VICTORIAN FARMERS

Taranaki Daily News, 20 January 1933, Page 9

VICTORIAN FARMERS

SHORT VISIT TO TARANAKI ONAERO FACTORY INSPECTED. CHAMPION JERSEY COW ADMIRED. The party pf/Victorian farmers who arrived at Auckland on Tuesday * for a fortnight's tour through New Zealand irrived Jn Taranaki yesterday .afternoon m a brief visit.. The party, which is representative of all interests, comprises 17;' including- 26 ladies.’ It was arranged by the Bendigo Agricultural Horticultural and Pastoral Society, which has been conducting educational tours for the past five years. This is the first tour that has been arranged, by the .society, in an overseas Dipipinion. and in the arrangements - the New Zealand Government Tourist Department.is collaborating. Mr.- R. W. Marshall,, an official of that department, is touring with the party. The leader of the, party is Mr. A.’ J.‘ Anderson, sheepfarmer, Calivil (36 miles from Bendigo), a member of the Victorian Council of Agricultural Education. Mr. E. G. Ham, secretary o£,the Bendigo and Northern districts Agricultural Societies, is secretary;‘.lifi-; G. Felhard (Bendigo) is treasurer and Mrs. E. L. Olney (Ivanhoe), Messrs. • A. D. Anson (Daylesford), G. Green. (Melbourne), G. S. Greenwood (Kerang>7 B." Mitchell (Bendigo) and W. Pooh (Heathcote) are directors of the tour. The objects of the tour as set out in the itinerary are comprehensive. They are: To study pastoral and agricultural development; to view and survey efficient farm: management and marketing organisations; to meet as opportunity offers representatives of kindred associations and interests, exchange ideas, compare conditions and methods, with a view to mutual benefit; and to cement the bond of Empire relationship between sister Dominions and agricultural organisations in particular. KEENNESS OF TRAVELLERS. There is no doubt that the. tourists are observant and keen to learn, showing a live interest in all that they see and taking notes frequently for future reference. The trip is naturally a hurried one and in view of the amount of country to be covered-and the. varied activities to be reviewed in the short time at their disposal, but already the members state they have learned a good deal that Is new. They, are particularly impressed by the contrast in the pastures here as compared with the dryness of those that they have'left, and smile a little incredulously when informed in all seriousnes that Taranaki pastures are suffering from. the effects of a dry spelL Tuesday afternoon was spent sightseeingin and around Auckland, ...while. Wednesday was spent in travelling to Hamilton by train, thence by nine buses and cars to the Ruakura State farm, and on to Waitomo Caves, where the glow worm cave was visited and the night spent at the hostel. Having left Waitomo ’ yesterday at 9.30 a.m., with a stay at Mokau for luncheon, the party arrived at Onaero at 2.45 p.m. The members were enthusiastic over the varied beauties of the trip throughout and particularly of Awakino. Valley and Mt. Messenger, where the speed was reduced to give them., every opportunity of taking in the numerous pretty vistas. Mount Egmont ’was not on its best behaviour, being covered throughout the lay by clouds. At Onaero the party was met by Mr. I. C.; Sampson, president of the Tarataki Agricultural Society, Mr. G. H. Bell, president of the Taranaki Group Herd resting" Association, and Mr. E. Griffiths. Mr. H. M. Purdie (chairman of directors jf the North Taranaki Co-operative Dairy Company) "and Messrs. A. Cole, S. Managh, J. T. H. Robinson and P. S. Elliot (directors) were also present to show the party through the company’s butter factory, the only dairy factory to be inspected in Taranaki. Here under the’ guidance of the directors and the manager (Mr. E. F. Huse) the Victorians made a careful inspection. They were particularly interested in the high overrun, the grade notes of the butter (ranging from 94 to 94.5), together with the tests from the grading stores showing the evenness of moisture 15.9, the maximum allowed being 16 per. cent., and the salt tests, which were always up" to the maximum 2 per cent.. The visitors were impressed Avith- the comprehensive grading system, which they regarded as invaluable to New Zealand produce and ahead of theirs, which was based on somewhat similar lines. They were also interested, the ladies particularly so, in the quality of the creamery butter and of the whey butter, which was the first they had seen in New Zealand and about which;.several questions were asked. The ladies.’pf the party were loyal to Australia one remarking that the Byron Bay factory butter, was the finest in the world. The party then visited Mr. P. Petersen’s. Ivondale stud at. Brixton, where the star attraction of the afternoon was inspected—the champion Jersey cow, Woodland’s Felicie. En route the numerous meadow hay and ensilage stacks were the subject of comment, the latter apparently not being gone in for much in the visitors’' district; The absence of cropping also impressed. - ■ On arrival at Brixton the party was met by Messrs. W. Hall (president of the Taranaki Ayrshire Breeders’ Association), D. le Cren Morgan (secretary of the Fanners’ Union), W. P. Okey (secretary of the Agricultural Society), H. Baily (secretary of the Taranaki Group Herd Testing Association), Truby King and K. F. Kirk. •THE CHAMPION COW. The visitors, who were given a cordial welcome by Mr. P. J. Peterson, took a keen interest in the champion cow, which was paraded by Mr. G. Peterson, and cameras were soon taking shots at all angles. Mr.'Peterson stated that at pre-; sent the champion was producing over 501 b of milk daily on twice a day milking. Mr. Griffiths briefly recounted the champion’s record, pointing at that whereas the average production of the New Zealand dairy cow was 2001 b of butter-fat per-annum, Woodland’s Felicie had produced 1220.891 b of fat in 365 days, her average test being 7.03. Mr. Sampson briefly extended a welcome to the visitors, Mr. A. J. Anderson, the chairman of the party, aeknowledging. The party subsequently adjourned to the homestead, where it was entertained al fresco afternoon tea by Mrs. P e^er_ son and her daughters. Mrs. E. L. Olney briefly returned thank. Prior to leaving, Mr. W. Park expressed thanks for. the entertainment on behalf, of the party- of pilgrims who were touring for the purpose of learning something of the resources of New Zealand. He congratulated Mr. Peterson on the wonderful achievement of the champion Jersey cow.; In acknowledging, Mr. Peterson . expressed regret that the party had not more time to spend in Taranaki and New Zealand generally. The party then proceeded to New Plymouth, being keenly interested in the evidences of close settlement en route, while of course the aerodrome at which Sir Charles Kingsford Smith had landed on his trip across the Tasman was of particular interest. Nev) Plymouth was reached shortly after 5 p.m. The visitors were driven to the Criterion, Imperial, White Hart, Terminus and Royal, hotels. After dinnas the evening was free.

