OTAGO FARMER ABROAD

Otago Witness, Issue 3016, 3 January 1912, Page 17

OTAGO FARMER ABROAD

INTERVIEW WITH MR J. R MACKENZIE.

Mr J. R. Mackenzie, the well-known breeder of Clydesdale horses and Romney Marsh sheep, who has just returned to Dunedin after a comprehensive tour through England and Scotland, was waited on by a representative of this journal on Thursday afternoon, and courteously acceded to a request that he should impart some of the impressions ho received abroad, particularly as to matters pertaining to stock and farming in the Old Country. Mr Mackenzie went Home via Vancouver, and spout about 10 days in this Canadian town. While there ho met Mr J. G. Gow (New Zealand’s Trade Commissioner) and Mr R. Irvine (a one-time well-known resident of Clinton). Our traveller had a look round the Hastings Lumber Mill, which ho says is a tremendous concern, worked pretty well by Chinamen, with the exception of the head men. In fact. Chinamen are mostly employed in all the lumber mills ( the employers finding them more obedient than the European employee. He also visited some of the stables, or barns as they are called in Vancouver, and made inquiries of the managers of the C.P.R. as to what type of animal they preferred for the horse work in connection with the running of their railway line. He was informed that they would not (have the Shire at any price, as it could not get along quickly enough, and was too cumbersome. The grey Pecheron horse is also seen in the Vancouver studs, but Mr Mackenzie says that this type, although a useful breed, is too small and narrow in the feet. In fact, everyone of the men spoken to by Mr Mackenzie on the subject of the best type of cart horse gave the palm to the Clydesdale, with good feet and any amount of weight. Mr Mackenzie then went up the Fraser River and on to the Rocky Mountains. He says the scenery on the Rockies is magnificent, and simply beyond description. A trip was made to Banff, a tourist resort, and thence on over the Rooky Mountains bv way of Mount Stephen, the line at this part being about 5200 ft above sea level. Travelling through the prairies on the route to Winnipeg a good lookout was kept on the country passed through. Mr Mackenzie, however, was not favourably impressed with what he saw. He considers the prairie would prove a very miserable locality to live in. The shacks, or houses, are of a very poor description, and he leans to the opinion that the far mers are simply there to make money ns quickly as possible, and when this objective is reached they will clear out. lie backs up this view that the occupation of the prairie is not permanent by pointing to the fact that the farmers are not planting trees or erecting substantial houses. These conditions prevailed right down to the town of Winnipeg. The prairie soil, while very deep, is of light description, and is easily shifted by the winds. Mr Mackenzie went on from Winnipeg to St. Paul, in Minneapolis, and thence to Chicago. Near Chicago the agricultural outlcok showed a great improvement, the farms bearing an appearance very similar to those of New Zealand. He had a good look round Chicago, where he describes the homes of the millionaires as being lovely edifices with beautiful grounds. A visit was made to the poor quarters. Mr Mackenzie graphically describes the difference between tbo two localities. Between Chicago and Toronto some very nice old settled farms, with beautiful homes, wore passed. Niagara was also visited, but here our traveller was somewhat disappointed with what he saw after the marvellous accounts ho had heard of these falls. It was a ca.se of what the Irishman had said in regard to those falls, laughingly remarked Mr Mackenzie: “ If they had run up instead of down, he would have thought more of them.” The falls thou rh can-yin" 1 an immense body of water, did not appeal to the Otago visitor’s s-nscs like a vhnv of our own Sutherland Falls. He. however, retains a very pleasant memory of the. fine, tasty t l ;t which disnort themselves in Lake Ere. A call was also made at Montreal, and thence a steamer taken for Liverpool. On the way across, -and when in the vicinity of Newfoundland, some very fine icebergs were reused. Livernool was the first place at which IST'- Mackenzie v- a s called upon to open his baggage, a rd h° jocularly remarked that he thought when he got to Britain h<'&li.ad got to a free country, but Ire found lie had not. REACHES LONDON London was reached in (he beginning of June, where Mr Mackenzie put up at the Hotel Cecil. The rush had commenced to set in to the great metropolis in view of the Coronation festivities, and the hotels were evidently out to make as much as i osOhio over the inrush, -and the visitor from Now Zealand was called upon to pav 4s for a meal and 3Cs for a room for (he night. “ Needless to say.” ho remarked. “ I did not stay there verv long.” Mr Mackenzie states that the (all- of the heavy charges which were to he made by the hotelkeepers was responsible for keeping a lof of people invar who would otherwise have visited London Of course. Mr Mackenzie went to see the world-famous Olympia horse show,

