PLEASURE BEFORE POLITICS

Evening Star, Issue 19787, 10 February 1928, Page 7

PLEASURE BEFORE POLITICS

VISIT OF K.S.W. PREMIER SUTURE FOR WELL PLANNED IRRIGATION SCHEMES Pleasure before politics is the resolve of the Hon. T. R. Bavin, Premier of New South Wales, while he is touring New Zealand. The visitor, who is accompanied by his daughter and Miss De Clair (daughter of the Governor of that State), declined to talk politics this morning, when ho was interviewed by' a ‘ Star ’ reporter, but he was willing to say some most complimentary things about New Zealand. New Zealand is Mr Bavin’s birthplace. The son of the late Rev. Rainstord Bavin, the political leader of the great Australian State was born in the drowsy hamlet of Kaiapoi, twelve miles north of Christchurch. When in Canterbury he made a pilgrimage to his home town, and was given a civic reception. “ Every moment of my stay in New .Zealand has been most, enjoyable,” said Mr Bavin. “ L have had the utmost courtesy in all towns, irrespective oi politics, and it lias been an especial

(ileasuro to meet a great many old friends of my late father. 1. have increased enormously in? knowledge of the beauties and charms of New Zealand. I knew that New Zealand was a beautiful place, but J. had no idea how beautiful it really was until 1 visited the Southern Lakes.”

As Mr Bavin has also toured the North Island, his opinion of the L.iscs district of Otago is another eulogy to the long list given by visitors from, overseas, and shows the appeal of Wakatipu. Wanaka, and To Anon. Mr Bavin said ho owed a great deal to the hospitality of the Government, which Had done everything to make things easy and comfort able. The party had been most comfortable at all the tourist resorts, and without laying empty compliments he desired to say how efficiently the hotels in which ho had stayed were run. He also noted the excellent provision made for the enjoyment of tourists in the vay of arranging sight-seeing trips. That had not been only iiis own experience, but that of New South Wales fnends of his whom ho had met on his travels. His only disability, Air Bavin regretted, was that time had been too fhort for him to see as much as be would have liked of New Zealand. On the railways he had been very comfortable, and lie had found all railway officers to be most attentive and courteous.

“ I. regret that I did not luoo time to see as much as I would have liked of the irrigation schemes in. Central Otago,” said Air Bavin. “It is never safe to apply the experience of ono country to another. But although some of our big schemes in New South Wales have been very costly so far ns tho initial expense is concerned, unqnestinnahly they have turned what was previously a desert into a most, lertilo and productive area. If our experience is any guide, (hero appear to lie great, possibilities ahead of carefully planned irrigation schemes. Vou have, an enormous advantage, in the districts 1 have visited of an unlimited supply of water, which <;nn he made, available for irrigation purposes with comparative case. Wo were not, so fortunately situated in New South Wales. Wo had to bring the water for our principal scheme, the Mumimhidgce area, very many miles Irom the head works.

“One difficulty we are facing at present is tho finding of markers for the outputs from the irrigation area. Both tho Federal and Stale Governments sre directing their attentions to this problem, which, of course, is an e-Moi-ti:t 1 matter for con>ideration. Overproduction is a problem which has to ho solved in order to ensure the success of any such scheme.”

Hr Bavin leaves Dunedin to-morrow lor Wellington, joining l.ho Tahiti i here, on Tuesday for Sydney.