though a number of the visitors who were keenly interested in herd testing accepted the invitation of Mr. - Baily and visited his office, where the group herd testing was fully explained to them. PERSONNEL OF THE PARTY. The personnel of the touring party is:— A. J. Anderson, vice-president, Bendigo Agricultural Society; member of the Victorian Council of Agricultural Education, and Mrs. A. J. Anderson. J. V. Adams, member, Elmore Agricultural Society. H. Ayson, farmer and grazier, Elmore. A. D. Anson,- ’ president, Daylesford Agricultural Society.. A. Browning, council member, Yarrawonga Agricultural - Society, and Mrs. Browning. G. N. K. Barker, farmer, Appsley.. G. N. Barber, retired grazier, Alphington. Dr. N. C. Barber, medical practitioner, Alphington. J. Cobley, grazier, Parkes, New South Wales. E. Carroll, farm and station supply merchant, Corowa. A. Carlyle, news agent, Melbourne. J. J. Cocking, chemist. J. Davis, farmer and grazier, Elphinstone. R. Fick, farmer, Traralgon. S. Franikenberg, Toorak, Melbourne. Miss E. Gardiner, Stawell. G. Green, New Guinea plantei' and contractor, Melbourne. G. S. Greenwood, secretary, Agricultural Society, Kerang. , . G. Hawthorne, merchant and. grazier, Kerang,. and Mrs, Hawthorne. Mrs. Holmes, Ballarat. Miss Holmes, Ballarat. - ■ ■ W. Kelly, farmer and grazier, Emu. . F. Knight, farmer and grazier, council member, Kyneton. P. R. Leslie, Bendigo Agricultural Society, Bendigo. Technical School. Miss B. Liddell, Bendigo. C. H. Ludeman, Bendigo Agricultural Society, Tandara, and Mrs. Ludeman. G. T. Ludeman, farmer and grazier, Kamarooka, and Mrs. Ludeman. T. M. Martin, grazier, Barham, New South Wales. < N. G. Martin, manager, butter factory, Trafalgar, and Mrs. Martin. A. Mercer, president, Boort Agricultural Society, Boort. B. Mitchell, poultry farmer, council member Bendigo Agricultural Society, Bendigo. J. Madden, contractor, Bendigo. Agri-, cultural Society. Misses N. E., A. M. and N. M. Manning, Brighton, Melbourne. j ■ ' C. McDonald, farmer and grazier, Myall. N. Nancarrow, manager, bacon factory, Dandenong, and Mrs. Nancarrow. R. Nancarrow, butcher, Bendigo. C. Neilson, contractor, Middle Park, Melbourne. J. J. O’Neill, council member, Kyneton Agricultural Society. - Miss B. Osborne, B.Sc., Haberfield, New South Wales. ( M.i.E. O’Brien, Press representative, Bendigo Advertiser, vice-president Bendigo Agricultural Society. ...Mrs. A. _L.i Olney, Ivanhoe, Melbourne. • W. G. Pogue, farmer and grazier, Toolgmba. ' • W. Pdok; council member, Heathcote Agricultural Society. G. Pethard,, council member, Bendigo Agricultural Society, manufacturer and importer, and Mrs. Pethard, Melbourne. T. C. Rowan, council member, Kyneton Agricultural Society, Mrs. T. C. Rowan and Miss M* Rowan, Kyneton. I. A. Rowan, council member, Kyneton Agricultural Society, Mrs. I. A. Rowan and Miss Rowan. J. Reed, manufacturer, Bendigo. O. Salau, farmer and grazier, Benjeroop. F. J. Sammons, farmer, Corowa. S. G. Spittle, grazier, Creswick. A.. Sonnenberg, investor. S. R. Thomas, council member, Ballarat.' ’ ' ■ ’-• * * ■ ; - ' . _ - Mrs. S. R. Thomas, .Miners Rest, Ballarat, and Miss N. Thomas. E. J. Tripcony, farmer and grazier, Pompapiel, and Mrs. Tripcony. t Dr. A.R. Thorne, superintendent, Bendigo Base Hospital. A. 'E. Thome, retired inspector of schools. F. Warren, merchant, Bendigo. ’ < Mrs. F. Warren, Bendigo. Miss J. Warren, Bendigo. C. Watson, stock agent and grazier, Bendigo Agricultural Society. E. G. Ham, secretary, Bendigo Agricultural Society and Northern Districts Agricultural Societies of Victoria. Td-DAY’S ITINERARY. • This morning at 9 o’clock a visit will be paid to the property of Mr. G. H. Bell, Oakura, where his Pinewoods .Jersey herd will be inspected. Subsequently the party will visit some beauty spots around New Plymouth, returning to their hotels, in time for luncheon. They will then motor to the railway station, and proceed by the afternoon train to Wanganui. . CIVIC WELCOME BY MAYOR FARMER GUESTS ENTERTAINED. MUTUAL INTERESTS DISCUSSED. In the evening the Bendigo farmers entertained representatives of agricultural interests at dinner in the Criterion Hotel. Mr. A. J. Anderson, chairman of the visiting party,. presided, and the guests included Messrs. H. V. S. Griffiths (Mayor of New Plymouth), H. C. Sampson (president), W. P. Okey (secretary), J. Allen, W. T. Joll and E. Griffiths (members-of the Taranaki Agricultural Society), D. Le C. Morgan (provincial secretary), C. H. Sorenson, P. Warren, C. J. Harris, W. Busing (members of the executive of the Farmers’ Union), G. H. Bell and H. Baily (president and secretary of the Taranaki Group Herd Testing Association). In extending a civic welcome to the visitors, Mr. Griffiths said he noted that the objects of the tour were placed in the forefront of the book, with the motto, “No seas are too wide for friendship to bridge.” He wanted the visitors to feel that during their stay at New Plymouth they were among friends, and that although 1200 miles of ocean separated Australia from New Zealand it was comparatively but a span. That had been -proved only a week ago, when he had been delighted to welcome Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and his creW. The same day he had welcomed the Australian Boys’ Band. He was just as delighted to extend to the farmers of Victoria a cordial welcome to Taranaki, continued Mr. Griffiths. While at New Plymouth they were 100 miles closer to those nearest and dearest to them than they would be in any other part of the Dominion. Indeed, he looked on New Plymouth as being a link between Australia and New Zealand, and he trusted that the time was not so far distant when there would be direct communication, first by steamer between Sydney and New Plymouth harbour, which could accommodate any ships trading to the Dominion. That would be one of the links that would bind Australia closer to New Zealand in general and to New Plymouth in particular. EDUCATIONAL TOUR. As a body of farmers they had come on an educational tour, and he was delighted also to see so many of their wives travelling with them. New Plymouth residents, he said, were , proud of the district, looking upon Taranaki as the garden province and the best dairying district in the Dominion. .That state-

