LORD BLEDISLOE’S VISIT

Taranaki Daily News, 12 December 1931, Page 3

LORD BLEDISLOE’S VISIT

CONTINUATION OF TARANAKI TOUR VICE-REGAL PARTY AT STRATFORD J'HE weather remained fine for the visit of Their Excellencies Lord and Lady Bledisloe to Stratford yesterday in continuation of the vice-regal tour of South Taranaki. Everywhere the GovernorGeneral and Lady Bledisloe made an instant appeal to the people and were accorded a hearty welcomed They were shown as much of the town and district as could possibly be visited in the time available.

ARRIVAL AT STRATFORD PARTY RECEIVED BY MAYOR. TOUR OF INSPECTION’ COMMENCES On arrival the vice-regal party was met outside the Municipal Chambers, where a crowd had gathered. . A welcome was extended by the Mayor, Mr. P. Thomson, but no official speech was made. Among those present were the Mayor and Mayoress, Mr. T. R. Anderson (chairman of the Stratford County Council) and. Mrs. Anderson, Mr. N. R.,’ Cleland (chairman of the Whangamomona County Council) and Mrs. Cleland, Mr. W. J. (Polson, M.P., and Miss D. Polson, and Messrs. C. Moore and C. R. Finnerty '(members of the Stratford Borough Council). Their Excellencies inspected the roll, of honour at the entrance to the municipal building and also visited the 'Mayor’s room, the council chamber and the public office. At the Stratford Dairy Company s factory their Excellencies were met by Mr. L. E. Hann (chairman of directors) and members of the board. The ViceRegal party devoted a good half ah hour to an inspection of the various departments of. this modern dual butter and cheese factory, then drove to the Stratford -model farm, observing the building of the Technical High 'School en route. At the farm they were’ met by Mr. J. M. Smith and members of the farm committee, together With Mr. H. E. Blyde and members of the North Taranaki provincial executive of the Farmers Union. From the milk loading stage the Governor-General and Lady Bledisloe were tendered an official welcome, and Lord Bledisloe addressed the large assembly of farmers and townspeople. Then the visitors were shown through the milking shed and inspected the yards and buildings in the vicinity before entering, the large concrete loading yard lined by pupils of the Technical High School and many others. Malcolm Sutton, a pupil who had gained several awards for cow-judging,, gave an address upon the points of a dairy cow, using the school’s champion Friesian cow Coldstream Galatea Pietze for demonstration purposes. At the call of the head prefect, O. Lyons, cheera were given for Lord and Lady Bledisloe as they passed from thq yard on a toui- of inspection of the farm. After luncheon.. at the County Hotel, where music was supplied by Mr. C. H. Rogers’ Orchestra, the party attended the civic reception in Victoria where a large crowd of people had gathered. A guard of honour was furnished by volunteer territorials under Captain A. W. White. Formed before the grandstand were the Municipal Band> which played several selections, Girl Guides, Brownies, Boy Scouts, children of the Stratford primary, Convent, St. Mary’s and Stratford Technical High, schools. Lord Bledisloe inspected the various groups, being greeted with a haka by the Seoute and cheers by all the children. He was also cheered as he entered the enclosure of the stand. The programme for the day was completed with visits to the Stratford pub-j lie hospital and to the plateau above the Stratford mountain house. His Excellency was agreeably surprised. at. the up-to-date nature of the hospital and its equipment and was deeply ini-, pressed by the fine road which links Stratford to an area 4000 feet above sea level. The visitors were the guests of the matron (Mrs. J. Hunt) and the nurses at afternoon tea. T heir Excellencies were conducted over the hospital by the chairman of the board (Mr. W. L. Kennedy). \ THE OFFICIAL WELCOME RECEPTION IN VICTORIA PARK. PARGE CROWD THRONGS GROUND. When the Vice-Regal party arrived at ■the park the grandstand was packed with people, while large numbers stood around the outskirts of the array before the stand, --'. -i: ■ . .A The- Mayor, in' offering the official, welcome, said:—“Your Excellencies: Nearly two years ago this community had the pleasure of entertaining a company of distinguished' visitors from the Homeland, from Canada, from South Africa and from Australia. Our pleasure, however, on that occasion was lessened by the fact that he who was to have headed that delegation from overseas was not present with the other members. Again, some months ago, we were looking forward with pleasurable anticipation to a visit | from you, and it was with grave concern that we learnt the ..reason for _ our disappointment. We therefore rejoice to-day at having you in our midst restored to health and strength. “We have been privileged to receive visits from your illustrious predecessors in office, and it is now our great privilege on your Excellencies’ first official visit to this district to extend a hearty and loyal welcome to you, whom his Gracious Majesty has been pleased to appoint as his representative in this Dominion, and to your fair Lady. We would once again affirm our loyalty to his Majesty and to the Motherland, a loyalty that, iwas expressed during the dark days of the world war in the ready willingness of so many of the district’s sons and daughters to go overseas —in many cases never to return —and expressed again in these days by the ready acceptance of the burdens, financial and otherwise, that the members of the community are called on to bear, and by the willing help extended by the community to the less fortunate of his Majesty's subjects in their days of distress.. K'NOWL'EDGE OF FARMING. “To a Dominion such as New Zealand and to a district such as this—so de-1 pendent on. the success of the primary industries—the expert knowledge in farming matters displayed by your Excellency and your interest in and understanding of 'the problems confronting .the primary producer have been a

