FARMERS’ TOUR

Hawera Star, Volume L, 20 June 1930, Page 6

FARMERS’ TOUR

NORTH AUCKLAND PARTY SOUTH TARANAKI VISIT RECEPTION AT HAWERA. Members of the North Auckland farmers’ touring party, numbering 33, together with residents ot the distinct, fanned an assembly of approxunatelv 60 at the official reception tendered the visitors at- the Islington, Tea Rooms yesterday itf"ternoon siioi tly ii’fter ‘tdie arrival of the visitors- by train from In the ahsenee of Mr -E. J- Betts, Snath Taranaki president of the I' armere’ Union, Mr L. A. Jennings, naehim in the expression of wekxmie greetings were the Mayor (Mr E. A. Pa-oey) and the president of the ber of Commerce (Mr B- C. Bi-nnett). Fanners, of the South Taranaki district would combine m a cordial .welcome to the party, said Mr Jennmgs The district fluid- fayauned with previous visits of. organised touring parties representative of fanning interests in other centres, and ib.su.-. felt that material benefit resulted from the opportunity provided for discussion " a +he exchange of ideas concerning the various phases of obta,m mg predation from the land. He hopedthat the visitors would enjoy their stay at H*»wera and tlie surrounding distract and carry away pleasant memories of the Visit ‘- INTER-DEPENDENT. “We are always pleased to see visitors and to endeavour, to. make their stay in ri-aiTcnt and the distract as picas ant- as possible,” said the Mayor, Air E -V P-acav. Hawerai residents had a town in which they took a great deal or -pride, and though they would appreciate the natural desire of the present pa rtv to ob tain as much mtormation as possible mioenung farming pursuits on Taranaki lands, the. town residents would- also- hope that the visitor's would be able to devote a certain amount of time to. the town itself. He drew, attention to the establishment at Hawera of a daily laboratory and the work of its research chemist, Mi I. O Veale whose investigations ot problems affecting, the dairying industry wewe widely known and liaid been a subject of congratulation by the Govemcr-Generaii. Lord Btedisloe. Stressing the need for co-ope ration betweeai town and oountiy dweller®, the Mavor said he did not support the citspoken expression that the town resident was dependent upon tine, farmer. . “That is an exploded fallacy t ’ ’ he continned. “I am one of those who believe that we are inter-dependent, and that ; it should be the aim and object ot town and country communities to work amicably together. We are at present gh- ) in a through a trying period, but it that s pnnciple is put into practice the coun- - try as a whole should have noi cause to > fear the future.” BENEFICIAL RESULTS. ’ Endorsing the welcomes voiced by the previous speakers, Mr B. O. Biennett, p president- *Q*f the Hawenai Oiam'ber oit , Commerce., expressed the opinion that the interchange of such visits by those i- concerned in the farming industry was . l productive of untold benefit- New "W \ Zealand would be in a very sorry abate < j without the- products of the land, and 1 anything which tends to increase the knowledge of the- farmers concerning methods of production must bo attenciU ed with good! results,” xi© continued, r If an illustration of the estimated worth _ of such visits were needed it could be found in the recent tour of the Dominion by the- Empire farmers party, members ‘of which had travelled from disp fiances of over 12,000 miles mainly for e fib© purpose of obtaining first-hand m--2 formation concerning conditions in tlie Z Dominion and methods adopted to obi\ tain the best, return from the land. > Visits by New Zealand farmers to. ■ctilietr centres of .tlieir own couutn l " show-id however prove even more, beaueifiy c-ia.l because of the greater degree, of similarity in tha common .problems to a lie faced.

NORTHERN PROGRESS. Thanks for tlio hospitality extended and the good wishes of the speakgts were expressed on -behalf of the Visitors. by Mr H. Kay, of Whangarei They were keenly interested m -he visit to Taranaki which was- recognised as one of the most productive and proajressive areas in the Dominion con- v tinued Mr Kay. Farming m the North Auckland district had also taken hi steps forward of late. V hernia.a feu years ago the total production for export had been 2,500 tons) the total had increased bv the end of the last season to 12,278' tons, representing a value ot approximately £2.000 000. Tim North Auckland area extended over J 800,000 acres of which 1,293,000 had been placed under cultivation and the milkin<r dairy herds numbered 137,500 cows, while about 720,000 sheep were also pastured. Taranaki held a high place in the dairy world, but ISortli Auckland held the- distinction of owing the champion Jersey cow, which returned 10361 b of •butter-fat in , a season. The record referred to was made two seasons ago bv the cow Viviandiere, belonging to Mr A. Christie, of Whangarei The districe from which the party came was at one time referred to as “the roadless north,” but construction had gone ahead rapidly, and at present there remained only a gap of about 12 miles to complete an all-weather read from Taranaki to Kaitaia. Mr Ivay gave further details of the progress in railway construction in North Auckland, the benefits received! by the farming community in concession rates on fertilisers and the climatic conditions ill the north. In v conclusion, he expressed the hope that .A. the people of Taranaki would be able to arrange for a party to visit North Auckland’ and obtain first hand impressions of conditions there. INSPECTION OF HERDS. Under the supervision of Mr B. K. Cameron, secretary of the South Taranaki Farmers’ Union executive, and Mr H. Thrush, of the executive, a fleet of a dozen, cars assembled at the memorial arch, Hawerai this morning to convey the visitors on a- tour qf the surrounding district. Proceeding to Niormanby, the itinerary provided) for inspections of the Shorthorn herd of Mr J. O. Wright and! the Hereford cattle on the property of Mr John Forbes. From Normanby the route leu through Okaiawa to Tokaora- to inspect the pedigree. Ayrshire cattle on the property of Mr F. Mills. The final visit before! returning to Hawera for luncheon was- the inspection ot Mr Washington Pollock’s Jersey herd on the outskirts of the town. The programme arranged for the afternoon included visits to Manaia and Pihnma for inspections of the Jersey lierds belonging to Messrs J. I ettigrew and l A. Pettigrew, and returning through Ivaponga provision was also made for aj visit to Matapu to inspect the Jersey herd of Mr Fred Hoskin. . The party leaves Hawera for Wel-W) lington by to-morrow morning s press.