EMPIRE FARMERS' TOUR.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20104, 6 December 1930, Page 22

EMPIRE FARMERS' TOUR.

ARRANGEMENTS KOR NEXT YEAR. Mr A. Canham. secretary of tlie British -National Union, has forwarded particulars of the proposed visit of farmers to Great Britain in tho summer of next year. Mr Canham was secretary of tho party of Empire farmers that visited New Zealand early this year, and the visit of Dominion representatives next year will be in the nature of a return. The party will consist of representatives of New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and South Africa, and it has been decided to allocate to each Dominion 20 to 25 places. "We are arranging-," states Mr Canham, "a very interesting programme which, will cover a period of two months, during which a very large portion of both England and Scotland will bo visited. The two great national agricultural shows—the Highland Show in Edinburgh in June, and the Royal Show at Warwick in July—will be attended, and at Bradford arrangements are being made whereby visiting sheepfarmers will be able to meet in conference representatives of the woollen industry. The tour will commence in London on June Ist, and two days later we shall take the party to Epsom on the day tho great classic Derby race is run. We are proposing to leave it to those who wish to join us to make their own shipping arrangements. This will enable tliem to travel by any route or class they choose. A little later 1 shall be able to send you more detailed information as regards tho itinerary." Mr Canham adds that tho Annual Journal of the Union will shortly bo published, and will very largely deal with the recent visit of Empire farmers to New Zealaud. Xt will be copiously illustrated with views (riken durincr the visit:.

■lamb, with its lightweight carcases, peculiarly fills this requirement.'' Board's Activities. I Mr i'orsyth goes on fo refer to the Board's activities. "Although the perfection of: these products," ho says, "would appear to be almost as high as it is possible to attain, yet the Board has initiated intensive research in conjunction with the British Dejiartment of Scientific Rose.ircli to endeavour to add still further to tho high standard of condition and brightness in which New Zealand meat arrives. The other phase, which is a job of some considerable maguiture, is the regulation of shipments' so that adequate supplies of New Zealand lawb and muttpn are available to the retailer the whole year round. The transport of the whole output of New Zealand meat to Great Britain is placed in the hands of my Board and every thinking trader will, I am sure, agre*3 that either a glut or shortage of supplies at any one particular time is of no value to either the producer or the retailer." The annual report of the Dairy Division for 1929-30 states that despite the large increase in production, the quality of creamery butter has probably never previously reached so high a uniform standard of excellence, the average grade for tho year being 92.96, as compared with 92.84 for the previous years. Butters scoring finest exceeded the preceding year's figures by 4.5 per cent., the totals being 74.41 and 69.91 per cent, respectively. The percentage of first grade was 23.09, as compared w jth 27.82 per cent., and under first j.5 and 2.27 per cent. respectively. "Soda" flavours have been rarely commented upon, and the highly uniform character of the body and texture together with the even distribution of the moisture content and greater attention paid to tho better .jacking and finish of our butters, is a testimonial to the excellent team work of the factorv staffs. The livestock Division of the Department. of Agriculture reports that during I he past , vcar a considerable reduction has taken place in the number of liee-nffeclcd sheep found in saleyarda.

a reduction, in real wages—that was, in purchasing power. Eased Upon Fallacies. I n the Imperial Conference the Government would do everything in.its power to secure agreement ' with. Dominion representatives in various forms of commercial development. In that sphere there was much of a most valuable reciprocal character that could be undertaken without imposing tariffs on foodstuffs and raw materials imported into Great Britain. The best of tho Dominion opinion recognised that it was impossible to expect the United Kingdom to impose duties on its foodstuffs and raw materials. So-called Empire Free Trade was based upon fallacies, the chief of which was that the other parts of the Empire could be persuaded to give up or modify tho development of their manufacturing industries. They had already made it perfectly clear that no such policy could be entertained, and accordingly at a stroke and on one important issue the whole basis of Empire Free Trade disappeared. Empire Free Trade was, rightly understood, one of the most vicious forms of tariff restriction, and would inevitably lead to tho disintegration of the British Commonwealth of Nations.