THE ARGENTINE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 208, 24 August 1908, Page 4

THE ARGENTINE.

■LIFE IN TilE REPUBLIC. WHAT A 10UNG NEW ZEALANDER THINKS Ul-' IT. , 'Mr. Denis ,St, George Gorton, third sou of Colonel Gorton, is at present in Feildinj;, after six years' absence (says the local .Star). The main portion \,i that time was spent in the Argentine. Leaving his home six vears ago, Mr. Gortoii ji ls(i travelled through Uruguay, to spy out the land with a view to settling there; but ultimately he crossed the border into the neighbouring I republic, and the lounger brother, .Mr. Edward Gorton, took up a ranch of MOO acres in that country. Whilst his .lounger In-other was limning this ranch, which is in the province of San Luis, Mr. Denis Gorton during the past two years was managing a l;j,0U0-acre' ranch in another part of the republic. It is the intention of the Gorton brothers t.i sell out their present holding and buy u bigger place further back. Mr. Denis Gorton will return to the Argentine in February next, ami then his brother will take a furlough, which he will also spend in New Zealand. LIFE OVEK TIJEIIU.

Our visitor, .who may be said to be a settled Argentine 'estanciero, had something very interesting to tell -concerning nf e um . in t i lo r(i( , iull u( Xl , V| . Zealand's great rival. " Revolutions? Oh, no, not so many as there used lo be. During my time we have had only a few minor outbreaks; nothing -like what they have over the border in Uruguay. In the Argentine very many of the people seem to make the'whole'aim and object of their life .politics; but the trouble is that they do not group themselves in straight-out parties, but set up into very many sections in their various parties. Nevertheless, there are many splendid Argentines who' do not meddle in any way with the pulitical lofe of their country. At the same time, ■ there are some splendid fellows also who are shaping the political destinies of the country. These are the men who make for the solid progress of their land, and it is these who are building up the wealth and the inlluence of the republic in an astonishimr wav.

TRFMENDOUS DKVEUH'MENT. " For it is a splendid country, don't you make any mistake! about* that,'' said Mr. Gorton. "There has beeit tremendous development out there during the hist live years. A lot of new conntry has been opened up. Country which was sold at 7001) dollars the league after a lapse, of four vears was sold for 150,000 dollars the league. This was without any improvement on it, toojust the same land lying idle. This increase is due to the sudden discovery of. the added value of the country a's a cattle-fattening district, there being marvellous results from the growth of alfalfa (lucerne)." Mr. Gorton sawcultivation in a large way over there. The cattle man docs not go into a paddock, but he goes into miles of country; and the wheat-grower does nof put on two teams to plough a Held; but thirty ploughs, with bullocks as (earns, arguing at the same time. Mr. Gorton had heard of one very large holder who was said to have as many as a thousand ploughs going at one ranch. '.Vheatgrowing is increasing to such n lai"e degree that the grazier has to go out of the settled country further back, and in this way many new cattle ranches arc being opened Up in the Argentine. RAILROAD EIRE A SPIDER'S WEB.

Railway enterprise is quite in keeping with the other great operations H the republic. By means of Knglish capital (there are only two lines that arc financed by either Argentine or foreign capital) the republic is being simply overrun with railways,.and it is not a question of the railways following settlers, but of the railways preparing the way for the settler. Railways cover the earth like a cobweb.

Where do the settlers come from? Well, they come principally from Europe and the bulk of them are Italians. These are found t u be very keen when working for themselves, NO LABOUR RESTRICTIONS.

There are no arbitration laws over there, nor restrictions as to working hours, which are limited only by the daylight capacity. The work starts at sunrise. 'ln the summer time there is a two-hours' siesta, at mid-day, and n winter time a halt-hour for the liiidihiy meal—and all your men knock.oil' when the sun goes down. Mr. Oorton finds that the general idea of English people, who venture into the Argentine is that it is a splendid country in which to make a fortune; then they reckon it is a good country to, get out of. Jlr. Uortou says that doubtless there are others

who would find, after spending a good part of their lifetime there that il would be as good a home as any part of the world. There are few restrictions, the chief of which might be that life .'s held to be very much cheaper there than in any country that is under British, rule. If is not to be inferred from this that the ordinary man's life is in any special danger, but amongst the natives blood runs very much warmer than it does in the Anglo-Saxon. No man in the Argentine needs to go far in search of trouble. But there is

n wholesome respect for the European, and the knife Hashes move in the natife quarters tliun it docs in the ranches uf the settler. llr. Gorton was also pleased to hud that the Knglislnnan's word is essentially considered _ his bond by ilie people of the Argentine. ADVICE TO OTHKRS.

In summing up the position, Mr. (iorlon ...id (.hat personally lie had nothing lint gosd to say of the Argentine, and lie. was exceedingly sanguine that it would develop tremendously in the near future, and beconje a great country. Asked if he had a word of advice to give the New Zealander, lie said that the Argentine was essentially a country for the man with capital. Otherwise a man would need to have good experience and a large heart, and be prepared to work as he had never worked before. Under these circumstances he. may hecome a manager, arid then pave the way for a small foundation of his own fortune later on. !