EXPERIMENTAL FARMS.

Feilding Star, Volume I, Issue 283, 5 June 1907, Page 4

EXPERIMENTAL FARMS.

[PJUt PBBBB ASSOCIATION.] Dunedin, June 4. Speaking at the opening of the Winter Show to-day, the Hon. J. A. Millar said the president had men tioned that the Agricultural Department had decided not to establish an experimental tarm in the South Island. In his (Mr Millar's) opinion there must be some misunderstanding on that point. If he knew the mind of his colleague, the Minister of Agriculture, on the matter, it was that there ought to be greater concentratioi in the matter of exper) mental farms and that th?y should not be so wiiely distributed. He had not, however, understood that Mr McNab was opposed to the establishment of an experimental farm iv the South Island, and had so decided. As far as he (Mr Millar) w»9 concerned, he would have something to say on the subject if he ascertained that the president's statement of the prosition was a correct one. (Apjlause) He was fully convinced of the great good that experimental farms were to the community. Such farms were established in Auckland and Wellington provinces and be considered the system should be oontinu fed in the South Island. The fat roers of New Zealand, not of the North Island only, bad to compete against the markets of the world, and it behoved us to do all that was poi--B^l le to ensure our products being; able to maintain tleir present faigfl position. The Argentine was from yf-ar to year pushing itself forward and it was only now a matter ot time whan it would be our doughty competitor. He had only that day t«-en informed by a friend that so great was the progress being made in Argentine and so great was the effort that was being made to improve the quality of its output, that within a few years that country vould send butter to London market equal to that of New Zealand.