ADVICE FROM NEW ZEALAND.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19505, 13 June 1925, Page 8

ADVICE FROM NEW ZEALAND.

HINTS TO PUBLIC SCHOOLBOY. HOW TO PREPARE BEFOREHAND. DEADLY OFFENCE OF “ SIDE." (From Ou.r Own - Conm-s pond knt.; LONDON, May 6. The Spectator publishes what it calls an “informal letter," written by an experienced New Zealander who was asked to give some practical advice to an English public school boy who contemplated farming in New Zealand. As there is an energetic movement for settling English public school boys on the land in the dominions, it is felt the advice will be welcomed. At the outset the youth is warned that dairy farming means long hours of monotonous work. “What (asks the writer) ought a young man of some culture, thinking or coming out to farm, to study in England? Of course, it is well to learn to plough, ride, and use an axe; but these things may be learnt anywhere in New Zealand, There are three things for which England has special facilities: 1. Let him study the motor car or lorry. Let him learn to clean it, run it, and keep it in repair as much as may bo. American cars are chiefly used here, as the English, made for smooth roads, are under-engined for roads of natural dirt. So American cars should by preference be studied. Besides, as the milking machines have oil engines, anyone with a bent for such things may study them with advantage. Electricity, however, is now replacing oij. in some districts. 2. It would be admirable to go round with a vet. and learn what a sick animal looks like, and how to handle it. 3. It would be useful to see cattle shows and carry away some definite impressions of the breed that most interests the young farmer. Beef-raising in this country has been, killed by Argentine competition; the broods of cattle most kept are the milking breeds. Also, there are horses and pigs, and for those who have capital or are ambitious there are sheep. It would bo well to see the fleeces at shearing, and handle them or study th exhibition of fleeces at some show. Perhaps there are places where demonstrations in wool-sorting are given. Try to see them. “SOMEBODY IN SOMETHING.” "As for the man himself, he should get over his sublime shyness. Ho cannot expect to be useful or happy if he lives in a hermit's isolation from the ordinariness of ordinary people. A sweet, embarrassed smile will not carry him far. He must be somebody in something. It is heart-breaking to 000 the clean, large-minded English public school man only a picture to the world ho lives in, while low. dishonest men, with nothing in them but a wish to push themselves forward, are the unopposed leaders of their district. If the English public school boy when he comes here does not wish to take a prominent part in local politics he should at least bn able to form his own opinions as to the relative values of (hose who come forward, and he able, to give some effective help to the leader he has reason to support. Let any young man while ho Ims leisure with school-fellows and others about him make himself familiar with public procedure. Let him act. as chairman, rise to a point of order, and make speeches. . . . Get into the knack ot speaking while young and irresponsible, and pay no more attention to your shyness than you do to the bruises in football. Then your voice will be ready for use and profit. “ If the young man has any ambition and is not lied to the. milking shed, let him offer himself to such little offices as are open to him while young, and as soon as possible get info the public body of his ambition, the road board or county council, and then when his mind is ripe ho will both know and bo known. It is no good leaving the public interest, not indeed, to chance, but to the scheming of the petty politicians, all with sheaves of little axes to grind. They spend all their time and thought building up a following. Unless our gentleman docs some of the same work, ho will count not ut all .either with the good or the worthless. To begin with, he must accustom himself to talk to ordinary young men, or rather at first to let them talk to him. They are generally ready enough to enter into the weary details of some local football match, and in time ho will find common interests. If in urgent need of a subject, mention the most trivial news item enlivening the last newspaper supplement and the one-sided conversation will restart without the deadly offence of showing 'side. 1 The young New Zealand born has a wonderful nose for ‘side.’ He can detect it in what seems to the leas expert a mere nothing, for he is on the look-out, and he will recount the incident 20 years after. Therefore, at first, bo wary, and ill time, perhaps, you will find yourself at ease with him and be able to acquire a genuine friend. NO CERTAINTY ANYWHERE. ‘This is tho end of my advice except to hope that the newcomer will not sink his capital at once in buying some farm in tho wilds. First, bo sure that in winter tho mud docs not reach to the stirrups so that no woman can walk abroad, and if any woman visitor does come through to tho farm the fanner’s wife fairly weeps on her shoulder. Consider that you must live here whilst you arc making that fortune of yours. Take time and choose well. And do not he content if tho land agent, with a wave of his hand, says, “The farm goes up that hill,’ or, ‘lt is both sides of this road.' Perhaps he docs not know how far up tho lull, and perhaps you deceive yourself about the area on tho other side of tho road. I have seen sad disappointments, “ Lemon culture in the Tauranga district would pay admirably if there were any way of getting tho fruit to Wellington and the south. Afforestation is now attracting notice, and the steep hillsides and other waste grounds are being planted chiefly with gumtrees. Tho Labour Party’s avowed policy is, if it gets in, to do away with the ireehold, and make ever land-user a tenant There is no certainty here or anywhere.”