FARMERS’ TOURS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 17 March 1928, Page 11

FARMERS’ TOURS

or five years ago farmers’ tours to and from South Africa were started in connection with an organisation called the South African National Union, of whieh Lieut.-Col. 'Sir Pieter C. van B. .Stewart .Bam was the founder and is now chairman of the London centre. It is now considered that what, has been so successfully carried out .between South Africa and the Motherland should be extended to the rest of the Empire. ’ A committee representative of' all the Dominions is being formed with a view to carrying this into effect. “Already in the early stages,” said Sir Peter Stewart Bam, “we have been assured by the private secretary of His Ma.jsty the Xing that he is thoroughly interested in this work, and would like to be kept posted up as to how we progress. The Prince of Wales, through his private secretary, has gone further, and has told us that the movement has his hearty approval, and that in the same way as he met the 'South African farmers on their arrival in the United Kingdom this year for their tour, he will be quite prepared, to meet the farmers again on the day the tour starts, at any function on which we may decide.”

The proposals for this year’s ton arc as follows: —

(a) The formation of an Imperial Committee to work the organisation or’ sueh a tour, on the same lines as has been done by the South African National Unipn for South Africa and the United Kingdom for the last twenty years.

(b) The tour will be held in England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and the Channcd Islands from June 4 until August. 17, viz., 71 days. Already tentative arrangements have been made with the various agricultural organisations throughout England, Scot-

A BIG MOVEMENT

land, Ireland, Wales and the (Channel Islands, for such touring. Partners are to be specially welcomed at the Agricultural Shows, and every facility given them, for seeing British agriculture at close quarters. (c) The party will consist of at the very most 150, made up as follows: 25 “Pukka” farmers from each of the four bigger Dominions —(Canada, Aus iralia, New Zealand, and South Alrien—and another 25 from the small, cr Dominions —India, Newfoundland, .Rhodesia, etc. —and Brown 'Colonics, plus 25 women associates. The programme which is (being ar ranged is a very attractive one, and will provide for ample time to be spent in London and bigger centres, where questions of marketing which especially interest the oversea farmers, can be discussed. with the British handlers of produce. It is also hoped to include a visit to at least four of the bigger British Show's, namely, the Royal Show, the Highland Show, the great Yorkshire Show, and the Welsh Show.. Towards the end of the tour also, about a week is being set aside with a view to the holding of a conference, in which it is hoped British farmers will ■ (dn the overseas visitors in discuss- ■ iicr many Imperial agricultural matteis and it is hoped, lay the foundations of the formation of some kind of Imperial Agricultural Union. It is also intended that the tour lor this year should be a forerunner of tours in the future, yearly to other portions of the Empire, and already plans are in contemplation for a visit I to Australia arid New Zealand in Iv;2I*; ! :n all probability to be followed up by | a similar tour to Canada in 1930. an I South Africa in 1931. Th 'Se. ho we mr. ■ re matters which will be thoroughly m ne into at the .congress to be held to. wards the end of the year.