THE ARGENTINE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8281, 11 May 1907, Page 3

THE ARGENTINE.

A NEW ZEALANDER'S IMPRESSIONS. A CAPITALIST'S COUNTRY. WELLINGTON, May 9. Mr E. Haydon, of Canterbury, who resided formerly in Canterbury, and latterly has been settled in the Argentine, is on a visit to the colony. He speaks in high terms of the strides made in developing the country, especially of the endeavours to improve the flocks. In the last six months ot 1906 no less than 5700 stud sheep, besides horses, cattle and pigs, were imported. Sixteen companies run railways, some of them owning over 2000 miles each. Their sheep trucks are convertible into cattle trucks at will, and are loaded at the ends, and not at the sides, which he considers an improvement on the usual methods. Referring to the Argentine country, his appreciation of its advantages was tempered by a very decisive statement: "The Argentine is a capitalist's country." There is very little use for a man going there unless he has at least £5000. Labour is cheap, living is dear, and taxes are low. Discussing the frozen meat trade, Mr Haydon said the Argentine still goes in for Lincoln sheep, instead of a smaller and more compact carcase, and it is questionable whether alfalfa can produce that fine flavour which the natural and acclimatisation grasses of New Zealand do. He had little doubt that the Argentine in a few years will be able to glut the markets so far as quantity is concerned, but she will never hurt New Zealand. As regards quality, and as a natural consequence, New Zealand will always be able to hold her own in the matter of prices.