WELL-KNOWN CANADIAN LADY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22824, 7 March 1936, Page 23

WELL-KNOWN CANADIAN LADY

AGRICULTURAL EDITOR EN ROUTE TO NEW ZEALAND i From Oub Own Cobreepondent.) (By Air Mail) LONDON, February 8. Some time during August New Zealand will have a visit from a well-known Canadian lady journalist, Miss Cora Hind. Miss Hind is agricultural editor of the Winnipeg Free Press. For 40 years she has contributed to the paper, and for 35 years she has been actuallv attached to it. In recognition of the valuable work performed under her guidance, the management has granted her a world tour. Miss Hind, who gives her age as 74, but who looks not a day more than 50, is full of vigour and zest for her vocation, which is a highly specialised branch, and as proof that she moves with the times it may be mentioned that she does not travel by rail if an air service is available. She is very keen about flying, particularly as she finds this means of transport far more comfortable and far less fatiguing than train travel. She enjoys flying and cannot get enough of it. To-day she left for Colombo, and from Colombo she will eo by air to Delhi. From very early childhood her life was spent on a farm owned by her grandfather in the Middle West, and she grew to love her surroundings and understand the work, which since became her chief interest. Her first move on her own account was to take secretarial training; her own reporting bureau was in due course established, and in 1893 she reported the July Farmers' Convention. Later she entered the office of a firm of solicitors, much of whose work

related to the land. Here, with her knowledge of farming and of markets, she was a valued secretary. She contributed technical articles to the Winnipeg Free Press until in 1900 she was engaged by Mr J. W. Dafoe to join the staff of that well-known journal. For years she has been the only woman to attend the Grain Exchange. In 1894 Canadian wheat was attacked by black rust and most judges anticipated that the crop would not be more than 35,000,000 bushels. Miss Hind was asked to prepare an estimate, which she did after research, and she estimated that it would be 55.000.000 bushels. Her estimate was accepted and published. During 10 long months she had an anxious period of waiting, but when the crop was harvested her figures were out by only half a million bushels. Black rust was something that could not be anticipated. It blew into Canada. Crop inspections now are regular, and something like 400 correspondents send in reports to the Winnipeg Free Press from all over Canada. The country is divided into groups, and Miss Hind herself travels about 10,000 to 11,000 miles a year inspecting crops. In 1905 much travel was done by buggy. By 1926 the present system was established, and the reports made and published are appreciated by everyone in the grain business because of their accuracy. While in England Miss Hind has been travelling extensively. She has been to Agricultural Research Stations in England, including Rothamsted. She has been in close touch with the Wheat Board. She attended the Royal Smithfield Show and the Show of Stallions. Tours have been made in Russia, Norway, Sweden. Germany, ■ Poland, Rumania, Jugoslavia, Hungary, Austria and Czechoslovakia. From India she will go to Australia, being due there on May 31. After six weeks to two months in the Commonwealth she will continue in New Zealand. In her own country she tours in breeches, but she found herself so conspicuous in some European countries, notably in Russia, that she packed these up and sent them back to Canada. During her travels she is contributing articles to the paper and she is looking forward greatly to New Zealand, as she feels that Canada and New Zealand agriculturally have much in common.

At the time of the King's death, Miss Hind was ready to leave for Geneva, but instructions altered her plans. She saw the royal funeral procession, and cabled a detailed account to her journal.