ment might be challenged, but he thought results would show that was the position. Rapid as their tour was, he expressed the hope that the visitors would learn something. from the farmers of the Dominion, and that in return the farmers of the Dominion would learn something from them. It was by intermingling and exchanging ideas that they developed. Never was there a time when they needed more to interchange ideas with a view to production being increased to the ■ betterment of all. The chairman in reply apologised for the fact that owing to. the exigencies of accommodation their full party was unable to be present to welcome the guests. From the welcome they had received on their trip they realised that all were one. He recognised that the trip was a somewhat hurried one. They had already had five or six tours, the others having been to different parts of Australia. This time it was felt that they should attempt something on a larger scale and see what the farmers of the dominion were doing. They had come to learn something of New Zealand’s methods in farming, and already in the short time they had been, in the Dominion they had learnt a great deal. That day they had the pleasure and privilege of £ieing what New Zealand could do in . the way of production. In the afternoon they had' viewed the world’s champion Jersey cow, and would take back a photograph of her, though many of them would like to. take back the cow. They could not buy animals of that class and at the same time do the trip. AMONG FRIENDS. Mr. G. Pethard, treasurer of the party, said that, ever since they had arrived in New Zealand they had felt they were among friends, and he knew that feeling would ex/end throughout the tour. He explained that the tours had been organised by the Bendigo Agricultural Society for the past five years. This year it was felt that a tour abroad would be the very thing to improve their, education, and it must be regarded as a compliment to New Zealand that thatDominwas selected as the one likely to teach them most. The party was representative of all interests. They felt that the time was opportune owing to the economic conditions for the primary producer to look further afield with a view to finding the best methods of production and marketing if they were to “come through.” In the short time they had been in New Zealand their eyes had been opened, and he felt that they would be opened further as they pursued their trail. Already they had had many surprises. The conditions as soon so far were totally different from those that obtained at ( Benaigo, where it was mostly dry farming. So far he had not seen one stack of wheat or oats, nor one fallowed field. He had, however, seen what they could do in dairying and had seen a number of sheep, though he recognised that he had yet to see the best part of the Dominion for sheep and lambs. He would take his hat off to the lambs he had seen, for from a. visit tq England ten years ago he knew that New Zealand lambs were held in very high esteem at Smithfield. Indeed, the best compliment that could be paid was that a lot of Australian lamb was sold as “Canterbury,” and no doubt that had kept up the name of Canterbury lamb. (Laughter.)

