PARTY IMPRESSED

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 78, Issue 7015, 4 February 1949, Page 8

PARTY IMPRESSED

AUSTRALIAN FARMERS VIEW NEW ZEALAND METHODS RURAL TOURS ORGANISATION „ New South Wales farmers touring New Zealand had bean imijrassed by the efficient management of New Zealand farmers, by the co-operation between farmers and the Department of Agriculture and research stations, and by co-operation among farmers themselves, said Mr Allan Pickering, the executive member of the party. The party, numbering 58 arrived in .Christchurch from Blenheim recently. The New Zealand farmer did not appear to ba afraid of hard work, Mr Pickering said. The visit had been arranged by the rural tours committee of New South Wales, an organisation which had been set up «to arrange educational tours for farmers, he said. Seven primary production organisations of New South Wales had representatives on the committee. Outlining &pme of the plans his organisation had in mind Mr Pickering said it was hoped to invite a party of New Zealand farmers to tour New South Wales next year, the visit to include tours of country districts and culminating with the Sydney Royal Show at Easter. When close liason was established it was hoped to arrange a tour of Great Britain for a combined party of New Zealand and New South Wales farmers. Apart from the educational viewpoint such tours were of inestimable value as goodwill missions.

Impressions had been formed by members that the. New Zealand farmer, especially in the North Island, wa s fortunate with climatic conditions, not the least of which was a dependable rainfall, Mr Pickering said. Very little of the South Island had been seen, but it appeared that conditions in the south were equally favourable. At the outset of the tour criticism had been levelled at the Department of Agriculture for the way in which the itinerary been arranged, but it had to be remembered that the time the party was to be in New Zealand was restricted and in any case his organisation had chosen the areas they wished to visit, Mr Pickering said. Officers of the department had been most helpful and had assisted in making the tour the success it had been to date.