EMPIRE FARMERS

Taranaki Daily News, 19 August 1929, Page 16

EMPIRE FARMERS

DIG PARTY TO ARRIVE NEXT YEAR. VISIT TO NEW ZEALAND. The secretary of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union (Mr. J. Pow) states that arrangements are well in hand for the visit of a party of British, Canadian and South African farmers to New Zealand in February next. The tour is being organised by the British National Union, in co-operation with the New Zealand Farmers’ Union and the South African National Union, in pursuance of the British National Union's policy of encouraging intercourse between people in different parts of the British Empire. The party will be limited to 80 members, of whom 50 will be British farmers, 15 Canadian and 15 South African. At the request of the executive of the union, the Right Hon. Lord Bledisloe, chairman of the Imperial Grassland Association, and a wellknown British agriculturist, has consented to act as leader of the party. The British party will leave by the Remuera on January 17, and should arrive at Auckland on February 20. A period of approximately 34 days will be spent in New Zealand, and the return journey will be commenced on March 25 from Auckland, the party returning via Australian ports. A week or ten days will be spent in New South Wales and Victoria.

The Canadians are to sail from Vancouver by the Aorarigi on February 5, and are due at Auckland on February 23. They will leave for San Francisco front Wellington by the Alakura on March 25. The South African farmers are to leave Cape Town by the Runic on January 3, and before arriving in New Zealand will spend a fortnight in Victoria and New South Wales. They are due in New Zealand on February 14, and will return home with the British farmers on March 25. The cost of the tour is from £250 for the British and South African farmer, to £l6O for the Canadian. During the stay in New Zealand, from February 20 to March 25, the party will follow an itinerary prepared by the New Zealand Farmers’ Union in conjunction with the Railway Department. One day has been set aside on which an agricultural conference will be held, when it is hoped that in addition to the visitors and New Zealand delegates, representatives will be present from Australia.

In all probability, after the SO farmers assemble at Auckland, they will visit National Park, and then they will split into two parties, one of which will visit Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay and Wairarapa, the other visiting Waitomo, Taranaki, Manawatu and Wellington. One party will probably land at Nelson and make the West Coast tour, and the other will land at Picton and travel down the east coast. A detailed itinerary has been prepared.