ENGLISH STUDENTS SEE FARMING IN BAY OF PLENTY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 93, 3 February 1950, Page 5

ENGLISH STUDENTS SEE FARMING IN BAY OF PLENTY

Two Yorkshiremen who admit they know nothing about farming but are keen to learn as much as they can about New Zealand farming methods and the people who farm in this country are at present visiting the Bay of Plenty as the guests of Mr F. Reynolds, on his farm at Thornton. Sponsored by the Rotary movement in Yorkshire the two men, Mr David Mellows and Mr Michael Renny, have come to this country on a goodwill tour to meet* the people, especially the farmers, whom they consider are the “backbone” of New Zealand. /

Admitting that he was “quite green” to farming Mr Mellows said yesterday that he wanted to observe farming work, especially New Zealand methods of milking. In England much of the milking was still done by hand and he had been impressed by the milking machines. More Isolated Comparing the English farmer with his New Zealand counterpart Mr Mellows said hqjiad been struck with the latter’s wide general knowledge, not only of farming affairs, but also of any other business that may affect him. In England farmers to be more isolated, with little interest apart from farming. The layout of New Zealand farms was also much different from those in England. In this country there were neat bungalows with the farm buildings all separated. In most of the buildings were vary close together or in one, with the main house usually overlooking the farm yard.

Mr Mellows said he and Mr Renny had visited the Rangitaiki* Plains Dairy Factory. It had been a new 'experience which they had thoroughly enjoyed. They had never seen so much butter before. They had also paid a similar visit to tlie Whakatane Board Mills and this had been quite different from anything else they had seen.

Mr Mellows said he and Mr Renny were two of a party of six, which will spend two months in this country. The party is- led by Dr George F. Morton, of the Leeds Rotary Club, and consists of a farmer, a wool buyer, two schoolmasters* a student who has just left Oxfordl (Mr Renny) and a student of Leeds University (Mr Mellows).

Every Assistance He and Mr Renny had been overwhelmed with hospitality since arriving in the Bay of Plenty, Mr Mellows continued. They had received every assistance and kindness the people they had met and had taken part in golf and tennis matches and visited many of the beauty spots of the district. After Whakatane Mr Mellows and Mr Renny will spend two days seeing the Empire Games and then they leave for Invercargill. They will work their way north to Auckland where they; will \sail for Sydney. They spend a week there and expect to be back in England in May.