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Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 20 March 1912, Page 2

A GOOD AGRICULTURIST.

We observe sonic pithy sayings are recorded of a man with a name which has become, if not historical, at least a household word in this Dominion. Twenty odd years ago " John Grigg of Longbeach " was a man by whom everyone swore, Ho established the meat industry by his enterprise, courage and vigour, and lie reclaimed.the country abrmt Longbeach from the state of dismal swamp in which it was when he found it aud threw his lot in with it. Tho son has inherited the father's name and his qualities. That is what makes it so good to hear the record of his recent pithy sayings. " Grigg o^ Longbeach » has been to the old country and returned with -i good moral ficm all he had seen in his tiavels. First about the frozen meat of this country. He has spoken nothing aboir, it that is not good—its splendid behaviour in transit, its quality by no means to be despised, its future in Britain where the local fresh killed is growing scarcer, and its ch?.uces'in the -markets of Europe which ouyht lo bo fostered by every means in our power. Here are things for a good honest farmer to talk about and make much of, It is1 refreshing to have no Jeremiad about the carelessness of-I ho handlers and the .abominable eumlitiou of the meat which apparently is no better than stiuking fish which tho whole-world has been warned against. Let us admiiv the man. who can, in tlai'midst of his business u.-oi-ries, discern the chances of the

future and stiv up his" countrymen to take thought i'dr embracing tho opportunities they aro sure to afford. As to the quality of tlin stock for this cmtracing of opportunities, anyone who will follow tho example of Mr Grrjo-o- . . ■ obi himself, in his historic country or. Lou gb each, will not go far wrong. But.the thing that is wanted is not confined to tho breeder's department of tho shipper's, about which Mr Gfrig-g----has so much that is good to say It is also necessary to remove prejudice of tlie stranger who may be thereby induced to become a good customer,

and it may be needful to break down the barrier of tariffs which are maintained by nothing so strong as ignorance, the handmaid of prejudice and dishonest interestedness. To that end the suggestion of Mr Grigg is a good one to empower the High Commissioner to pay the expenses of some continental experts out to the Dominion and back, so as to let them see the excellent arrangements made by all'the meat companies from the kill to the final freeze in the hold of the liner. If one thing is surer than another it is that these men will report that it is unnecessary co insist on the regulation requiring certain parts of the carcase to be shipped in order to enafre the veterinanes at the port of arrival to pronounce on the condition of the moat. Veterinary science is surely as good' and sufficient in one country .as in another ; just as medical science is. Nations accept medical certificates from one another ; why not the verdicts of the veterinaries. . ■

But Mr Gfrigg did not content himself with mutton for the repast with which he fed the friends who had asked him,to hold forth on what he had seen in the old land. He spoke of the vast indirect debt due by this country to its mother, banked up in the cost of the fleets and armies which have for so many years safeguarded this country, against,the jealous attentions of the alien of all colours. We are not paying off that debt and no one is going to demand payment. Still that is no reason why we should not pay something in our own time and at our own convenience. , This is * better than growling with fine points over Dreaddought gifts. Mr Qrigg completes his cheeriness for the public by enanciating the true theory of borrow: ing. To borrow well for good woik always pays, says he, and thero is no suspicion that any one can . possible, object. What better could be said in a country which had burrowed so well in the past as we have, with so large a percentage of self-supporting loans, costing the taxpayer not a cent, and with the consent of both parties in the state, for no loan has been seriously opposed b,y any individual legislator. Long live " Grrigg of Longbeach."