FROM CANADA.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8484, 11 July 1907, Page 5

FROM CANADA.

AN INTERESTING CHAT. Mr W. J. Stinson, with his wife and family of five, arrived in Wellington in May last, after having been absent from New Zealand for twenty years—the whole of which time was spent in Canada. Mr Stinson is anxious to acquire some land for himself and two sons. The twenty years which he has put in in Canada have been spent chiefly in Manitoba, where, as a farmer and a storekeeper in a country township, Mr Stinson j was able to accurately observe the conditions of life in the Dominion and the phenomenal progress of recent years. Yesterday, when in- conversation with a representative of the Wairarapa Age, Mr Stinson chatted in an interesting manner about his experiences. PROSPEROUS NEW ZEALAND. "What about agricultural land in New Zealand?" queried the reporter. "The land is a 1 right," was the reply "but I don't like the prices. I, have been up to Dannevirke, Palmerston North, Feilding, and Eketahuna. I have also been over in the Sounds district. The land appears to me to be very high indeed, but high priced land is no doubt a sign of prosperity." "New Zealand strikes you then as being very prosperous?" "Yes; "they have got too much money here," remarked the Canadian with a smile. Mr Stinson went on to say that about twenty years ago in New Zealand good land in Canterbury, on which one could grow 60 bushels of wheat or 100 bushels of oats, could be brought for less than £lO an acre. The same land to-day was worth £SO an acre. At that time in the North Island he was offered land at 15s and £1 an acre. New Zealand was, in a measure, more prosperous than Canada, "but," said Mr Stinson, "I will give you an instance of how the Dominion is FORGING AHEAD. In 1870, Winnipeg, now the chief tcv.-n in Manitoba, contained 70 inhabitants —40 whites and 30 Indians. At the last census the population was found to be 110,000, and there has been a large increase since then.. Three thousand emigrants arrive weekly in Winnipeg, but, of course, do not remain there—Winnipeg is a distributing centre." LAND GIVEN AWAY. "Anyone over the age of 18 coming to Canada can get 160 acres of land free; the only cost is ten dollars for registration. The Government set aside large -tracts of country for free selection, and emigrants go and select where they think will suit them best. From Winnipeg to Calgary is a distance of 900 miles, and huge tracts of country are available for free selection within that radius." "Is it possible," asked the reporter, "for anyone going to Canada to select land within the bounds of civilization?" "Oh, yes," said Mr Stinson; "you could get 160 acres anywhere from three to ten miles from a township." "What sort of land is it?" * "The land is as level as a floor. There is not a hillock ten feet above the level of the ' huge prairier. To give you an instance when the Canadian-Pacific Railway was being constructed, sleepers were laid for hundreds of miles on the prairiethere was no need for any formation work. Of course, the ballast truck would go along afterwards and level the sleepers. The land is a black loam with a clay subsoil; there are no stones or sticks in it. If you were chased by a mad dog you could not get a stone to throw at it," graphically declared Mr Stinson. "The country is well watered with rivers, lakes and creeks, all of which are teeming with fish. You can get water anywhere by sinking." PRODUCTS AND PRICES. "Wheat, oats, barley and potatoes are chiefly grown," "What would be considered good crops?" • "Well, average crops, 20 bushels of wheat, 40 to 50 bushels of oats, and six to eight tons of potatoes." "How do the market prices run?" "Since I have been in Canada, wheat has varied from 2s 7d to 4s 2d per bushel. The, latter was the highest price ever realised. Oats vary from ! Is 2d to 2s, never any higher than ! the latter price; while potatoes can be quoted at £3 7s 6d to £3 10s per ton. Free selectors have got to reside upon their sections for six months in the year, and during the first three years fifteen acres have to be broken up. It is, of course, all broken up long before then. Although Canada is ah enormous country, the Government do not allow land-grabbing, and endeavour to prevent it as much as possible.. The object of the Government is to have as many small holdings as possible, with the object, of course, of securing the greatest amount of production." RANCHERS. Referring to the ranchers, Mr Stinson said: "You can go and settle in the middle of a run if you like, but, if you do, they will make it uncom • fortable for you. The ranchers correspond somewhat with the squatters in*this country. There are, practically, no sheep in Canada. Cattle are grown on all the ranches, which are situated on the very outskirts of civilization. The ranchers pay no rent, but are. of course, breaking in the country all the time. They are gradually being pushed further and further back." "THE SIIINOOK." Explaining how the cattle fared during the winter, Mr Stinson said that a warm wind, called "The Shinook," melted the snow every now and then. "It is quite a warm wind, and lasts always for three days, completely blowing the snow away. Last year 'Shinook' was absent for a considerable time, with the result that an enormous number of cattle died from starvation."

THE CLIMATE. "Did you find the cold very trying?" "No," was the answer, "we have felt colder here in the Wairarapa. It is a dry cold in Canada. The snow is as dry as a bone, and the houses are very much warmer. For three months before we left Manitoba, the thermometer was 40deg. below zero, and there had been four feet of snow on the ground for the past five months. Tracks and so forth are cut through the snow. The snow interferes a good deal with the running of trains. Engines, with rotary ploughs, which are something like a ship's propeller in shape, are used for clearing the snow from the track. The rotary plough will throw the snow to a distance of twenty yards. Needless to say, a very large staff of men have to be employed clearing the snow from the lines: notwithstanding, trains are snowed up at times."