BRITISH FARMERS’ TOUR

Taranaki Daily News, 24 July 1930, Page 19

BRITISH FARMERS’ TOUR

OPINIONS OF NEW ZEALAND HOUSING CONDITIONS ON LAND. IT.RTIUTY OF THE COUNTRY. The Empire farmers, who during the last four months have been louring New Zealand and parts of Australia, have now returned, states the Dumfries and Galloway Standard. Included in the party pf 61 British, 18 South African and four Canadian farmers was a representative from Dumfriesshire, Mr. Edmondstono Watson, Hillside, Gretna. In a contribution to the Times a correspondent gives the following impressions of the tour:—

From an agricultural point of view the tour was exceedingly instructive. Two things, above all, -imp'ressod' the party, as it must all visitors to the country—the remarkable fertility of the soil ‘ind the wonderful character of the climate. In these respects jio country in the world has been .more-richly endowed by Nature. The settlers have been quick to respond to these advantages, and their Industry and enterprise, and not least the spirit of unity and co-opcration which permeate the whole social struttvro, ' have brought the reward which tb,ey.'sd much deserve. HIGH PRICES FUR LAND. A matter which-'-early in the tour aroused a good deal of interest was that of land values, of which remarkable figures were nientioned from time to time. The party 'vva's informed that immediately after the war a.s much as' £l6O per acre was paid for grazing land in the North Island, and that similar land to-day was ;probiibly within the region of £l2O. fii'iccsi however, vary considerably even iii : 'the "same district; it is all a question pf. stock-carrying capacity, and the' visitor's learned that, taking the stoek-raislYig districts of the North Island, generally', ' tho price of land to-day varies 'from ’£s9 to £7O per acre. This land woujd probably carry one cow to one and a-'half acres or four sheep to tho acre. ‘. ’ ■ In considering these prices it must not bo overlooked that in this particular portion of the Dominion grass, growspractically all the year, round, and on these rich pastures no hand-feeding of stock is needed during any part of the year. In the South Island, where climatic conditions are not quite the same and where arable farming is more in evidence, the price of land varies from £2O to £3O. It follows from the above that farms for the most part are of reasonably limited size. The total numoer of occupied holdings in 1928 was 85,716, and. of these 63,000 were of no larger extent than 320 acres, and 40,000 did not exceed 100 acres

If one might venture a criticism of New Zealand farm life it would be that the average farmer thinks too little of his personal comfort and is content with a residence in keeping with early pioneering days. Even taking into consideration the risks from earthquakes, which, although of periodic occurrence, cause little or no anxiety to the resident population, a much higher type of farmhouse and buildings might be expected. A new era of farm architecture in New Zealand is much overdue. A number of the more important freezing works and daily factories were visited, and everyone was filled with admiration for the strikingly efficient lines on which these institutions were run. The widely extended system of grassland top dressing as a means of stimulating production proved of especial interest. The area under this treatment is being increased at the rate of many hundreds of thousands of acres annually, and, according to the Director-Gen-eral of Agriculture, 35,000 tons of phosphate fertilisers are now used in Jengthnig both the growth period and increasing the actual production of high protein grass. Included in the touring party were several authorities oil both sheep and cattle. In the opinion of the sheep experts the soil and climate of New Zealand are well, suited,...to.sheep farm-; ing.. The fact that .such , numbers are kept and so many lambs are sold fat when weaned, while' others are easily made fat without artificial feeding, is considered to be proof of the value of tho natural conditions. The Romneys, Uorriedales and Merinos are the principal ewe flocks, the Leiecstcrs and South Downs being kept mainly to breed rams for crossing purposes. POP ULAR BREEDS. OF CATTLE. ' ‘ln cattle the little Jersey is popular throughout the dairying districts of the North Island, but is followed at no great distance by the Friesian, the Shorthorn and the Ayrshire. The majority of the cattle of W Dominion, however, are blended with, the best of the various breeds. Some of ■ the experts were less impressed by. the beef cattle The majority of these cattle were four years old and from lOcwt to 13cwt live weight before they reached the freezing works. It is not assumed that the country cannot produce early matured animals —in fact, many fino bunches of yearlings and two-year-old cattle were seen, many of them fed entirely on grass—but at the moment beef cattle apparently occupy a secondary position among wealth-producing animals and are largely <sed to trample down the native bush tern and other growths as a preliminary to cleaner and better pasture for sheep which follow. / Opportunity was ' taken on several occasions to call attention to the existing restrictions in NewjsZealand on the importation of stud sjtqcJt from Great Britain. It was pointed.;'put that both Australia and South,. Africii had. now lifted the embargo .ond.'jyere receiving, after quarantine, froni Britain such as New Zealand' evidently needed. It is to bo feared : that;Hie suggestion that New Zealand should similarly admit stud stock from Britain met .with little or no approval, although the need of fresh blood was generally unlimited.