source of great help and encouragement to all, and the ready sympathy shown by you 'both with our womenfolk and our children have endeared you to all sections of the community. We feel certain that the visits of you both, to the various portions of the Dominion during these present times, the example set and the words of cheer and sound advice given by you have been a very decisive factor in keeping the people In good heart and ready , and willing to shoulder and carry the burdens with which they are faced. “Again we say, welcome to our midst. In conclusion, we pray that God may continue to bless their' Majesties the King and Queen, the members of the Royal Family, and you, as his. Majesty’s representative in these ■pip.rts beyond the seas, and your gracious Lady.” Qn behalf of the 'residents of the Stratford county, Mr. Anderson extended a hearty welcome to their Excellencies, and the same function was performed in the interests of Whangamomona by Mr. Cleland.

“On behalf. of residents of the district which you have, found so delightful I, too, extend a warm welcome to your Excellencies,’’ said Mr. W. J. Polson, M.P. Their -Excellencies had seen, he said, how a district devoted tp primary production had been carved from a wilderness of bush by the efforts of the pioneers. Mr. Polson recalled that he had, at Wellington, tasked: a cheese which his Excellency had'had sent from England, and he referred to the efforts that were being made in New Zealand to produce cheese of a like nature, which would command popularity in, the British market and would be of outstanding quality. “We are facing tremendous difficulties, but with the help of the spirit of our forbears and of the Old Country we shall soon return to prosperity,” Mr. Polson concluded.

