FARMING IN FIJI.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 4 January 1928, Page 2

FARMING IN FIJI.

GOOD PROSPECTS FOR DEVELOPMENT. (by telegraph—press association.} AUCKLAND, Jan. 3. Beef raising and dairying are growing industries in Fiji, according to file HonHenry Marks, Mayor of Suva, and lor .he past 20 years a member of the Fiji Legislative Council. . Mr Marks, who .arrived at Auckland to-day to spend a holiday in the Dominion, said that of late Hereford beef cattle and Jersey and Friesian dairy herds had grown greatly in number in Fiji, presenting a problem of how best to develop and exploit tne orimarv products of the country. In making mention of the fact that hitherto Fiji, had largely imported her dairv produce from Now Zealand, air Marks emphasised the friendliness which the tropical island displayed toward the Dominion, in contrast with the antagonism felt toward Australia, the protective tariff of which militated against the successful marketing of .some of the Fijian fruit crops, notaby pineapples. Incidentally, Mr Marks mentioned that Fiji was experiencing .a splendid fruit season and hoped considerably to develop her fruit trade: with New Zealand. Mr Marks is interested as the principal of a meat canning industry in the island beef trade, but declared it was purposed not to export but merely to supply local requirements through the. agency of the factory, for which he will engage a staff while in New Zea“We have a rainfall of 60 to 200 inches per annum and no winter,’’ lie said With reference to the dairying possibilities in Fiji, there was land there equal to' New Zealand s best, and the virgin soils bearing para and pasnalum grasses afforded succulent fodder for the i.s’and herds. A. stimulus to efficient dairying was being given by the Government, through the provision of a bounty operative from January 1, [928. of £7 for every head of pedigree stock imported. It was a tribute to New Zealand, mentioned Mr Marks +hat- the importations were almost wholly from New Zealand. Naturally they might be expected to be much more ; numerous in the immediate future.