I— 2A.

38

[e. e. vaile.

everything to gain and nothing to lose by the fullest inquiry into this matter. But we do object to people coming from totally different country and condemning it. Wo want experienced men from the Waikato—some of the men who had the task of breaking in the Waikat.o country. I had a gentleman up there from the blue-papa country, and he compared everything I showed him to his blue-papa country. I said, " You are too aristocratic, with your blue papa." This is a working-man's country. I want to say that 1,000 acres of the Waikato or this class of country supports a larger and more vigorous population, and yields more wealth, than 10,000 acres of your blue-papa country, carrying, as it does, only a boy and a shepherd and ten thousand sheep. Now I want to quote some figures to you. The Ngongotaha Butter-factory began operations in 1912 with an output of 45 tons ; in 1913 their output was 42 tons ; 1914, 62 tons ; 1915, 93 tons ; 1916, 127 tons ; 1917, 130 tons ; 1918, 97 tons ; 1919, no return that year ; 1920, 116 tons (there was competition from another factory then); 1921, 145 tons; 1922, 212 tons; 1923, 280 tons; 1924, 284 tons; 1925, 355 tons; 1926, 350 tons; 1927, 351 tons. Now, from the Reporoa Settlement, about which you have heard so much, 270,655 lb. of butterfat were sent in last year, and the cash return to the settlers was £20,299. 15. How many settlers ? —Thirty-three. I have these figures from the dairy companies: there is no question about them. Besides that, they have their pigs and tlxeir crops, and they are living upon the land. This is country upon which a man can practically provide food for his family from the land. 16. What is the size of the farms there ? —About 150 acres. Now, I have returns from individual herds. Here is a herd of thirty-five cows : it yields 8,500 lb. of butterfat; average per cow, 243 lb. Another herd, eighty cows, 19,000 lb. of butterfat ; average per cow, 237 lb. Another herd, stxty cows, 14,0001b. of butterfat; average per cow, 2331b. Another herd, 130 cows, 29,0001b. of butterfat ; average per cow, 223 lb. Now, this is new and untried country, and most of the cattle are not of the highest order. Besides those that 1 have noted in the pamphlet, I have taken the following prizes—l 922 : Rotorua Show, first for clover hay, first for cocksfoot-seed, first for turnips, second for carrots, and second for beet. Auckland Winter Show : First for sugar-beet, first for clover hay, first for parsnips, second for main crop potatoes, second for carrots. 1923 Auckland Winter Show : First for yellow turnips, second for cocksfoot-seed, first for clover hay, second for carrots, first for beetroot, and first for parsnips. In 1924 the Rotorua district court took first prize at the Auckland Winter Show against great competition. This [produced] is the report of the prizes at the Auckland Winter Show in 1924, and I have underlined in red those exhibits which came from the Rotorua-Taupo district. You will see that a large proportion of them came from there. Several times at the Westfield Market in Auckland I have topped the market with my fat cattle, and on one occasion I topped the market on the same day both for cows and bullocks. The statements and returns which I have given you with regard to butterfat and so forth are not my figures : I have obtained them from the New Zealand Dairy Co. and the Waikato Valley Dairy Co. —they supplied them to me. These letters [produced] are from Mr. Parlane, the general manager of the New Zealand Dairy Co. I have given you the substance of them. While I was in England my attorney wrote me on several occasions after visiting the property, and, writing to me under date 31st March, 1928, he says : "75 acres of new paddock is waist-deep in clover, and so are plenty of the other paddocks. There are seven hundred cattle on the place, all in splendid condition, but there is no hope of their keeping the feed down, although 300 tons of hay is to be saved. The place will easily carry one thousand head. The neighbours are agreed that you should go in for dairying." With regard to the climate of the district, you have heard that partly described. I may say that our enemy, and in some ways our friend, is the frost. It has a very ameliorating influence upon the soil and upon pests, but of course when the frost comes we do not like it. But our climate is not materially different from the Waikato climate —perhaps a little more severe, but nothing to speak of. This winter I have clipped from the newspapers one or two of the weather reports in the Waikato : 3rd August, " Intensely cold weather was experienced in Hamilton yesterday morning, when 16-4 points of frost were registered." sth July, " A severe frost was again experienced in Hamilton yesterday morning, when 14-2 points were recorded." The previous morning showed 13-6 points. Bth July, " Serious and severe frosts experienced in Hamilton. Thermometer, 13-6°, 13-2 Friday, 13-4 on Saturday." Those may be records in Hamilton, and so they would be in our district. As regards snow, since I have been there snow has fallen twice to a depth of 1 in. The growth there never actually ceases, but it is very slow in June, July, and August, and, in a late spring, such as the present, also in September. It is a wonderfully good climate for nine months in the year : there is no healthier climate in the world. Boys who come to me from Auckland eat and grow wonderfully. One boy put on 5 in. in height in the year. It is certainly a most invigorating climate. It has been stated that our air is like champagne, but it is a good deal cheaper. It is extremely good for consumptives. I have known con sumptives come up there, and after living there for a year or two they have been entirely free from the disease. The doctor at Taupo reckons that the slopes of Tauhara would be one of the finest places in the world for a sanatorium. The rainfall upon the plains is shown by the Forestry Department records to be an average of 45| in. per annum, and at Waiotapu station 47 in. per annum. In regard to the tourist aspect, I want to say that Taupo is the natural holiday place for people who live on the coast. It is better for them to go and take their holidays where they can have the benefit of a change to inland air than on the seaboard, where they get similar air to that on the coast. We have the freshest air and the tourist sights and waters. The soil is always dry underfoot, and there we have one of the healthiest areas you can imagine. At Taupo there is an abundance of mineral waters undeveloped, and hot baths, boating, sights, and fishing which is said to be the best in the world. I have never had time to fish there myself, but I understand that those who do think it is the best sport in the world which they get there. The country abounds in rivers, and there is good fish in them all. If we want to attract and keep the tourist, we must show them