whore it 13 said 30,000 people attended daily. The horses were mainly of the hackney type, and he says it was the greatest show of harness horses he had ever seen. There was hardly a class in which there was not 20 or 30 entries. Some very clever jumpers were seen, but in the jumping events most of the prizes were taken by foreign riders. The jumps required a horse to bo verv clever to surmount them. The British horses that might have done excellently out in the open could not jump at Olympia at all. THE NORWICH SHOW. Mr Mackenzie then went north to Scotland, whore he purchased five Clydesdale stallions, and these have been shipped to Melbourne, and afterwards came back to Norwicli, where the Royal show was inspected. He had a look through the Romneys, in which some very good sheep were forward from Kent. Speaking generally, he considered these English sheep had bettor carcases than those in New Zealand, but did not carry such heavy fleeces, as the locally-grown animal. The Clydesdales were a fair class; they showed plenty of quality—in fact, too much in Mr Mackenzie’s opinion. Some fine, big, strapping shires were shown. These, however, were very bad walkers, had bad action, and were too sluggish. THE CLYDESDALE HORSE. In answer to a question as to whether Home Clydesdale breeders were sacrificing the substance of the old Clydesdale, Mr Mackenzie said: “No; they are getting better bone and better ankles, feet, and veins. Some breeders, however, have rather overdone the quality side of Clydesdale breeding, but only in the show rings. All the best horses have got any amount of substance and weight. The geldings I saw in Glasgow were fine, big, upstanding animals. We have been blamed here for neglecting weight and substance. but without sufficient reason. Our Clydesdales are all right. The modern type of draught will do more work in quicker time and stand it longer. The present-day Clydesdale has got bettor feet, better hocks, and better bones. If a horse has not got good feet there is no necessity to look any further. No feet, no horse.” Continuing, Mr Mackenzie said he saw the big-priced Baron Buchlyvie (which was sold for 9500g5). Our traveller gave it as his opinion that the Baron was one of the finest horses he saw in Scotland. Ho was a horse very much after the style of Baron Bold. He also saw the famous stallion Baron’s Pride, which is now 22 years of age, and still being used for breeding purposes. A visit was also made to Mr Andrew Montgomery’s magnificent stud at Kirkcudbright. This breeder bad no fewer than 155 stallions leased out to various societies in Scotland during the nast season. There is no doubt, remarked Mr Mackenzie, be is the king of Clydesdale breeders. Mr Win. Montgomery (Port Mains!, who is described as the best judge of the Clydesdale in Pootland, was also called on. The best selection of mares was seen at Mr Kerr’s Harvestoun stud. Mr Stephen Mitchell’s stud was also visited. HIGHLAND SOCIETY’S SHOW. At the Highland Society’s Royal Show at Inverness Mr Mackenzie speaks in high praise. It was a great turnout of horses, especially in Clydesdale mares. As it was the stud season, there were not a great number of aged stallions forward. This is the best show of Clydesdales witnessed in the Old Country, said Mr Mackenzie. The champion, Lady Peggy, is described as a marvellous animal. Mr Mackenzie states that it is very hard to buy any of the really tip-toppers. The only way is to purchase an animal very young, before it is known whether it is going to turn out a top-notcher, or got a breeder selling cut. his stud. Mr Mackenzie reckons IOOCgs would not tempt the owner of Lady Peggy to sell his chamnion mare. It is interesting to note that while at Homo Mr Mackenzie acted as one of the judges of Romneys at the Ashford show. TRADE WITH CANADA. Questioned as to the possibility of New Zealand opening up an export frozen sheep trade with Canada, Mr Mackenzie said he had not paid particular attention to this subject. He, however, had had a look round some of the butchers’ shops in Vancouver, and the sheep ho saw exhibited wore wretchedly poor specimens. Since ho had left there, however, ho had heard that mutton was being imported into Vancouver from the United States. He was sure, from his own personal inspection, that there was a big opening for Now Zealand frozen sheep and beef. Mr Irvine had stated he was going to make a trial shipment of New Zealand moat, to Vancouver, hut Mr Mackenzie said ho did not know whether anything had been done by that gentleman or not. He considered it would he necessary to send forward small sheep, the demand of the Canadian purchaser being-for this typo of animal. HOME FARMING. As to farming conditions at Homo, Mr Mackenzie spoke as follows:—“If a man went Horne and worked his farm on colonial lines, I have no doubt ho would make money. I. however, never went fully into the possibilities of this question. There arc farmers at Homo who seldom work more than two horses at once. This practice prevails in some of the best farming districts both in England and Scotland. Of course, however, there are manv who go in for uptxlato fanning methods. The rates and

