site was vested in the naiho af King' Edward ho would commence with the work of erection. Thero. had-been some 'slight ■ misunderstanding,. and he hoped it would be fixed, up to-morrow. ~ They, had also to 'see that those who intended to :go on the'soil had a 'thorough and systematic education.-'. •! He hoped that they would -have a practical university, established in the Bominion which v.ould assist agriculture.. , A man. should be ablo to step out from tho universities, and face all 'tho problonis .that have to be'facad by an agricultural man. All these things took time and money.. He would be sorryto see strife between town and country, and he ' advised tho farmers to direct more attention to bringing the men out from the cities, and showing them the existing conditions, and a different state of affairs' and friendship would result. : .Tho research scholarships, he felt, would bo of great benefit to the colony. Although their political views might be separated, they would have to agree thai; the w.ork done by the Department was a - Useful, one, and lie believed that they would all assist to have its work . extended more and more as tho years went by. ' ■ 'Mr. W. T. Wood, M.11.11.. also responded. At the; end of the toast list Mr. M'Nab stated that he omitted to mention that he had received a communication to-day from sft?e)£GovenioFih ' one ' of . the" States • who contemplated re-entering the political "arena, asking for . information in, regard to the management of. railway and other public works. ' ' '' .! ' .' The. Minister subsequently-informed your correspondent that he would meet as many members of the committer of the A. and P. Association as possible at the Show. Grounds at. 10.30 a.m., and arrange an amicable settlement:!in regard-,to tno Dairy, School site. •' " ■ ■ .