THROUGH NEW ZEALAND.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8172, 3 July 1906, Page 6

THROUGH NEW ZEALAND.

<By Two Australian Journallsfca.)

(Specially Written for the Age)

No. 111.

At Konini wo spent a pleasant halfhour looking over the Ballanue Cooperative Company's butter factory, an establishment well fitted up and turning out a tun and a half of butter per day in the busy season. Tho further we go the more deeply we are impressed with the value of the dairying industry iu this country, and the possibilities that exist for a continuul expansion for many years to come. Australia and New Zealand are alike as far as tho prosperity nccruiug from the dairy industry is concerned. The wide streets of Pahiatua came as a welcomo relief after a couple of mouths iu the crabbed confines of the Empire City—an appellation which, by tha way, still puzzles us. At tho first eight of Main Street, with, tho plantations iu tho centre, and tastefully designed, substantial buildings on cither side, we aimost fancied we were back ouco more in our native land, where spacious thoroughfares, both in town and country, are the rule, though there are some exceptions. We were informed that the town is surrounded by an excellent distriot, and instances were quoted where men came to the place with nothing and are now the possessors of valuable farms and town property. We were assured that there are good opportunities for getting on in New • Zealand, but the prospective settler may have to fight an uphill battle at first. It was at any rate cheering to hear that some people are , enjoying a share of the prosperity which is said to be one of the chief characteristics of life in this country. From Pahiatua we trekked across the ranges towards Palmerston North. And here we met our first real misadventure. We inadvertently took the wrong road, and got "bushed." We made further inquiries, and were directed to make certain short cuts across the paddocks. As we toned [up and down numerous hills and across barb-wire fences, during the whole of that afternoon, we called down maledictions upon the heads of the authorities who failed to provide fingerposts at places where they would be extremely useful. All through our trip we the noaroity of finger-pojfts and mile-posts. Both are an inestimable boon to travellers, a faot which is better recognised in Australia than in New Zealand. There is room for great improvement in this country in oonnedtion with this matter. After Grossing sundry pandooks we came, towards dusk, to a dairy farm on a road at a place whioh we learned was called Mangamaire. The road certainly led to Palmerston, but we found that we were further away from the town than when we started from Pahiatua in the morning. However, the owner of the farm, Mr M. S. Alpass, invited us to stay for the night, and we were given an ' excellent examrjle of true rural hospitality, such as Australiansquattera and "cockatoos" are wont to extend to strangers. We felt treally at home. And, we may! say, the farther we travel the less we hear of the animus against Australians, but occasional instanoes crop up, more's the pity. On the following day. we pat up our record walk, and after a somewhat late start, reached Palmerston after the lamp« were lighted. The general appearance of Palmerston pleased us greatly, and we were, informed that the Manawatu ranks next to the Wairarapa as a wealthy and progressive rural and industrial distriot. We visited the Winter Dairy Show, the first New Zealand Show we had seen. We noted Bomo features about it whioh we considered to he superior to those existing at most Australian Shows. The display of dairy produce, both butter and oheese, was far more comprehensive, and the system of judging has much to recommend It. The machinery exhibition was a sight worth seeing, and the seeing of it was made all the more pleasant owing to the exhibition taking, place in iuoh a commodious and well-equipped building. Thw delivery of leotures by experts, and the holding of conferences at Show time tend, without doubt, toward the improvement of the methods pursued by those engaged in the rural industries, and have a beneficial efleot upon agriculture generally. Most of the machinery exhibits bora "Sold" tickets. Apparently there is a desire amongst farmers and others to avail themelves of the latest and most up-to-date machinery. We next started for the flat country. On the way we noticed the Longburn Freezing Works, a reminder of hnother of the great rural industries of New Zealand. We found ourway to Messrs Hickson and Reeve's Kiwi and Moa flaxmills, situated on the bank of the Manawatu River in the heart of -excellent sheep and cattle-fattening country. A night aud a day in the vicinity of the mills enabled us to glean a considerable, amount of information regarding the condition of the industry. We were told that it is the principal industry of the distriot, und has done much towards increasing the prosperity of the colony. Just now the mills are working slack time, and some have closed down for the winter. No new men are wanted, and those engaged are practically "killing time" until things get busiir. Many of the mill hands are Australians, ' and'most of those we met appeared 'to have the desire to return eventually to the land of their birth. Both at the mills and at tho whares ■of some of the men, who "batch themselves," we were most kindly treated,, and whatever information we sought was readily given. We cannot complain of any lack of hospitality on the part of New Zealanders, for everywhere we have gone W e have been right royally received. On completing our investigations into the flax industry (which, by the way, is making some progress in Australia and Tasmania) we propose to proceed to Dannevirke, iand see what is to be done amongst 'the sawmills. ■