taxes are very high, and there is another point I should like to mention. On a rented farm a man is allowed to shoot rabbits and hares, but if he does so to any great extent he will give offence to his and when his lease runs out he won’t get it renewed again. It costs more to feed the cattle at Homo, as they have to receive artificial feed, and. foodstuffs are very dear this year. On one occasion I saw' three horses following one after the other pulling one of the old-fashioned ploughs, the ploughman in between the stilts, and a boy leading the horses. One or tw'o farmers also laughed at mo when I suggested using double-furrow ploughs, and, said such ploughs would not plough their land. I have seen the shortcomings in farming practice I speak of both in England and Scotland, but I think Scotland is ahead of England in all-round farming.” RESTRICTIONS ON IMPORTATIONS OF STOCK. ‘‘As regards the regulations which govern the importation of stock to New Zealand,” said Mr Mackenzie, “I consider they are rather too severe, and the risk on importers bringing out stock is at present too great. The voyage from London occupies from, seven to eight weeks, and then on the arrival of the sheep and cattle they have to go into quarantine for 42 days, and this after the long time they have been on board ship. The owners are charged pretty heavily, too, while their animals are kept in the quarantine station/ Imports of stock from. Australia also have to go into quarantine, and while there they are nob f well looked after. I received a shipment; of two Hereford heifers and a bull re-; cently from Australia, and when my man- [ ager got them to the station they were. absolutely crawling with lice. This showed ‘ they could not have had much attention' while they were quarantined. I am of the opinion that a quarantine station should be marked off on the mainland, and the owners of the stock could then call in from time to time and see that their animals were being attended to. Provision could bo made, of course, to see that the . safety of the stock already in the epuntry was amply provided for.” LACK OF SPACE IN SHIPS’ MANGERS. Speaking on this point, Mr Mackenzie said that the space for horses provided on tlio boats running to Australia was altogether too small; that the horses on landing on the other side were invariably suffering from strangles or influenza, and that these complaints were caught on the boat. The animals are so crowded together that the poor brutes have to breathe foul air most of the time. The horses are thus landed in Australia in a bad state of health, and shortly after arrival some of them die, and so give the New Zealand-bred animal a bad name insofar as constitution is The horses are placed side by side in the mangers, with only a bar between them. “ This drawback,” continued Mr Mackenzie, “is a very serious one for New Zealand, because at the present time the question has been raised in Australia as to whether the importation of our horses should not be stopped altogether. If something is not done we will lose our trade in this direction. Those Australians buying our horses are losing so many that they are making a big outcry over the matter. The lack of space for horses on the intercolonial boats is doing harm at present to breeders, and will ultimately result in loss to the shipowners, if these importation! are stopped.” IMPORTATIONS, Mr Mackenzie has on the Delphic, now at Auckland, a shipment of five Clydesdale fillies and a stallion, and also a kackney stallion. -These horses will be brought on down to the Bluff by the Delphic, and landed thei'e. On the same boat he had three Japanese spaniels, two of which died. Other importations are three collies, six pullets and two cockerels of the partridge Wyandotte breed (bred by Mr Jas. Andrew, of Broadlie, Neilston, Scotland). There are also four Romney Marsh rams (two bred by Mr Arthur Finn, Westbroko, Lvdd, Kent, and one each, bv Mr Chas. File, Elham, Kent, and Mr R, S. Strouts, Great Chart, Ashford, Kent). In a previous shi’ -v - ment by the Kia Ora. six rams and 10 ewes, bred by Messrs Ohas. and J. File, of Kent, were forwarded, and these are now all safely out of quarantine. Mr Mackenzie, in conclusion, said ho had bought a small place at Glenroy (Vic.), about nine miles out of Melbourne. He intends, however, to keer) up his old place at Romney Downs, Greenvale, and had no intention of leaving Now Zealand.