SHEEP FOR JAPAN

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 33, 9 February 1932, Page 10

SHEEP FOR JAPAN

ARRIVAL OF BUYERS

Aft EXPERIMENT

Two representatives of the Japanese Government,. Messrs.X. Hatakeyama and Y. Ono, accompanied by Mr. K. Shimada, agent- for Nosawa and Co., Tokio, were among the, passengers on the Maunganui, which arrived in .Wellington from. Sydney to-day. Their mission is to buy stud sheep for the Japanese Government, -'v .

"For the last fifteen years we have been regular buyers of stud sheep in Australia^ said Mr. J3himada,L who is acting as interpreter, "and this year we have decided to extend our activities to New Zealand.:, Our wool country is in the north of Japan, and the Government considers that as the.climate there: resembles that of: New i Zealand, your sheep might be more suitable. Australian, sheep arei.used to a=dry climate, and do not always acclimatise well." ; , ■■■ :

Mr. Shimada said 'that they .would be buying Corriedales only, as these were , the most ..--.suitable. sheep for Japanese conditions. It was their intention- on; the: present trip to' purchase about 300 sheep, and if they came up to expectations it was likely that all their buying in the future would be confined to New Zealand. The Japanese' Government was very keen on keeping up the standard of the flocksj and was assisting the farmers by establishing experimental stations in the different wool dis-: tricts. ! . -. ■ :,■■■::■-■.. . : .

Mr. Shimada said thatindustrial conditions in Japan at the present time were similar to those in other parts of the world. They were suffering from the effects of the depression, and were doing .their best to cope with the situation. In Japan Communist propaganda had gained no ground, as the Government dealt with the Communists very firmly and agitators were deported.

Mr. Shimada"refused to comment on the Sino-Japanese trouble,'beyond saying that a great deal of ■ propaganda had been published.

be fixed. The bearing, had run, the most usual cause tot this being the lack of oil;- Witness saw-the engine after the bearing wag .replaced and it. was running perfectly.- . Constable E. Au*dley:, of Collingwood, described, the search made by Various parties which ;he organised,\and the finding on ; the coast of 62" empty oil drums, a ship's dinghy, and the body of Matthews, the telegraphist of Picton who was a passenger in the Kotiti. During the Saturday night, 10th October, Collingwood experienced the worst storm it had had for many years. Counsel for the Marine Department: "Do you think a boat of the size of the Kotiti would have any chance in it?" * , ■

Witness: "It would have no hope at all in the open sea."