The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, JANUARY 14, 1928. CANADIAN DEVELOPMENT.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 January 1928, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, JANUARY 14, 1928. CANADIAN DEVELOPMENT.

Canada is one of the most important Dominions within the Empire, and Mr Amery is recognising that in his piescnt tour across the North American continent. Quite lately in the year that has closed, tht lit. Hon. Reginald McKenna, an ex-Chanccllor ot the British Exchequer, and the present Chairman of the London Midland Bank, said to be the. largest commercial bank in the world, made a brief tour of Canada His object was to attend a conference of the Canadian I Pacific Railway of which, also, he is a director. Likewise, he spoke before 5 several business organisations. In these talks Air McKenna expressed admiration and a degree of amazement at the progress which Canada is making. Well might he do so, remarks a New York publication, for be was witnessing flic miracle which Canada presents, of a nation in the making. Even on this side of the line, the l nitcd States, where propinquity and familiarity are apt to temper expression, there is the same feeling that something of magnitude and world importance is developing to the north. Mr McKenna told his audiences that England was looking to Canada as the

source of future gold supply. This is more than a hope, for the gold production of Canada is increasing rapidly, and as new regions arc opened the possibilities appear unlimited. It is not generally appreciated that the second largest gold mine in the British Empire is being operated in Canada. Another point that the ex-Cliancellor made was that the time was coming when England would he supplanted in the Commonwealth of Nations by Canada, so far as population and wealth were concerned. This also does not appear at all unlikely. A\ ithin a very few years the Dominion lias developed into one of the great wheat and grain producing nations of the world. She has just about finished harvesting what may be the heaviest wheat" crop in her history. In 1926, according to Canadian Pacific figures, Canada exported more than 251 million dollars, this exclusive of exports of wheat Hour worth hot ween nine and ten million dollars. Statistics for the 1927 harvest cannot as yet he compiled, hut there are predictions that the harvestmay equal that of 1923, when the production reached approximately 475 million bushels. The rise of Canada

to the position of the greatest wheat producing country of the world, with one exception, reads like a miracle of itself. It is one, hut after all it merely shows what may l>e accomplished through a combination of brains, courage and modern scientific methods. Canada’s problem was to find a wheat that would withstand a rather vigorous climate, and mature quickly. The Marquis wheat met these requirements. It changed what had been regarded as a semi-hopeless area into a vast granery. It is to he remembered in this connection that as the northern latitude is increased, the hours of daylight also increase. In a word, the sun may shine for a period of eighteen hours or more out of every twentyfour, as against a corresponding lesser number of hours to the south. That is why Canada manages to raise such enormous wheat crops. Given a grain that will mature quickly and withstand occasional climatic reverses, and the problem is solved. The wheat belt of Canada is working constantly to the north. Prizes have been won by Canadian grains raised in sections that until recent years were regarded as beyond the pale even of hardy garden vegetables. And from informa- , tion that 6° conservative a source as

the Canadian Pacific does not hesitate to make public, the story is only beginning. A new wheat, the Garnet, is coming to the front as a quicker maturing crop. Tt has been harvested as much as two weeks earlier than the Marquis, with yields of 10 bushels to the acre and alxive. That means that Canada will add immensely' to her productive area, through extensions into still further northern latitudes. And that wheat, may he grown closer to the Arctic circle than ever before realized is to be read in experiments with a still hardier strain, with a maturity earlier than any present variety. Truly the Dominion of Canada is destined to be the bread basket of Great Britain, and the prospects that she may be the treasure house of gold are equally promising. Rt. Hon Reginald McKenna evidently was well advised when lie spoke to this olfeet.