Lord Bledisloe took up Mr. Polson's reference to the early pioneers to emphasise that only one serious problem stood in the way of New Zealand’s economic progress, and that was the danger of speculation in land. “We cannot afford land speculation in a land sdeh as our Dominion,” he said, in urging the generation now coming forward to take the place of their parents, to see when good times come again, as come again they would, that steps be taken to ensure that no undue profits were taken by people not engaged in winning wealth fJom the land. He was glad to see some of the pioneers still active members of the community. 'They had been men of character, enterprise and resource, men who had the good of their country at heart. STRATFORD’S LOYALTY. Speakers, especially the Mayor, had reminded him of Stratford’s loyalty and had told him that the community was manfully shouldering the burdens it had to carr/. Some of these burdens were the result of world-wide causes, but the peoplp of New Zealand were themselves responsible for others. “Don’t let us mince matters,” said his Excellency. “We have all been living beyond our means and w® have all been far too lavish in our public expenditure. We should now face the ‘position . in the spirit of the pioneers, lead a simpler ilife, get back to essentials and conserve our private, municipal. and national resources.” In . this connection a famous quotation came to mind. The great Wolsey. at the end of his career was addressing his servant Cromwell and said, “We have ventured like little uncertain boys that swim on bladders on a sea of wanton glory, but we have gone far beyond oiir depth.” As Stratford was named after the famous Shakespeare, he would quote again, this time from “Julius Caesar:’’ “There is a tide in the affairs of men which, taken at the floor, leads on to fortune,” and the poet then went on to point out the fate of those who did not seize opportunity when it confronted, them. The quotation served to emphasise that all should profit by the experience of the past, and when they saw th® tide of fortune to take it at the flood with due discretion and due judgment so that it would lead on to fortune. From the. “Merchant, of.. Venice” Lord Bledisloe went oh ' to quote Portia in the presence of grasping Shy lock, “The quality of mercy is not strained.” In the taking of economic measures people would have to show mercy towards that afflicted industry, the farming industry, but at the gam® time-it was necessary to display a similar attitude towards the Old Country which was New Zealand’s best customer.. He asked those present to believe that an. attitude of assistance towards the producer of England was not at all . inconsistent with the spirit of the. quotation. Lord Blediglpe went on to detail the conditions of unemployment and trade slackness in I England, stating that New Zealand could help in. the Old, Country’s recovery by purchasing British goods. He would be the last person.to suggest that a single man should be kept in unemployment by refraining from purchasing New Zealand-made goods, but he did urge them, where goods were'. ,not manufactured in the country, to buy goods firstly from England and. secondly from within the Empire. ■ ' ’• .- '• ' A SECONDARY INDUSTRIES. , ’ Lord Bledisloe had heard it said that secondary industries should be built up within New Zealand, but he warned people to be very careful how they did anything of the sort. Certainly some industries should be capable of expansion; those, for instance, that were finked to primary industries, but if people were going to imagine great factories established in such an isolated country as New Zealand with its small population, then they should also'imagine the great increase in unemployment during times of trade depression. There was also the further point that many secondary industries could not flourish without the protection of high tariffs, and he asked'his audience to ask themselves who ultimately paid these nigh tariffs. On the other hand, it was vital to the interests of New Zealand that its population on the land should increase, preferably with enterprising, resourceful men and women. Then, in years 'to «ome, the matter of the secondary industries could be thought about and seriously contemplated. With its