Mrs. E. L. Olney, the only lady director, extended a welcome on behalf of the leader of the party. She expressed appreciation of the hospitality that had been extended to the party since its ar-rival-hospitality equal to any they had received anywhere in the world. She felt that New Zealand should be “tacked on” to Australia, as, after all, they were all British, and that was . what. counted. The ladies were out to gain experience and looked forward to meeting the wives of New Zealand farmers as they wanted to, absorb information and ideas, recognising that in some matters New Zealand was ahead of Australia. Mrs. Ongley, on behalf of the Bendigo Agricultural Society, presented the Mayor with one of the party’s special commemorative badges., , TARANAKI PASTURES. In acknowledging the welcome ,on behalf of the Farmers’ Union, Mr. C. H. Sorenson apologised for the unavoidable absence of Mr. H. E. Blyde, provincial president; who was at Wellington. He expressed regret that the visitors stay was not sufficiently long to enable them to understand each other,- as he felt that they could all learn something. He expressed regret that Taranaki pastures were not looking at their best as they were suffering from the effects of a drought, as the result of which his production had fallen 50 per cent. Taranaki relied to a great extent on its pastures. Some time ago an Australian visitor was was greatly struck with the perennial rye'in his . pastures. At present Australia was a big iinporter of New Zealand' perennial rye seed, and he had hoped to have been able to show them the results of perennial rye in pasture. Mr. Sorenson congratulated the visitors on the phenomenal rise in the production of butterfat that had taken place in Australia, together with the jmprovement in. quality. That was one of the things that was making the New Zealand dairyfarmer think. They realised to-day that Australia was their largest competitor on the British market. He felt, ■ therefore, that they could get as much helpful information from the visitors as they could give. He felt they should -think nationally, as it was the duty of the British Empire to feed the British, people. REGRET AT SHORT VISIT.

