BRITISH FARMING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20229, 13 April 1929, Page 14

BRITISH FARMING.

Sir, —It is quite obvious Sir. Earle Vailc did not give his remarks on this subject that business consideration one would expect from such a man. I wonder where the Waikato farmers learned their farming. I can't think from the Maori, but from those fine old pion*eer farmers who adapted their knowledge to the conditions of New Zealand. Sir. Vaile's remarks re ploughing are very wide of the mark, for there are very few farm? of any size that do not possess one or two tractors, let alone the number of steam cultivator sets. I would suggest to New Zealanders going Home that instead of going over farms their time be devoted to gaining first-hand information in the large populated centres as to how New Zealand can further its business at Home, and capture more trade from the foreigner. I am sure we do not really grasp what a population of about 40,000,000' really means. Sir. Vaile alludes to arithmetic. Perhaps he will work out what we spend per head on advertising our produce and country. I wonder if we bought more from our customers, so the boats had a full load both ways, if freights could be cut to our advantage ? Progress.

Sir, —Will you kindly allow me a little space in answer to Mr. Earle Vaile's disparaging and narrowminded view of British farming. Mr. Vaile says English farmers make their own butter under conditions which preclude the making of a first-class article. Docs Mr. Vaile know the price of New Zealand butter in England to-day is about Is 8d or Is 9d per tb. retail, while the pries of English home-made butter is 2s 6d per lb. Only two seasons ago, the English butter at the great London Dairy Show took all the champion and first prizes. Then, how does the English farmer stand in the production per acre with the different countries in the world ? Why he is third; Denmark and Belgium are first and second. New .countries, such as Australia and New are far behind. I agree with Mr. Vaile, the New Zealand farmers do work harder than any, and I sympathise with them. If Mr. Vaile had visited the neighbourhood near Christchurch, Hampshire, he could have seen plenty of double-furrow ploughs working, with three horses attached to each plough, this land being a light, sandy soil, and yet, only four miles further on, two horses are used on a single-furrow plough, the land being heavy. If Mr. - Vaile had gone to Scotland he would have seen the Clydesdale horses. This is where New .Zealand breeders import their best stock from. Had Mr. Vaile gone to North Wales he could have seen some of the best, and hardiest farm horses ono would wisli to see. A lot of these arc bought by the West and' South of England farmers. I would like to ask Mr. Vaile—if the average New Zealander is, as he says, ahead of the same class Englishmen, why is it the majority of the large business firms in New Zealand send to England for men to manage and buy for their various businesses ? Why do they not engage New Zealanders? One little item I would like to add, a New Zealand gentleman I know, recently backffrom a tour of England, told me he di(fe,not see any rough farms in England ($£ same as one sees in New Zealand): all were beautifully farmed, and £i pleasure to_ see. Farmer. Hodge.