SPEECH BY THE GOVERNOR.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 760, 8 March 1910, Page 5

SPEECH BY THE GOVERNOR.

■ ———0 : — ~ FRUIT CULTURE AND DEFENCE. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) ■ Christchurch, March 7. | The Governor paid his first and final visit to Cheviot to-day when he was entertained at dinner by the local .bodies. Responding to the toast of his health he referred to the of population to the country ..with the view of making New Zealand self-defensive. He was very pleased to learn ihat experiments were being tried in friiit culture in the country. That seemed to be a long long way off military training, but in reality the two subjects were closely connected. His idea was that there was not sufficient first-class land-in New. Zealand for everyone to share-in it,--but experience shows that a man and his family could make a good living at fruit culture on 15 to 25 acres, provided "the'land; arid, locality were suitable: " He that instead of 200 or 300 acres b'eihg ! 'the minimum for a farm, selectioris .sh6uld.be 15 acres for fruit culture, which- would prove equally profitable; and would result in very closely settling the country. In regard to internal defence he said tlie visit of Lord, Kitchener was: most fortunate at tho present time-- in view of the passing last session of the new Defence Act which -was one of the most self-sacrificing and patriotic actions New Zealand had ever done. He hoped it would be possible to', adopt the scheme Lord Kitchener, proposed. He was perfectly certain', if the . people were able to do it they would, as it would make this .country perfectly safe, in regard to internal defence, and also it would be of enormous assistance to any part of the Empire menaced. ' ..