Mr. H._ C. Sampson extended a welcome to the visitors to Taranaki. He regretted that their stay was so short, as he would have liked to have mapped out an itinerary for a week’s stay. As a dairy province Taranaki was looked up to by the rest of New Zealand. Taranaki grade heifers were known all over New Zealand and were in great demand. Taranaki had exported stud stock to Australia and South Africa, and in the near future they hoped to extend further afield. Taranaki was in the proud position of being able to breed and rear pedigree cattle a little better than most’ other parts of New Zealand, possibly because • the climatic conditions were more equal to those of the Island of Jersey and the soil was also suitable to the Jersey cattle. He thought Taranaki Jerseys were the equal of those of any part of the world, except Jersey Island, where they had had over 200 years’ experience. As time went on Taranaki would be regarded as the stud farm of the world for breeding dairy stock. For butterfat production Taranaki stock had proved more than equal to the best, while for type there were in Taranaki some stock equal to the best in the world.

The original itinerary in Taranaki had been arranged to include visits to various stud farms of different breeds, but transport difficulties had necessitated alterations. As president of the Agricultural Society he- felt that they had not done sufficient for the visitors as they were not able to show- them various studs of the different breeds. If there had been more time that would have been done.

Mr. Sampson regretted that the ladies of the party would probably not be able' to meet the members of the - Women’s Division, for whom he had great admiration. It had been arranged that members Of the Women’s Division were to meet the party at Bell Block to-day,, but owing to the altered itinerary that was not possible. It was hoped they would meet some of the members at Oakura. : Mr. P. Warren also spoke on behalf of the Farmers’ Union, remarking that the visitors would See something of interest every mile they travelled throughthe country. y