The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. TUESDAY, MAY 7, 1889.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2624, 7 May 1889, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. TUESDAY, MAY 7, 1889.

Tins colony has liad many cogent reasons for expressing , thankfulness for its exceptional geographical position and physical configuration, which place it outside tho climatic influences thai; prove so disastrous to Australia, and bestow upon it a lavish production of the fruits of the earth. Whilst th« soil of the neighbouring colonies has been parched for a long succession of months, destroying their crops of grain and thousands of sheep and cattle. New Zealand has, on the other hand, rejoiced in an unusually bountiful harvest. The yield of cereals, and other farm produce, is so plentiful that there is a large surplus with which to supply Australia. .For the first time since iSfew Zealand has ranked as a country, this colony need not be ruled by Mark Lane, but concentrates its interest on the Australian markets. It is a lit subject for congratulation that, under such adventitious circumstances the misfortunes of our Australian kindred have been our gain. The effect has been to impart a direct fillip to the agricultural pursuits of the people of this colony. But, it is as well not to allow ourselves to be carried away by our good fortunes ; in the midst of our rejoicings it is, perhaps, expedient to pause and estimate the future as far fis we are able. There are causes and signs on the horizon which lead to the enquiry whether New Zealand will be enabled to sustain its position as a grain-grow-ing country, or, even to preserve the industry amongst its loading staples. We do not wish to bring the question forward in an alarmist spirit,but thai our own community should be aware of those important movements springing up in other parts of the world, which may eventually come in direct contact with themselves. If wo tike into consideration the rapid and marvellous developments in agricultural .science elsewhere, it will be found there are grounds fer thinking the day is within measurable distance when cereal culture will cease to exist in New Zealand, and we shall be driver

to import all our breaclsstuffs,as being tlin least ex pensive process. We have all lu'urcl of tho steam plough with its great economy of time; and hiliour. Th-re is, however, a new surprise for us at the hands of our inventive American cousins, who hive Wrought thuir mechanical engcnuity in agricultural machinery to such a state; of perfection and comprehensiveness as to reduce the cost of grain production to the lowest fraction. A huge machine has been invented by a Oalifornian farmer, and has been in successful use for two successive seasons, which can plough and sow forty acres of land in ten hours, at a cost of less than 3s per acre. The same machine can also be converted for use at harvest time, and can reap, thresh and till sacks, at one and the same time, also at a cost of about three shillings per acre. The machine is described as being fifty feet in width, with a reaping blade of forty feet, and it will cut an average of 80 acres per clay. It is simple of control and free in its motions, and takes only seven men to follow its different operations. Aided by such mechanical appliances the total cost of cultivating wheat, from ploughing to sackfilling and storage, is between six and seven shillings per acre. It seems incredible, and one can barely realise that science has been able to achieve so great a triumph in the economy of human labour. Such, however, appear to be the undoubted facts, and it follows that it is but a question of time before these machines are adopted in other wheat-growing countries. The production of grain will then be confined to such quarters of the globe as California and other American States, Australia, India, and countries which, like them, possess boundless tracts of level land where wheat can be grown on an immense scnle and at a minimum of cost. New Zealand could not compete with such machinery, even if we imported coolie labour to work our farms. In the Riverina, Wimmera and similar great districts of central Australia, where at present grain-growing cannot bo made remunerative, the introduction of such machines would revolutionise the situation and would actually furnish the means for converting those vast plains into one of the granaries of the world. The Canterbury plains would be the only district in New Zealand where farm operations could be carried on on a sufficiently extensive scale, with the use of these huge machines we have described, to compete with the wheat-producing countries of the future. Such districts as the Waikato, with its population of small settlers and irregular country, would be unequal to the contest. Grain-growing would, therefore, have to succumb in accordance with the law of the survival of tho fittest. If, then, this is to be the outcome of the future ruled by mechanical art and progress, it will be seen that tho mainstay of these districts, and of the colony as a whole, will rest very largely upon the pastoral interests, and the frozen meat industry will become our principal staple and export. With this latter will also bo associated the products of the dairy, which will in time expand into considerable dimensions and occupy a leading place in the country's exports. It is not too much to say, even now, that this colony must devote the utmost attention to sheep-farming, grazing and dairy pursuits.