FARMERS VISIT

Hokitika Guardian, 30 June 1927, Page 4

FARMERS VISIT

EXCURSION FROM WEST COAST. INSI’CI HON OF A.Mi BURTON' corvrv A.SM BURTON. •>. Typical Join weatiiei Ciilay ivowed tile We.-i Const fat mol.- w!m al'O listing Ashburton They list ;i full itinerary. commencing tgh .. civic reception ill nine u’eb ik. .1 mit in Longbeach following. In tin .ifieriunni they were motored to tin; Methveu district, where they inspected throe noted farms. In iho evening a social guthori nys was held in St. Andrew's Hall. Ashburton.

The visitors leave for ( hristchurch by their special train al 7.A0 to-morrniv

norning. TIIK CIVIC RECEPTION

The civic reception was held at the band rotunda at Runny; Square West, at nine o'clock. when, despite the I net that there was a trust u| 11 decrees, ft

gathering of townspeople nssciri

The Mayor (Mr I’. Oalhraith expressed a hearty weleoine on hclialt of the town and country. He said that Ashburton was tin- largest inland town m Ihe South Island, and had admirable facilities behind ii. It was regrettidde tin:! they could only have ionic to Ashburton when the weather was-, well, not too warm. (lai tighter. 1 Mr Galbraith referred to the wheat ureas of the country. and said he was sure the visitors would he much interested in the many corners of the county which they would visit that day. He hoped their short stay would he an en~ joiable one. Mr F. AY. AValt (chairman "l the Power Roard) joined with the Mayor

in extending a welcome to the visitors. 11l- referred to the hospitality of the West Coast people. Mr Watt spoke of the work of the Power Hoard among the farming comnmniiy. lie hoped the visitors would pay a visit to the Power Hoard's plant, and on behalf of the hoard lie extended cordial greetings. Mr \V. A. Fleming (president of the Ashburton Chamber ol Commerce) also expressed a welcome on hehall ol commercial interests. Ashburton people were very proud of their county. Alt Fleming referred to the value to he derived from the trips organised h.v the railways. He hoped that at the end of the day the visitors would have gleaned much as a result ol their tout* through the granary ol New Zealand. Air 11. L. Barker (representing the Advance Ashburton Association) also spoke, ami explained the work carried out by his association. Air J. Af idea re. on belutiT ol the farming community of the AA’est Coast thanked the speakers for their welcome to the district, and expressed thanks for the hospitable arrangements made on their behalf. AH* AY. Clayton endorsed Afr ATi 1 1eare’s remarks, and referred to the work of the West Coast among the coal mines, the timber mills, and the farms. .Most of the farmers had been taken from the mines and tin* mills, and were not very practical ; therelore they all looked to learn somethin;.; trom their visit to Ashburton. Mr AW Chinn also returned thanks for tlie welcome and the hospitality, and assured Ashburton people that the Coast would heartily reciprocate til a later date.

The ceremony concluded with an ex change of cheers. GREAT INTEREST IN LONG--11 EACH.

A Meet of sixty cars took the visitors to the world famous Laiigbeach Estate, the route taken being via AYheatstono. Fiemington. Ashton and

Watcrtmi. Though mid-winter conditions prevail, the. vidtors were nevertheless, able to gauge something of the quantity of grain sown in these localities. In

many parts oats are extensively grown on the sea heard, hut there is also some fin" heavy land from which splendid yields of wheat have It" It taken. Du the way, there were to tic seen several fields in which wheat- lias been sown, and w hit'll arc showing up particularly well.

Arrived af the Longbeach Estate, the party was met by Mr N*. Grigg. and was entertained at morning tea before being conducted round the estate. The visitors were impressed with the fact that the estate, in the days of its prime was the largest farm in the world, and that later, after many large tracts of land led been cut front it, it held the repntaLion of being the model farm of the world.

The first stock to he viewed were the Clydesdale draught teams, numbering thirty-live horses, all of which have been in regular work, hut none of which exhibited any sign of soreness at the shoulders, a fact that the visitors freely remarked upon. Hie ages ranged from five to twelve years, and it was pointed out that the older beasts were as (it for hard work as were the more sprightly ones. F’.nvious eyes were east upon these animals and more than one AA 7 ost Coaster expressed a desire for a few* of that stamp of horse on the Coast.

