Farmers' Prospects in New Zealand.

Patea Mail, 7 September 1880, Page 3

Farmers' Prospects in New Zealand.

The report of the Lincolnshire Delegates, already summarised in the Mail, contains much matter of interest to farmers here as well as to those at Home. SKETCH OF THEIR TOUR. The pamphlet describes the journey of the delegates through the two islands, speaking briefly of the characteristics of the soil of each district traversed, of the features of the country, of the natural products, the methods of farming, the live stock, the roads, and the prospects. A detailed description was of course impossible. The necessity was to present a comprehensive sketch of the Colony, so as to give a general idea of the localities, and to lead enquiry into the proper channels. This the delegates have accomplished, having given their readers a vigorous lifelike sketch, firmly drawn and thoroughly reliable. Their journey began, as wo all remember, at Auckland, the environs of which city they have described with appreciative pen. From Auckland they visited the Waikato and Thames valleys, after which a steamer landed them for a few hours at Poverty Bay, where they report “ the , richest soil we saw in New Zealand on since.” From there, touching at Napier and Wellington for a few hours,

they came to, Lyttelton, whence they travelled all over "Ifie Canterbury. Plains, the .Waimate,. Oamarn, Hakatcremea, and Otepopo districts. They saw Dunedin, the Taieri, Southland from the Mataura to Invercargill, and the valleys of the Oreti and Waimea. Returning to Wellington, they' .took ship for Napier, whence they crossed the Island, via Havelock, Waipukurau,!and the Manawatu, to Palmerston. Thence, via Wanganui, Patea, Hawera, and Stratford, to New Plymouth. A steamer landed them next at Manukau and Auckland, whence they took a trip to Hclensville and Itiverhead, before their final departure fo Europe by mail steamer. NORTH XSLANU. In the North Island they report having found a grazing rather than a grain-pro ducing country wherever there was no forest. Not that the country will never, in many places, eventually be grain producing, but that at present the necessary conditions for making the experiment successfully do not exist. The matted roots of the fern, in their opinion, preclude immediate chance of cereal production on any large scale. But of the wonderful pastures they saw they are never tired of descanting, and of the genial climate, the fruit-growing capacity, and the fine breed of stock, horses, cattle, and sheep. The Waikato, Napier, pavts of the Wanganui and Patea country, Hawera, Stratford, and the Waimate Plains country, come in for favourable mention in connection with these qualities each in their several degree, beginning with the Waikato, as the oldest settled and richest in grasses, clovers, and stock,and ending with the Waimate Plains, which are at present only in the prospective stage, “ very grand land, and will make splendid grazing country, though wc fancy,” the writers add shrewdly, “ the expectations of some people about them a little too extravagant.” CJIARACTKJI OF SOIL. After reporting at length on the graingrowing capabilities of the Soutli Island, they saj r : —“ In our experience the soil is, as a rule, much lighter than farmer's in England arc accustomed to work, and many of them on arriving in the Colony are disappointed at finding the soil so loose and light. In the Waikato, for instance, the soils do not look to English eyes likely to produce the magnificent grass crops which, as a matter of fact, wo saw on them ; and the wheat-growing land in the South Island was not in general anything like so heavy as that on which we arc accustomed to see the best grown wheat at Home. Indeed, wo saw very little really heavy clay-land in the Colony, and such soil, where it docs occur, will not bo worth cultivating for some time to come. The labour required to work it is far too great, and there arc no frosts in winter sufficient to pulverise it, while it is perfectly possible to consolidate any soil which may be a little too light by stocking it sufficiently heavily. But of one thing wc are certain, that, whatever the quality of the soil, there were splendid crops on it in almost every part of the country that wc saw.” And not content with their opinion, they mention having seen at Sydney some of the agricultural prize exhibits from Now Zealand. “It may be interesting to know, re the prizes gained by Now Zealand for samples of grain at the New South Wales Exhibition, in competition with other Colonies, that wo had an opportunity, while waiting at Sydney, to see these samples, which certainly could only be called magnificent. The best barley especially, though possibly a shade smaller than our best English barley, was perfect in shape and colour ; we never saw any as good in New Zealand, bnt wc never had the chance of getting to Nelson where this particular sample was grown.” MARKETS AND WAGES. Of the markets, that for wheat and wool, being European, is of course not discussed. Those for meat, oats, potatoes, and' other produce being local, the readers arc unformed are fluctuating and generally low, and requiring for their development the establishment of local industries. That these will be established the delegates arc certain, quoting in support of their opinion Dr ; Hector’s statistics of the very rapid progress of the New. Zealand industries during tho last decade. The labour question as representing dear labour is set down as a .much'overrated bug-bear. The verdict is.that wages are certainly higher than in England, but that, firstly, they must come down, secondly, that the high rate docs not mean a proportionate difference in the cost of production, the lands being more easily worked, the system of farming being less artificial, and the labour-saving appliances very much greater. Other extracts from this pamphlet will appear in the Mail;”