DOMINION PASTURES

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 175, 20 April 1929, Page 11

DOMINION PASTURES

TASMANIAN MINISTER IMPRESSED STUDY OF AFFORESTATION Dominion Special Service. Auckland, April 19. “I wish to express my appreciation of the very great courtesy which has been extended to me by the Government and people of New Zealand in the course of my somewhat rapid tour of the Dominion,” said Sir Walter H. Lee, twice Premier of Tasmania, and now Minister of Agriculture and Public Works, before leaving by the Ulimaroa to-day on his homeward journey. Sir Walter arrived in Auckland last night, accompanied by the Director of Agriculture for Tasmania, Mr. Frank E. Ward. “The reputation of New Zealand as a very progressive country induced me to come here,” said the visitor, “and as I go back with a great deal of information which will be helpful in. developing our State, I count the visit well worth while. On such a hurried trip I can claim to have seen only samples of all that you have to show. One of my outstanding impressions is of the splendid pasture lands in the North Island. These lands provide an object lesson as to what can be done in the improvement of pastures by heavy top dressing methods. As one who comes from a purely agricultural country, I have also been struck by the absence of general agricultural production. New Zealand is certainly a great pastoral country.” In his capacity as Minister of Forestry, Sir Walter has made a close investigation of the New Zealand policy, and has inspected some of the Government plantations in the Taupo and Rotorua areas. He is greatly impressed with what has already been accomplished, and says that although so far Tasmania has not done much he hopes that steps will soon be taken in that direction.

The visitor commented on the successful cultivation of pumice lands in New Zealand, and said that Tasmania had yet to learn the full value of extensive use of fertilisers. “While in Wellington,” said the Minister, “I had the pleasure’ of conferring with the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) and the Postmaster-General (Hon. J. B. Donald), more particularly in reference to th£ proposed resumption of a direct steamer service between the Bluff and Hobart. We in Tasmania welcome most heartily the renewing of this link of communication, Apart from the Important considerations of tourists and mails, we hope to send you more of our hard timbers, and to import from your Dominion products which will find a good market in Tasmania. We shall be glad to do all that is possible to facilitate a direct steamer service.”