BRITISH FARMERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25737, 8 January 1945, Page 5

BRITISH FARMERS

VISIT TO OAMARU IMPRESSIONS OF TOUR The members of the delegation of British farmers were met on their arrival at. Oamaru yesterday at 1 o'clock by about 40 members of the North Otago Farmeis Union, and were their guests at. luncheon at the Queen's Hotel. As their stay at Oamaru was very short, there was no opportunity of discussing problems, rjid the addresses were confined to expressions of welcome and impressions of the tour. Mr James Turner, the leader of the British party, said the delegation had a big job, and had yet. to visit Australia and Canada. He introduced the members of the delegation to those present. Tribute to British People

Mr James Kingan (president ot (he North Otago Farmers’ Union), on behalf of the farmers, extended a warm welcome to the visitors, and expressed regret that the shortness of their stay prevented any discussion on their problems, but he asked them to toll their people at Home that they hoped this year would bring peace and a better understanding between men, without which a lasting peace was impossible. The farmers of New Zealand. Mr Kingan said, honoured the people and leaders of Britain. They were particularly pleased when Mr Winston Churchill said lie had not become Prime Minister of Great Britain to liquidate the British Empire. He trusted their deliberations at the conference to be held in Wellington would bring the desired results. The Mayor of Oamaru (Mr J. C. Kirknes.s) gave the visitors a very cordial welcome on behalf of the citizens. He said lie felt it an honour to be given the opportunity of meeting the members of Ihe delegation, who were missloners of goodwill of tiie greatest Empire the world had ever known. They were glad to welcome them, because they were representatives of the country they loved to call Home. They had heard a lot about the people of Britain, but had not heard a single complaint about rationing. Mr Kirk ness specially paid a tribute to Mr S. G. Ratcliff, who was called the " father ’’ of the party, and whose son was a squadron leader with five decorations. Those* were ihe men who had made the British Empire, he said. The people of North Otago were proud of their district, and they were blessed with a particularly good type of farmer, who was doing a wartime job to the best of his ability. Foundations of Bet or World Mr Turner expressed appreciation of the welcome extended to the delegation, and said they wore not. only on a mission of goodwill, but also to try to lay the foundations for a better post-war world. They bad been really moved by the depth of tiie welcome to them, and at the evidence of pride in the district. Agriculture had been governed prior to tiie war, not by capacity, but bv economic circumstances; but British agriculture, with the aid of Hie New Zealand farmers, had saved Britain from starvation in the dark

days. They now wanted to get toegther, stop cut-throat competition, and avoid a depression after the war by collaboration in the distribution of the world's foodstuffs and clothing. If they were to avoid a depression they required a better distribution of the world's resources. He thought the solution lay in collaboration by producers in establishing a closer link between the farmers of the Empire. They realised that Britain had to re-establish her • economic strength by producing as much as possible and by expanding her export trade. Mr William Young said they had thought of New Zealanders as graziers, but as they moved south they had found they were farmers, and he congratulated the farmers of Otago on their produce and the .way they looked after the land. Mr S. G. Ratcliff spoke briefly on the growth and distribution of seeds. At Home, he said, the margins of profits were carefully examined, and when they arrived at the wholesale and retail prices they fixed the price for the grower. He thought they wanted something of that structure in New Zealand. Debt to the Dominion

Mr George Ervihe spoke of'the debt they owed to New Zealand, and said that the stand made by Britain in 1941 had saved the world. British agriculture should give a lead to a better distribution of the world’s resources. New Zealand farmers had accomplished a great amount of work despite labour shortages, said Mr Giles Tuker. He spoke more oarticularly of the marketing of fruit which had been initiated by the people of New Zealand, and the possible further international development of the industry. , , Mr G. S. Brown, who is in charge of the economic side of the delegation, said that he was impressed by the great extension of electricity and also by the extent of soil evasion in New Zealand. Returning thanks 1o the speakers, Mr W. Malcolm said that he hoped the Wellington conference would bring about a better understanding between the agriculturist at Home and the New Zealand The members of the delegation left Oamaru for the north immediately after the function.