THE GLOBE. MONDAY, APRIL 4, 1881. "A STRANGER" ON "OUR PROSPECTS."

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2217, 4 April 1881, Page 2

THE GLOBE. MONDAY, APRIL 4, 1881. "A STRANGER" ON "OUR PROSPECTS."

The address delivered by Mr. Dow, agricultural reporter of the Melbourne " Leader," to the members of the A. and P. Association on Saturday afternoon last, is worthy of more than a passing notice. It is not so much that a high degree of importance is to be attached to the opinions of a solitary individual on the peculiar conditions of our country, especially when it is considered that those opinions are addressed to us and not to our noighhours. On the contrary, Mr. Dow's remarks aro chiofly of value, as making a practical comparison betwoen the resources of Australia and New Zealand, from the standpoint of a practical man and an expert on matters pertaining to agricultural interests generally. Regarded in this light they are really valuable, and not the less acceptable to ns New Zealanders, because it is shown that this colony possesses very many real advantages over the neighboring continent of the South Pacific. In effect Mr. Dow told his hearers that if the pooplo of Now Zealand do not pro-

gross they will havo only themselves to blame. Possessed of a magnificent I climate, good soil, and geographical ad- ' vantages well adapted to the promotion ( of trade, it has all the conditions noces- ( sary for a prosperous agricultural c country ; whilst the universality of its 1 climate, if such an expression may bo , used, gives it a much wider scope in i farming and kindred industries connected 1 with the utilisation of the soil, than has ' almost any other country in the world. Mr. Dow showed by figures—which, when honestly used, are like the photographic apparatus, and " can't lie " that the producing power of New Zealand, . in wheat and corn and other crops, is , very much in excess of that of Victoria < and the other large grain-growing colo- ' nies of Australia ; and at the same time ! he pointed out that in the far North there exists plenty of discarded land suitable for the growth of semi-tropical fruit, such as the Now South Wales people grow in a section of that colony. Comparisons almost as favourable to New Zealand were made between it and America, which, however, possesses one natural advantage in its proximity to other large markots, and an accidental advantage of even greater moment in the wonderful enterprise of its people. In any case, the reflections given rise to by the lecture under notice are of a cheering and hopeful character. Our groat necessities are to be found in the means to promote and profit by the magnificent resources of this land of our adoption. Capital, backed by enterprise, and assisted by labor, aro the means, and when these are once put vigorously in operation, the future is assured. Had it been within Mr. Dow's department he might have pointed to the vast mineral resources of the colony, as yet almost entirely undeveloped, and only waiting to be brought forth in their splendid array of wealth by the magic power of speculation. The greatest aid to forming enterprise in America, and, in a lesser degree, Australia, is the cheap rate at, which farm products are conveyed by means of their railway systoms. In ■ this respect New Zealand is sadly behind the times. Unfortunately our railways have been constructed not altogether with a view to their general utility—hundreds of thousands of pounds having been expended in railways which were of no further use than gaining to some particular party a trifle of political support at the time—and have proved very much worse than useless ever since, that is to say, an actual burden on the colony, the deficiencies on such lines having in some mysterious way to be compensated for by the profits of certain others. This is a serious blot on the past political history of the colony, which should act as a beacon ahead for the future. In the meantime there are not wanting indications that the people are willing to help themselves, to some extent, in opening up the country by means of the iron horse, and should one such effort prove successful, others would doubtless follow as a natural result. At present the farming interest, to say nothing of others in which the expenditure of capital is involved, happens to be heavily handicapped from the force of cir- • cumstances, and, until a change for the better occurs, the farmers in general will find it difficult to assure an average prosperity, and many will be deterred from launching forth for a similar reason. At the same time, even with these serious drawbacks, the aspect of the colony, as regarded by more than one impartial witness, whose testimony has been publicly accorded, is of a most encouraging and hopeful character. EXPORTATION OF CHEESE. Apropos of the proposed shipment of cheese by the ship Orari for London, an authority on the manufacture of this article made some observations at Satur- ! day's meeting of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association, which may prove of value to those engaged in the manipulation of dairy products, especially to any who manufacture with a view to the establishment of an export trade. Mr Bowran, the gentleman referred to, is a stranger in this part of the world, but has, it appears, had a very extensive experience in the cheese and butter trade. Indeed, if he will pardon the pleasantry, that gentleman appoars to be a very " Middlewick," and consequently no mean authority on such matters. At any rate, his remarks wero of a character which spoke for themselves, and appealed to the common sense of the audience. It was perfectly evident to the least informed on the subject that he well knew what he was talking about. It is, therefore, rather a discouraging circumstance to begin with, that his views on the exportation of cheese would seem to cast a doubt—perhaps a very grave doubt—on the project, from Bank's Peninsula, now in process of fulfilment. Mr. Bowran pointed out that great difficulties had beset those engaged in this trado in other and older countries, notably in America, owing to the varied qualities of the article exported in small parcels—that is to say, considerable shipments being made up by numerous contributions from a variety of sources. Hence, in the event of a largo proportion of the cheese going bad, a prejudice would be created against the whole, and it would become a glut in the market. (It may be stated i that Mr. Dow, from Australia, in his lecture, has indicated such fatal results from trials made in Victoria.) This was experienced when the export trado first ttarted in America, and long experience alone enabled her to cope with the difficulty. The remedy was found to bo in the establishment of factories to which the produce from tho dairies round-about is sent, and there manufactured, the result being that one quality of cheese or butter, as tho case might bo, is secured. From these central depots the article is shipped aboard to foreign markets and sold. In this way the " sample" must bo really a guaranteed sample of tho entire shipment, working both ways. There aro, of course, other advantages connected with the system. For instance, in an establishment conducted on such a largo scale, care would bo taken to havo nono but tho best available appliauces and export dairymen, and one system would prevail throughout. Without pretending to a profound knowledge of the subject, wo can see that tho suggestions of Mr. Bowran are well worthy of attention. They aro founded on experience and appeal to reason. Wo therefore commend them to all interested in the trado in question.