A Direct Contradiction.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 26, 1 February 1904, Page 4

A Direct Contradiction.

DITI RAIRYINt! INRFSTRY. j A recent visitor (o the Argentine, Mr VI. A. Filzhorberl. reluriied lo New Zealand with a most favourable opinion of the condition of that country, ami he inforincU a New Zealand Times reporter that "X.rw Zealand cannot hold out against this wonderful country (the Argentine) in dairying." 'Phis statement caused a good deal of comment ill agricultural circles, and the Auckland Herald obtained interviews with leading commercial men in the norihc.aln capital, the result of the inquiries tending lo show that we have nothing lo fear from the great South Ameiicaii Republic, 'llic views of these gentlemen make ii, lercslingreading. Mr Wesley Spragg, the manager of the New /.-aland Hairy Association, said Hint whilst the Argentine! was uii.picMinnu.l.ly a wonderfully productive country, it was by no means lo he assumed Hint, it would oust NewZealand from the? London market, or even seriously iniiire it Ihere. Mr A. Husck. who has expert experience in dairying, look a similar view. The Argentine, he pointed out. i.s t.oi.bl.d willi many pests practically unknown in New /.(-aland. "Anthrax, the foot and mouth disease, swarm of locusts and other dillicullies oppose l.ie dairy farmer in the Argentine lb-re we air exceptionally lav..in.-d. Theie is ihe question of Ihe relative vadue of laud lo he taken into consuloralion. ami also the price of labour, both favouring the Argvillill ■•. Jlut these are things vvhiih are certain to right themselves. Tlie remedy lies in the direction af cheaper production, and more systematic working of every branch of agriculture. Siberia as a competitor is probably even more to be feared than the Argentine. but with our great, natural advantages, we ought easily to hold our own against both. It must, be remembered that New Zealand is a greater dairying country than Hie Argentine, and cannot eu.sily lie held hack. At the same tine we ought, lo lose no means of perfecting our present knowledge anil system. We have too few agricultural instructors, too feu dairying schools, for the teaching of everything essential to the industry, from the breeding and feediiijg of cattle onwards. Denmark teaches us n great lesson in this respect. Thete there are dairying schools where everything is taught from the low grades to (he highest scientific branches. (liven instruction, such as I suggest, and not too highly-priced labour, and New Zealand with its natural resources v/i'.l not suller by competition from either the Argentine or Siberia." Mr l(. (lodic, manager of the, jLoan ami Mercantile Agency Company, said : " The best argument against the theory that New Zt-aland will be ana-bile li> hold its own in dairying against thu Argentine is that Mr Reynolds, of whom so much is said in the interview with Mr Filzhertx-rt, told me himself wlk.ii on a visit bei-c six months ago that he ..tended, as soon as possible* to gel. back to NewZealand. Only recently 1 was talking to Mr Houghton, the author of "The Hural Krsourccs of New- Zealand," who has travelled all over tho world, including the Argentine, and I suggested to him iliat the Argentine might knock us out. lie replied : 'My dear fellow, don't you knowthat the British flag is worth -Eli nil acre ?' 1 have absolute faith in the future of our -dairying industry, and here it may lie apropos to point out that, we have just discovered a new milking mntchine, constructed on an entirely new- principle, which will have the effect, I believe, of making the farmer independent of labour to such an extent that he will have no 'ear of going into dairy tanning on a. large scale. New Zealand, it must be remembered, is at the direct antipodes of Fi.g_h.ml, and our seasons being the exact opposite, we are able supply product just when most needed, this is a geographical advantage Hint can never be laktn from us. ami in addition we have one of the most perfect climates in the world. The Argentine is not advancing at the present time al Ihe rate which was untie..-,'J., a few -.ears air-., but is practically slalion-ai-v. On the other hand. New Zealand is advancing, and must advance. 11. Willi all ll'ie. advantages eiveii us liy nature, we cannot, hope lo hold our own in the Home market with Ihe Argentine New Zealand simply does not deserve to succeed."