LAND OF ABUNDANT FOOD.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 August 1923, Page 4

LAND OF ABUNDANT FOOD.

EI'HOPH TOO POOR TO JifY. I.OXDOX. J u „e 1-J. -ll l ' M . 11. Kocbel's fi csli and iirsthand knowledge of the South American Republics gives interest and importance to bis iatot book. “The Xew Argentina,” in wliich be loses no time in coming to the question of the mo-ment—-Argentina’s “endless stores of meat- and wheat’’ and Europe's inability to take them off her hands. “I be cloud which covers Argentina’s prosperity is far lighter (Mr Koeb-.-l states) than those which restore)’ almost p\ory other country of the world. Intrinsically the situation of the country is as powerful as ever.” Argentine home life is shedding its patriarcliial restrictions.

“A married woman may now dance in public with a man other than her husband, although these (the male partners), of course, have to undergo much mental examination and analysis on the part of the husband before any such pru.-ys* i> iimanil ted.” It still, happens, however, that for a noman “la puff a i igurelte in public i- to lie more or h-'-' eternally cini(h ■Hilled."

Opporl unities such as there used to he far (al.'ing no land and building up a fortune from small beginnings “have hecnai" exceedingly rare.” “Although the country is still io need of a far greater population than it already possesses, at the presold moment almost every league cf available land has alreadv been talten up.”

There are still empty forest lands in tiic north and desert tracts in the west and south, hut those areas will only yield under irrigation, and that is not poor man’s fanning. The little Decauville light railways are doing wonders in opening up the country and bringing the outlying districts more and more into touch with the big centres by acting as feeders to the main lines. A" “remarkably intimnte and elfective asset.” Mr Koobo! calls them. Of course for the carters with their great camp wagons, each with its troop of horses, they spell slow min. 'Despite dollar firmness and marl; •ul-lajv-c. “{termanv has recently Inn three important (out facts, one ol them for loeomtive-, which was snatched from ihat country by the railed Slates.” Mr kn"'H goes on to ray: •‘At ihe pre-md Mine ll is impossible (■i vi-ni any H luc South American States anti fail (o come away pml'nimd|v imp-! dvit It the commercial wrn-g-rc-s v. Pi.-h has h.'ea uuidc by flic t'llilcil States.” The licit ish. he tells ti-. si ill possess a “veil di.timt advantage” in their acM.nl experience and knowlciige of the emeu rv ami its inliahil a lit s. "Nevcrl lie'e*-, lhe part receiilly phived by the l'niti d States has cii(iicd.ledlv ((endcractcd much i t the diva e! a ,/a r a eat ly pos.’-cs-.ed by ('l'cat j:. i-ain. I. I.- largely, of course. a ll 1 '; gee 'Hilda The iidlueuce of the I’ress. Mr Noels I i.! s-D Cs, ha - lu’cli "t hot uilgk!'.' mad . a... of.” and “almost the entirety of ( able news is now received in Aygeutina from American sources.”

film orga.nisaion in Argentina. In points out. is “prac; ieall.v a maniV>"iv of the merii mis mid truimis And. naturally enough, ties advent agi lia- lieen used for t lemuen ial as v.'dl as ciitertainmeut purposes.