A SOUTHERN TOUR.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 543, 19 February 1913, Page 5

A SOUTHERN TOUR.

— MR C. K. WILSON INTERVIEWED. IMPRESSIONS AND COMi'ARISONS. Mr C. K. Wilson, member for district, who formed one of the I arliamentary party which toured Otago and Southland during the past few weeks, returned toTeKuiti yesterday. Mr Wilson, in reply to a question by the Chronicle representative, said lie had enjoyed the trip immensely and the experience gained was valuable. One of the objects of the tour was to convoy to the visiting members the importance of irrigation on a comprehensive scale of the inland districts of Otago, where rainfall was sparse and the land apparently of poor quality. "There is no doubt about it," said Mr Wilson, "the effect of irrigation where it has been carried out is aimply wonderful." Asked as to what the land would do when it was irrigated the member said that land which appeared to he worthless before being irrigated would carry a wonderful quantity of stock. For instance, if you put three or fontsheep to the acre on land here it would be very soon become sick. lie had stayed on a place in the south where the farmer had about two hundred and fifty acres of irrigated land. This had carried sixteen hundred sheep through the season, and was as sweet as possible. By means of irrigation the paddocks could be washed clean whenever desired, and judicious management in this respect enabled a tremendous amount of stock is car ried. There was no doubt, continued Mr Wilson, irrigation meant a great deal to the south, and to the Dominion as a whole. The fruit which was grown in what appeared to be gravel beds, was a revelation and the orchards constituted a feature, of the district. Without irrigation fruit growing would bo entirely impossible. The party journeyed over six bun- > dred miles by motor, a fact which would convey some idea of the south- , ern roads. To a visitor from tho North Island one of the most striking : features of the districts visited was , the good roads and railways. If the interior of the North Island only had the same facilities for transit as the districts mentionsd there would be no : grumbling in the backblocks. Mr Wilson was particularly struck with ■ the country in Southland and with tho class of stock which was to be seen. "I did not see a cull sheep in tho whole district," he concluded Asked with respect to the value of the tour generally, Mr Wilson was emphatic in his approval. lie strongly advocated an exchange of visits between northern and southern members for the purpose of obtaining a proper grasp of conditions which obtain in tho various localities. I "I did not forget to let them know i that we had a question to settle in | the North Island which was of ( greater national importance; than the t irrigation of the south," said Mr i Wilson, "and I invited them to come ( and get a proper set of ideas concerning the subject of Native binds on the : spot.'Hitherto they have been too much t governed by theory on tho question, and we must get them here and 1111- f press them with the necessity lor , action in the matter in the interests of f the whole Dominion," a remark with i which the interviewer heartily con- j curred. I v

Mr Wilson intends remaining in tho district until the session, ami will visit the various portions of tho electorate as opportunity offers. The Prime Minister is pledged to visit; Ohura some time during the recess and Mr Wilson will accompany him on the trip. The Hon. Mr Herries also intends visiting the district at an early date, but has not yet been able to fix the time definitely.