MR. LEESON ABROAD.

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 259, 25 October 1928, Page 1

MR. LEESON ABROAD.

AN ENJOYABLE TRIP,

England and America Visited. Mr. J. E. Leeson, chairman of directors of the Morrinsville Dairy Company, had an interesting story to the members of the Morrinsville branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union at the October meeting, when he returned from a six months’ holiday tfip to England, where he visited after an absence of 40 years.

Expressing thanks for the warm welcome expressed by the president, Mr. J. M. Allen, Mr. Leeson said that though he had had a most enjoyable trip he was glad to be back in Morrinsville. He went via the Panama Cartal route, and had fine weather all the way. The speaker paused to describe Pitcairn Island, where the ship stopped for a few hours. A mere dot on the Pacific, the island was only five miles in circumference. The inhabitants, descendants of the mutineers of the Bounty, numbered only 140, and when this number was exceeded the surplus population was packed off to Sydney, as the island was not able to support more than a certain number - . The islanders were all Seventh Day Adventists and showed their religious zeal by distri- j buting tracts among the passengers.

Mr. Leeson described the Panama Canal and the system of working the locks. He mentioned that the' cost of talcing a liner through was in the region of £2OOO. A zone six miles wide on each side of the canal was under U.S.A. rule, and was “ dry.” However, Panama City was just outside the zone, and cabarets and hotels were open all night. The strip was patrolled by 10,000 troops. Panama City was a popular resort with them. From Panama the trip to Southampton was 18 days.

When in England, Mr. Leeson attended the. Worlds’ Dairy Conference, at which 47 countries, including Egypt, Trinidad, Turkey, India, China and Japan were represented. The largest delegation was from America. New Zealand had seven representatives: three Massey College professors, Mr. Davis (Control Board), Messrs. Wright and Ross, dairy inspectors, and Mr. Leeson. The majority of those present were scientists, there being very few farmers.

Mr. Leeson also visited the Royal Show and was struck with the quality of the cattle. He had a glimpse of Royalty, when the foreign delegates were introduced to the King and Queen.

The return trip was through America. The New Zealander was greatly struck by the prices for beef. Seven pounds of sirloin cost £l, and a serving of rump steak cost 6s. Mr. Leeson thought that if Mr. Hoover was elected President, the urban population would apply pressure to have Argentine beef allowed into the country. The United States used a lot of New Zealand meat, but if Argentine stock was allowed to enter, the English market for the New Zealand product would be improved.

In Fraser Valley, at the foot of the Rockies, Mr. Leeson inspected a cooperative dairy company. A retail milk business was run in conjunction. The suppliers were being paid at the rate of 2s 6d per lb butter-fat and were growling, of course, said Mr. Leeson. A profitable sideline was the making of cottage cheese, which sold at 7d and 8d per lb. It was made of curds and had an unattractive acid taste.

The speaker made the mouths of his audience water when he spoke of the prices received for milk at Honolulu. At one dairy Guernesy milk brought 5s a gallon, and Holstein milk 3s Bd. The shed was flyproof, disinfected and kept scrupulously clean. Eighty hands were employed to milk the 230 cows. There was little grass farming, and the cows were fed mostly on meal, so that the profit would not be as large as it appeared. Mr. Leeson received a hearty vote of thanks at the conclusion of his address.