THE LINCOLNSHIRE VISITORS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1849, 26 January 1880, Page 3

THE LINCOLNSHIRE VISITORS.

The public have already been apprised of the visit to the colony of Messrs Grant and Foster, farmers, from Lincolnshire, England, as delegates of a large number of agriculturists in Lincolnshire who are desirous of positive information as to the agricultural resources of New Zealand. The two delegates arrived here on Saturday from the North, and were met at Lyttelton by Mr J. T. Ford, president of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association. They intend before leaving to make themselves as well acquainted as possible with Canterbury, and were informed by Mr Ford that he was deputed by the Government to render them such advice and information as they may require. From Canterbury they proceed to Otago, and they hope to take their leave of the colony before April next, their intention being to go via America. Both of the gentlemen are practical farmers, and the circumstances which have led to their visit are briefly these—The Key. J. Berry, who has accompanied them to Canterbury, during his lecturing tour through Great Britain, visited Lincolnshire, and delivered there something like fifty lectures, specially to farmers, directing their attention to New Zealand as a suitable field for emigrants. These lectures were given at all the principal towns in the county —Lincoln, Holbeck, Grimsby, South Boston, Spilsby, and Spalding, and other of the larger towns, and attracted much interest. The occasion was opportune, as the farmers were more than proverbially discontented with the outlook at home, and the lecturer met with a correspondingly increased measure of encouragement. By public lecture and private association he aroused such a spirit of inquiry amongst the farming community as would not be satisfied with anything short of personal examination of the country by one or two of their own most substantial farmers. Mr Berry strongly advised them to eschew haste in forming their opinion of New Zealand as a desirable place to come to, and not to accept anyone’s ipse dixit of the capabilities of the country, when matters so important as the disposal of their property and the exchange of home for colonial life were involved. Following out this prudent course, a requisition to the two gentlemen who are now here was drawn up and signed by about five hundred tenant farmers, men of experience and means, or as Mr Grant remarked to a Pebss reporter on Saturday, “ Men of from £IOOO to £50,000 capital.” It may be said in reference to the gentlemen selected by this influential body of people that they are men of position, and highly respected in the county whence they came. Mr Grant has three large farms in Lincolnshire, and takes an active part in public matters. Mr Foster farms 1000 acres, and the requisition sent to Messrs Grant and Foster is eaid to have represented between one and two hundred thousand acres of the farming country of Lincolnshire. Their journey was commenced l.st November, the route taken being by steamer to Melbourne and thence to Auckland, which was reached on Christmas Day. Sir.ce then they have travelled over the greater part of Auckland province, and 1 «re examined the Waikato country thoroughly. What they think of it or of the other portions of that section of the colony which they have visited is, as Mr Grant explained, “ another matter,” wishing it to be understood, no doubt, that their opinion must first bo reported to the good folks of Lincolnshire. In stating the general purport of their vish, briefly Mr Grant stated that it was to ascertain “ the adaptability of the count'-y for agriculture.” It is not to be understood as being for any purpose of special settlement or anything of that kind, he said, though there is no saying what it may result in. In reply to a question as to an intention of making immediate purchases of such properties as he and his colleague might be favourably impressed with, Mr Grant said their visit was not for that purpose, and it was improbable they would do so. The Rev. J. Berry also upon this point remarked that ho thought no purchases would be made by the delegates. The delegates had not been many days in the colony before making the discovery that there were landholders in it willing to sell, and they appeared to have been possibly bored to some extent in this connection. To gentlemen from a locality in some parts of which,

as Mr Grant remarked, the inquiry, “ Is your farm for sale?” would precipitate a breach of the peace there and then, the farmers up around Axickland (and elsewhere in the colony parhaps) would appear a little remarkable, and the circumstance that nearly every farm the delegates visited up North had _ “ its price ” would be exceedingly peculiar, if not actually startling. The visitors have not bean slow to observe that some farms are held more for speculation than for farming, and they have also found that there are a good many “ beet ” farms in tho colony, and notwithstanding the many assurances they have received that if they but just take a look at “my 50,000 acres” they will never look at another until they have secured this lot at any rale, they have kept on looking about them, taking notes and gathering news. Their business in this province being thus made known, it will not be necessary to bespeak for Messrs Grant and Foster a cordial welcome at tho hands of the farmers of Canterbury.