"WERE I A MAGICIAN."

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1053, 16 February 1911, Page 6

"WERE I A MAGICIAN."

SPEECH BY LORD ISLINGTON. AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION WANTED. "GENEROUS CLIMATE AND RESPONSIYE SOIL." His Excellency the Governor (Lord Islington), who attended the Masterton A. and P. Show yesterday, delivered an address on agricultural subjects. The pre'sidcut of fho A. and P. Association (Mr. William Perry) and the Mayor of Mastorton (Mr. J. Coradine) welcomed the Governor. Lord Islington thanked his hosts for their kindly welcome on this his first official visit to Masterton. It was a great pleasure to him that his first formal visit should be connected with the Jlastcrton and P. Association, which institution was of such importance to the' district. It was his very great pleasure as Governor of this Dominion to on all occasions associate himself with agriculture. It was an additional pleasure to • him to be there in another capacity besides that of Governor: ho had lived in tho ■yVairarapa a good deal, and was a neighbour of the people of the. AVairarapa. This show marked a conspicuous epoch in the history of the association. The association had a charming ground, and had laid it out appropriately. Ho was glad to hear that in point of numbers and in point of quality the entries were a record. It was a pleasing tiling that the standard of stock in tho district was improving, and that the high-class animals wero distributed among a large number of tho people, for that showed that the industry was in a vigorous and vital condition. ■ ...

Some Impressions. Agricultural shows, continued his Excellency, wero of great value to the country, crystallising the efforts of the farmers in one recognised organisation. Shows gave opportunities to those engaged in farming to meet in a friendly manner, and exchange ideas; During the. past few months ho had lad an. opportunity of visiting .various parts of the Dominion, and by close observation and inquiry lie had been ablo to form sovcral impressions of this country and of its people. He had formed the most happy nnd pleasant opinions of both—bath of the natural conditions of the country and the charming character of the people. # Nothing had struck him so' much as the' generous climato and the responsive soil. Here was a contrast to the days of depression in' the agricultural industries at Homo. He was glad to'say thoso dark days wero passing away from Britain, and agriculture was taking its place among the industries of the country. There was 'a. great resemblance between New Zealand and England, but "there was this great difference: in England the economic stability of the country depended, "and must always depend, upon the product of tho factories, and New Zealand depended on tho product of the field and of agriculture, and must do. 60 for at least some time to come. The Aid of Science., . Agriculture was the great bulwark of national lifo iu this Dominion. The country bad magnificent natural conditions, but the farmers, wisely, were not relying solely, on them: they wero putting into u£o thoso corollaries without which they could not do—skill, science, and agriculture. If Now Zealand's exports were.to continue as they wero today, or'were to increase it must be by those means. Science bad enabled tbcm to ascertain—and they had. taken advantage of it—what was the most economic product for each part of the country, and science had helped them—and again they had taken advantage of it—as to the best way of putting their produce on the London market.

There were going on at the same time the opening out world and ..tho tolosing" imvorld. • Byi.u'tho. latter ho referred to' transport" N 'and' communication. Ho was confident that only those countries could be successful in the close competition of the future which were best organised and educated in tho science of agriculture. Considering its remoteness from the" markets, New Zealand had done wonders, and he could only'say: ' "Go on doing iyour wonders!"

"Were I a magician," Lord Islington remarked, "I would induce to these shores a M'Donald or u. Carnegie, and get him to establish a great centre for agriculturists in this country for the young men of the next generation to equip themselves to compete in the commerce of the future. I. cannot conceive a greater boom than that which M'Donald has conferred on Canada, and which has been conferred on Africa—a scientific and practical centre for agriculturists." The Power of Organisation. His Excellency spoke of 'tho great quality of New Zealand's butter, nnd then drew attention to "tho organisation which had helped to produce this." "Organisation is one of the necessities of modern times. Wo have seen countries which have been. weighed down by depression rising again, and if you look under the surface you will see organisation." Ireland was his best illustration, ho said. Ireland had. been a by-w.ord in the past, but she was rising now and taking her place in tho world, and that was largely dile to the work of Sir Horace Plunkett in establishing co-operative dairy factories. They wero doing the same thing in England. He spoke with considerable diffidence, but he did it to show, the people he was desirous in any small manner he could to, help them in their work: it .was worth while the agriculturists of this country looking into the British system of co-operation'. New Zealand had scattered over the country a number of isolated factories, all doing admirable work. 'Tt was a question whether they would not as timo developed be brought to better use by being brought within tho scope of one central organisation. , .■...,. Organisation of that kind must never allow, anything of the naturo of political discussion to entor into their business.