FARMING IN ENGLAND.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 25 September 1924, Page 7

FARMING IN ENGLAND.

EX-NEW ZEALANDER’S IMPRESSIONS.

INTERVIEW WITH MR. J. B. REID

“The prospects in England as far as New Zealand produce is concerned are excellent. Before I left Home a rise in the price of wool was confidently anticipated. New Zealand frozen mutton especially lamb, is in great demand* ana. piovided small and prime carcases are sent the demand will be unlimited - ouch was the cheery pronouncement Mr J. B. Reid, formerly ofEh derslie, Qamaru, made on his arrival at Wellington on Thursday after several years’ experience of ‘farming in England. '

One hears a good deal of talk,” said Mr Reid to a Dominion reporter ‘ about New Zealand meat being sold as English. This is all nonsense, as if such a thing were done it would mean that the purchaser • would have to pav a higher price for it.” He mentioned tnat Argentina beef arrived in England in splendid condition and was very cheap, and it was, therefore, useless for New Zealand to send beef Home. When the 4 weather became warm a demand for prime lamb at once set in in England, and the demand for mutton also increased. Mr Reid expressed the opinion that' it was a pity that New Zealand farmers fattened so many lambs on rape. It was advisable, he considered, to have as many as possible frozen at weaning time. Dairy farming in Encland was a long way behind New,Zealand, and could be enormously incieased _by adopting Dominion methods Questioned as to the financial position at Home, Mr Reid said that there was plenty of money available for investment, but, of course, any revival in trade would have the effect of at the money market. New Zealand,” he declared, “stands iiigher than any other Dominion in the eyes of the English public. The people of Great Britain are anxious that the resolutions passed at the Prime Ministers Conference in London should be adopted. Some form of protection must come m the Old Country, and one hears on all sides the view expressed that the resolutions passed at the Economic Conference should be given effect to.

“I don’t find farming in England any more difficult fhan it is here,” he said, “except that there is no organisation tor the marketing of produce, and we get actually less for our butter, oggs 3 and milk than do the farmers in Dunedin. Railway rates in England a i e excessive, and there is no method ot collecting cream such as prevails in the Dominion. I am now alluding to my own county, Cambridgeshire, which is a wonderful grass bounty.” Mr Reid explained that he had a farm of 420 acres near Newmarket. He had used solely New Zealand seeds, and had met with wonderful success!, oo much so, that he believed that a great trade in ryegrass and cocksfoot b f done by New ! Zealand with England.' , o a g reat believer in this buffolk Punch breed of working horses in heavy land, and considers they are J™ class wanted in New Zealand ■ ihey are active, strong, fast, and easily kept,” he declared enthusiastiC i■ f. • ari d never get ‘greasy heels which is a great thing. I started in England with the Shire breed, but round that they were subject to ‘greasy a € « S ii- a -£ d \ cban ged over to the Suffolk Punch. I should very much like to see someone start a stud of this breed out here. At present high-class four-year-old fillies to high-class stalhons can he purchased for £IOO each. Red-polled cattle are in great demand at Home, Mr Reid continued, al i 6 ’ foilnd be the equal of anv other breed for dual purposes. The same could be said of Milking Shorthorns, which had reached a very hiodi state of perfection.. ! ° Mr Reid said he had been very pleased with the exhibit of frozen meat and dairy produce made by New Zealand at the Wembley Exhibition. The produce was excellently shown in revolving glass chambers, and was the theme of universal admiration. Questioned as to the prospects of New Zealand attracting tourists from Great Britain, Mr Reid said he was quite sure that if there were large Ave N-appointed hotels in all the prinoipal centres of the Dominion there H-ould he a large influx of visitors from Great Britain “The New Zealand Government,” he said, “would be wise to give hotelkeepers a longer tenure m order to encourage them to build houses which would encourage tourists to visit the country.”