THROUGH BRITISH EYES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 440, 24 February 1909, Page 5

THROUGH BRITISH EYES.

NEW ZEALAND SOILS ADMIRED

A VISITOR'S IMPRESSIONS.

- Mr. W . Norman, a veteran British farmer of' Northumberland.: and ■ Surrey experience, . .who. is now .visiting Australasia, on holiday, ... told a .Dominion -reporter - some of his imprawions of this country's fanning possibilities. : = said,-:;; "appealedto '-'ma. from .'an-.'English -point , of., view..'•- Tho ■■■'- country .aroundrChristehurch;; the -country %.;• : toads; and tho appearanco of the farms were, the English type. Dunedin and its people and BUrrQUndings -arer Scotch. / Invercargill fv j;:,'''' suggests 1 the ; the weather: \ ' 'reßembled, that of a, north English summer,- 1 only they do not housei their .-.cattle hero; Near Glenham I saw -wonderful - growth of 'clover;on now land that. .was. destituto of :i clover before it was broken up. Thoso who .. ..have advised tho farmers to limo their land

■ have done ' excellent - service,: because ft-ho : / farmers, thomselves are not chemists enough to< know, what their soils lack. Your Gov- ■ ernmont has . arranged -to -oonvev lime free v on',tho. railways, which .is equivalent to;giv-, . ign the farmers a limo kiln at their .'very doors. "Your dairy products are tho best colonial produoe that we get in England, equalled : only by. some-of the, products' Canada sends. ; . I can Sfe how; it. is done:!. It.is the,careful grading;--. You have.: adopted l a- system :of. . having uniform -quality in both butter; and ■ cheese, which I,highly commend." - Mr. Norman thinks English farmers.would ; do very well to 1 eomeouthere, and it would ■ relievo, tho tension at. Home. As to thocost. ' ; ' \\ I, of,-larid;thowevejyl he^said ■ it; iB ;f ar;.to6;highy Yet'the, cost and-conditions of labour are • even a- grerter drawback. J'You .soe," ' ■ he added,': "fanning, isn't like ,an ordinary busicess., It may be .that . a farm ■ labourer 'one. day may be twice as useful as on another day. He shouhTbe willing to work, when he > is ; most useful) and .help, the . firmer . to /get, ••••.! the.- produce ."in. ,It manufacturing trades . the hands aro-as useful on one day-as on another. ,;I don't know if I ought to say it, but the-system of labour,appears to be to the farmers" hero just as great a curse as landlordism is to the tenant farmers at Home., yl suppose, however, the labour diffi- : culty will settle itself under, the law of sup- ' . ply and demand.". ' "You set us a good examplo in New Zealand with! your co-operative businesses.' We . have at Home co-oporativo associations for ; . tbe purchase of goods, but you are showing "us how to co-operato to_ sell the farm produce—which is 'far more important. You are :; doing : it -well; and I shall mike ; ' this known ■ at Home."