climate, and the fertility of its land, he saw a greater opportunity for land*, development in 'New Zealand than in any of the many countries he had visited in the course of agricultural investigations. At present the average output of butter-fat per acre in New Zealand was only 801 b. and at Is per lb. this return offered a very poor margin of profit. However, in Taranaki, the Waikato and in Southland men were getting anything from 250 to 3501 b. fat from the acre of land. Here there was a good margin of profit, even at to-' day’s depressed prices, and this pointed to one way in which the population bfj hjew Zealand could be built up. “I have. seen to-day one of the most inspiring aspects of land development in the-, whole Dominion,” continued Lord Bled : ; isloe, referring to the Stratford Model Farm. He had been delighted to find , that with foresight and wisdom farmers of the district had seen the tages of constituting such a valuable link between science and practical application.’ Nothing had been more delightful than to see the interest taken by pupils of the Stratford Technical High School in th© farm and to note the clearness with which one of the boys dealt with his lecture on the points off. a dairy cow. " ■; • ! . In conclusion the Governor-General said he had been delighted with their day at Stratford. The trip was reallya health recruiting on® and he recommended the heights of Mount Egmont to anyone needing to recuperate from an illness. i AT DEMONSTRATION FARM GOVERNOR-GENERAL’S. INTEREST. SCIENCE IN AGRICULTURE. At the demonstration-farm their Exr ' cellencies were welcomed -by Mr. J. M. Smith (chairman of the farm committee) and Mr. BL -E. ' Blyde (president of the North Taranaki provincial executive ’ of . the Farmers’ Union). : ( ' Mr, Smith' said 'fenhers,-' of the Stratford district were pleased to welcome Lord Bledisloe because of his keen interest in all matters -affecting A agriculture. At Stratford; farmers were fully alive to the value of scientific research, but they also realised, the neces- ' sity of some medium whereby research findings could be turned to practical use. This was one of the functions of the model farm and it was there that recommendations made as a result of scientific research were put to the acid test of practical application. Fourteen years ago farmers of the district realised the need of such a farm and, appreciating the immense value it coqld 1 nave, arranged the purchase of .the land, . then almost in its virgin state, and took over the liability of a large overdraft to develop the property. “I can assure your Excellencies that it needed development. Then, there were almost as many stumps in the paddocks as there, are blades of grass now,” he said. On behalf of the farmers of North' Taranaki, Mr. Blyde said considerable interest was attached to the vice-regal visit because all knew that the Gov-ernor-General was himself a keen farmer. It was a source of pleasure and of satisfaction to Taranaki to know that in its Governor-General it had a man who knew farming'and the needs , of farmers.’ His Excellency was recog- 1 nised as an expert in grass land farming, and in Taranaki they claimed to have developed this particular form of agriculture to a remarkable degree, real-, ising that in their pastures lay the secret of successful profitable dairying. It was satisfactory also to note thai the new season’s cheese had opened up on the London market’ in much better condition than previously and that the quality had improved distinctly. Even at the Moturoa cool stores it had been remarked that, despite the tightening up of grading points, quite an appreciable amount of cheese was stiff grad,- ’ ihg as high as 94. These factors Were ~ eimauraging, especially in the present financial crisis, because it was to its . primary producers that New Zealand as a whole looked to restore better times. • SCIENCE AND PRACTICE. „. “One of -the greatest difficulties of ’ the office of Governor is that . the occupier is expected, to furnish im‘- • promptu speeches of an interesting nature at the shortest notice, but today I am being asked to refer to a subject that has occupied my close at-.-..:,; tention, I may even say my burning . attention,” said Lord Bledisloe in reply. That subject was the relationship between science and practice, or more, particularly how the findings of science could be applied in agriculture. For, many years in th® Old Land .he hqd interested himself in this question, and from the knowledge so gained was able to congratulate heartily the farmers of New Zealand upon the progress made and results achieved. <. . “The proof of the pudding is in the eating,” he said, “and although scientists put forward many convincing argu-ments,-they are useless unless these arguments can be proved in terms of pounds, shillings and pence.” . Lord Bledisloe, in illustration of his point, ’ recalled, that two days before he had the pleasure of assisting at a function at Dannevirke,, where a . new, competition for farmers was being judged This competition had been instituted by the .Meat Board in connection with Canterbury lambs. . Canterbury lamb did; . not.:-necessarily; mean lamb from Canterbury, but was a-trade name applied to New-Zealand fat lamb ex- i ports generally. The board.(had offered a handsome cup ..to the farmer whose lambs in’- quality, weight, conformation < and firihhess of flesh were-rfnbst likely to satisfy, the requirements,.'of the English' consumers. At the conclusion bf the judging he had suggested, to tit® committee in charge that a visit should be paid to the 1 farms which reared the prize-winning'lambs in order to study ’the conditions of- Pasture, shelter, the nature of the land and other factors that had contributed to the winning of the award. Thus would something of - practical value be learned from the com-: petition apart from that contained in the appearance of the lambs themselves. ■ Lord Bledisloe said he was delighted f to know that in Taranaki farmers kept a keen eye upon their pastures and were studying problems of herbage and feeding values. He came to New ZsA- . land determined to be of some use to the people, and he realised that it wis : essential to'mix aS much as possible ■ with the fanning community in order that he might do his utmost to further i their patriotic efforts. . <1 - i “I have used that word patriotic aq- • vk-edly,” he added, “because on fhe primary producer depends the future ! welfare of New Zealand. Those who ; pin their faith to the building un ot i bio- secondary industries to bring ab9u| a return of prosperous conditions are, T . feel sure, establishing themselves , a wrong basis.” In conclusion, Rord Bledisloe c'~nimended the foresight of those who had seen the necessity of acquiring and developing the model farm» He thanked those assembled for the cordial welcome extended to himself and Lady Bledisloe. ' An apology for absence was received from the Hon. R. Masters, who is a'life member of the Fann Society.