Lincolnshire Delegates' Report.

Patea Mail, 4 September 1880, Page 3

Lincolnshire Delegates' Report.

The two delegates, Messrs Grant and Foster, who made a tour through this colony last summer, have reported their opinions to the Lincolnshire farmers who had sent them to this new Britain to prospect for new homes suitable to British farmers of moderate capital. Their report is in the form of a pharaplilet, and contains remarks .on various districts visited by them, and a summary ' of their impressions. A copy of the phainphlet has not yet reached us, but, the following summary appears in the Wellington Post.

The delegates, after criticising the various districts of the Colony with great shrewdness and intelligence, say : —“ But after all, the question still remains unanswered : Is New Zealand a good field of emigration for British tenant farmers ? Will they.be able to use there to advantage the capital that remains to them after tho hard times through which we have been passing, and will they be able there to establish the home which an Englishmen in whatever part of the world he lives wishes to posses ? We answer yes to all these. We believe that any English farmer, of industry and perseverance, possessing a little capital and a good knowledge of his business, may make a very good living for himself and his family, and will have better opportunities of settling his children than he would in a country like ours, which after centuries of occupation is crowded in every corner with members of every trade, profession and calling. We wish to be understood, he must not think that by going to New Zealand he is stepping into a fortune ; steadiness and industry are necessary elements of success there as here, but are more sure of their reward.

“ It is a more difficult matter to advise a settler where to go to ; it is a mistake, into which people at Home not uncommonly fall, to think that New Zealand is all alike, and that it does not much matter to what part they direct their steps, as the same sort of country and occupation will meet them at all places. From what we have said it will he seen that this is altogether a wrong idea : there arc in the colony greater varieties of soil, of climate, and of agricultural occupations, if we may so term them, than it would be easy to find in any other country of the same size. It depends altogether upon what sort of fanning a man prefers ; ami he can have his choice of almost any kind. If a warm climate with mild winter suits him, and he wishes to devote himself to cattle breeding, this can be done to perfection in the Waikato district of the North Island, and wc thoroughly believe that it tvould be a good place for a man of capital, who wishes to acquire a large freehold at a comparativelylow price, and when one stock is brought and the farm got into cultivation it can be worked at a low cost, owing to the small amount of care and attention required by live stock in that warm climate. On the other hand, a man of small capital, desirous o£ carrying on his farm by the united labor of himself and his family only, might do very well in the same district for the same reasons.

“ But for the greater part of English tenant fanners, with the capital that tho present bad times have left them, 3ve cannot resist a very strong impression that the South Island is the place. There is now very little land fit for agricultural purposes left there in the hands of the Government, and that means that whatever land a man wants must bo got second hand. But it means also that there is no fern to ho eradicated, that at any rate some fencing has been done, and more or less improvements made ; in fact, that the soil is ready for profitable occupation at once. Our idea is that a man with a capital of £IOOO or £2OOO would do best by going to Canterbury or Otago, and taking a farm of such size, iu the case supposed, 300 to 600 acres, that he would have iu his pocket about £3 per acre to start with, on a lease, with a purchasing clause, if possible. There are plenty of farms to he had at 10s to 12s 6d per aero a year, and to the majority wc think a purchasing clause would be given. Or if the settler prefers, he will find cheaper land, with a proportionately lower purchasing clause, in a less forward state in Southland. In this way we believe that ho will get a much better return for his outlay, and live much more comfortably from the first than ho would by aiming at once at possessing his own freehold. In the parts wc have mentioned an allround system of farming is what is wanted, a similar system to, though perhaps not exactly the same as that

known as the ‘fourfield’ at home. On such land as we saw, two white crops might probably be taken out without at all hurting it. At the rent we have named some of the best land ought to be obtained } and from what we saw of the crops this year, compared with the averages of Canterbury, Otago, and Southland for previous years, we think that four quarters of wheat might be reckoned upon, unless the season turned out exceptionally unfavorable. On such a farm, English farming experience, and a knowledge of English methods would be of the greatest service. We have quoted prices both of land and produce to a sufficient extent to enable any one to have some idea of the return which such a system of farming would give ; we believe ourselves that a return of 20 per cent, clear profit on the capital invested might be looked for.”