-11l two pons near the horses wore several Friesinns, the performances of which as hntter-fat producers were related to the visitors, who are mostly dairy farmers, 'flic figures quoted hv Mr Grigg wore noted hy more than one man from the Const. Next in line to bo inspected were the sheep, of which two flocks had been penned for the benefit of the visitors. In one pen were Soulhclowns, and in the other were Romney Marsh. As sheep-raising is rapidly coming into favour in Westland, a large proportion of the party paid close attention to the merits of these types, as propounded hy the shepherd in charge. I Last on the list of stock to ho paraded was the- thoroughbred stallion. Shambles, which was imported from Newmarket. England, hy the late Mr J. 0. N. Grigg. about a year ago. This is a particularly fine stamp of racer, and Mr J. H. Grigg stated that in fourteen starts in races of over one mile in England. Shambles was placed thirteen times these including four firsts and six seconds. The animal has been put to the stud, but so far there are no foals by him. Sections of the visiting party then viewed the grounds about the homestead and prior to leaving for AshlnirI ton all gathered and returned thank* I to Mr Grigg for hi.s hospitality. The route back to Ashburton was by way of Eift’elton and AVillowby. VISIT TO METI-IVEN. After lunch the party left for Mothveil and on the way called at the farm of Mr F. IV. Ruddenklnu. where they inspected several of the latest devices in modern farming. The first was a compact threshing machine, which, ■ driven by an ordinary tractor, takes fewer men to handle compared with the ordinary trashing mill’ with the result that 1000 sacks of grain can he threshed at a cost of about £l2 I Os, against about £3O in the ordinary way. In another paddock they were, interested th the new method of removing stumps by means of a tractor. 11l the same paddock a tractor hauled a grubbi i',, which executed heavy work with astonishing* ease. ' '?<s&&rs having been given f >r Air ’ -ituddeiiklau.i:the, party moved on to the farm ‘ of - Mr .T. Al’-Annlty. Here art 'inspection of the pure-bred Friesian' h<g!}\Was made,' the chief exhibit boitig "Mrdel Radio do Kol,” which

produce-id S3-llb. of butter fat in 365 days this giving it the distinction of being one of the best, if not the best producer in Canterbury. A number or bulls, and heifers of the same breed also were shown iby Air AT Anility, who received the hearty thanks of the visi-

Conlintiing the tour the ears pulled up tit Alotliven, where afternoon tea was dispensed bv the AfetliVen branch of the Farmers’ Union. On hehall of the union. .Afr .1. Carr welcomed the visitors rind pointed out that since leaving Longbcaeh they find climbed over 1(199 feet above the sea level. 'I his naturally led to cool evenings, but the warmth of Afctliven’s welcome was in reverse proportion to the coolness ol the weather. He pointed out that the men of Canterbury and the men of the West Coast were all producers, but they produced tilings different. Over there they brought out timber and coal and they must not forget in mention gold, a commodity which was not known in Methven. (Laughter). Coal was brought here to make folks comfortable. but timber wtts burnt in huge quantities while people oil this side of tin* ranges were badly in need of it for building sheds and stable.s. On the other hand people her .burnt huge numbers of straw stacks and AA’est C’oasi men were greatly in need of ibis product of the- land.

Mr A. Campion, president of the union, endorsed Afr Carr’s remarks, and expressed a- hope that wlmc the visitors had'teen and had still to see in the enmity would profit them, considerably, and eventually lead to mutual benefit.

Air W. Fisher, president of the Ngahcre branch of the Fnrinoi*V Fniou’ referred to the wonderful hospitality that had been extended to the travellers in this district, an act of kindness the Wot Coast, Would he anxious to reel-

'd r |*. Bnylmtt. on behalf of several ! >;*:il bodies on the West Coast, referred to the manner in which they had been treated while in Ashburton end went on to say that as a result of bis own association with the county engineer, Air A. A. Funks, lie bad beet! able In gain considerable information with regard to roads and county works.

Cheers having been given for the Alethven people and for the ladies who assisted with afternoon ten, the party moved on and inspected at the farm of Air E. A .Bland the flock of Corriodale sheep which was awarded first prize in the recent competition conducted b.v the Alethven A. and T>. Association, and at the farm of Ah* H. Freeman a flock of half-hreds which was awarded second place. The return journey then com mu need and Ashburton was reached by way of River Hoad and T?akaia.