FARMERS' PARTY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 5, 6 July 1939, Page 10

FARMERS' PARTY

FAREWELL LUNCHEON

GOING TO SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Twenty-five New Zealand primary producers and their wives, mainly from the South Island, who are leaving this afternoon by the Wanganella on a sn: weeks' good-will trip to South Australia in accordance with a system of reciprocal visits introduced beftveen the Dominion and the Commonwealth, J were farewelled today at a luncheon by representatives of the Government, the New Zealand Tourist Department, and the Commonwealth, and good wishes were extended to them tor an enjoyable and profitable tour. The leader of the party is Mr. R. D. Robinson, Ashburton, and the deputy leader Mr. J. S. Lacy, Whakahoro. Those present at the luncheon included the Hon. W. E. Parry, acting Minister in Charge or Tourist Resorts. Mr. L. J. Schmitt, manager, and Mr. S. J. Collet t, deputy manager of. the Tourist Department, and the Assistant Australian Trade Commissioner,. Mr. J. L. Menzies.

Mr. Schmitt welcomed the party to Wellington on the first stage of its journey to South Australia, which, he said, was historically very closely associated with New Zealand. Having had the happy experience of visiting 90 per ceut. of the places included in the itinerary, he assured the party that it was going to have a very enjoyable, interesting, and instructive! time. He wished them godspeed and i expressed the hope that they would be i successful in persuading South Aus-j tralians they met to visit New Zea-' land. „. _ j STRENGTHENING THE LINKS. [ j . Although he was born in New South I Wales, said Mr. Parry, he had lived in New Zealand for some 37 years. He j hoped he was a real good 100 per cent. \ I New Zealander in every sense of the; word. However, notwithstanding that particular feeling, he was also a great lover of Australia. He believed that | trips of this kind were of very great | value in cementing the bonds cf fellowship and comradeship between the two countries. Never was there a | greater need for strengthening the S links between the two countries than j at the present time. Today. Australia : and New Zealand "-ere no longer far away from >he difficulties present in other parts of the world, and it was absolutely imperative that they should j stand shoulder to shoulder and fight I any battles affecting their interests.: The people of the two countries had a j similar feeling and similar aspirations; i there was not very much difference j between them. i

Mr. Parry conveyed the good wishes oi the Prime Minister to the party, and he read a cablegram from the Premier of South Australia assuring the New Zealanders of a hearty wel- ' come and an enjoyable tour. Mr. Parry said he felt sure the party would meet j with the utmost hospitality from the I farmers and all others they met. ',

POLITICAL FEELINGS

Memberes of the party, no doubt, differed in politics, but it would be a foolish thing indeed, said the Minister, to allow any political feelings to nterfere in any way with their relationships while they were away. Among his greatest political opponents were some of his best friends. He, was. one of those who felt that they' did not want to live in a world where everybody agreed, because he thought that would be the dead end of progress. "The only way that progress is made is by the fact that the mind of some particular individual conceives some idea that may be better than the idea we are already operating and would make for a betterment of the people and his fellowmen in general. The birth of the idea creates a difference of opinion among people and the controversy between them and the free and liberal discussion of those opinions is the only true way to progress." He thought, therefore, they would all agree; with him that it would be foolish to allow any differences of opinion theyj might hold to destroy their happiness. j

The Minister also referred to the differences they would notice in farming methods and advised them also lo keep in mind that every country had its own peculiar beauty. He thought they would find that as a result of this reciprocal travelling the Australian farmers were learning fast from New Zealand. At the same time, many (hing's were learned by the New Zealand farmers as a result of the experience of the Australian people. j

Mr Menzies assured the partj' of a royal welcome in Australia. He said he thought that Australia and New Zealand today had to get closer and closer together in this world of uncertainty and difficulties, and that the sentiments •repressed by Mr. Parry were the right ones and should be encouraged.

Mr. Robinson x-eplied on behalf of the party