"COMMON DESTINY"

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21999, 4 January 1935, Page 10

"COMMON DESTINY"

DOMINION AND AUSTRALIA

CHARMS OF NEW ZEALAND

FERTILE FARMING DISTRJCTS VISITING POLITICIAN'S VIEWS The need for more amicable trade relations between Australia and New Zealand was stressed by Mr. M. F. Bruxner, deputy-Premier of New South Wales, who arrived in Auckland from the South yesterday at the conclusion of a holiday tour of the Dominion. Mr. Bruxner, who is delighted with liis first visit to New Zealand, will leave by the Wanganella to-morrow on his return to Sydney. Asked to comment on trade between the two countries, in the light of the breakdown in the recent parleys between New Zealand and Australian Ministers, Mr. Bruxner said such matters came under the control of the Federal Government and were not the direct concern of State Parliaments. However, one impiession of his visit was that there should be the most friendly relations between the Dominion and the Commonwealth, without any need for formalities. Both countries had mutual interests; both were battling against very similar problems. "I can assure you that Australians entertain a most kindly feeling toward New Zealand," Mr. Bruxner said. "My home is about 500 miles from Sydney, but as a matter of fact in Auckland I am actually nearer home than I would be in Perth or Northern Queensland. Our very nearness should persuade us thai we must progress in many respects toward a common destiny. Merits of Decentralisation

"One of the charms of New Zealand is that you have so many large, worthwhile centres. In New South Wales, there is Sydney, with a population approximately equal to that of the whole of New Zealand; then Newcastle, with its 60,000 inhabitants; and finally smaller towns with populations ranging from about 17,000 to 5000. Here you appear to have a far more healthy spirit of decentralisation." Air. Bruxner 6aid he had not gone as far south as Dunedin, but he had been very favourably impressed by Christchurch. Auckland appealed to him as a most progressive city, beautifully situated, and he had been struck by the fine civic spirit of many of the provincial centres. "The whole of your country presents the appearance of being amazingly fertile," he continued. "I have been impressed throughout my tour by the healthy condition of your sheep and cattle. In Australia we graze more on natural grasses than you do and hardly need to farm so intensively. However, top-dressing and other developments are being forced on us, with prospects of enormously increased production. In consequence, our dairy farmers, like yours, are apprehensive concerning the outlook for the British market." Afforestation Schemes Another matter which interested Mr. Bruxner was the development _of afforestation schemes in the Dominion. It appeared to him that, as in Australia, the tops of the hills in some districts had been cleared too much, but the success of afforestation work on waste land in the vicinity of Rotorua showed that an eye. was being kept ou the future. In Australia the waste land would not grow timber and, in consequence, afforestation schemes, when they were put into operation, had generally to oust some other form of production. Mr. Bruxner was favourably impressed by both roads and railways in New Zealand. He also praised the work of officials of the Government Tourist Department and the service and comforts of the hotels. "Then there is the hospitality of your people," he added. "It is marvellous. New Zealanders certainly know how to make an Australian "feel at home. The spirit of your people matches the beauty of your country." Air. Bruxner is Leader of the Country Party in New South Wales and, in addition to being deputy-Premier, he holds office as Alinister of Transport. During the war. Air. Bruxner, who held the rank of lieutenant-colonel, served with the Anzac Alounted Division and for the last two years was on the staff df Alajor-General Sir Edward Chaytor. As a result of his visit he has met many old war comrades.