A GISBORNEITE ABROAD

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2071, 24 December 1907, Page 4

A GISBORNEITE ABROAD

SOME OF MR. CARMICHAEL’S IMPRESSION'S. Mr. A. 13. Carmichael, a well-known local slioepfarmor, who recently returuod with his wife from a globetrotting expedition, discussed with a Times representative yesterday some of the more notable features of his trip. Mr. Carmichael went out by the Tougariro, and upon liis arrival at Monte Video made a month’s stay in tho Argentine bofore joining the next of the New Zealand Shipping Company’s steamers to come along. The .experience ho found of exceeding interest, for it gave him an opportunity to see for himself what the Argentine really amounts to as a producing country, and how its advantages may be considered when compared with those of this country. From the sheep farmer’s point ol' view Mr. Carmichael came to the eoucCusion that there are splendid opportunities for money-making, though these are restricted by the prevalence of scab and other diseases. At the best farms, and tho only ones tlkn.t are dii any way free from disease, the sheep nro dipped three times in the year, once when they have S months wool on, so- that there is naturally good business for tho vendor of sheep dips. Land is steadily going up in value, and to get a block, say 300 miles from one of tlio chief cities and handy to a railway, ono would have to pay from £5 to £6 per aero. Mr. Carmichael was there in tho autumn and found the weather at that time of the year delightful. ’When asked how it was the Argentine had not yet fulfilled tlio promise mado for it years ago as a sheep country, ho replied that it was only within recent years that really up-to-date methods had obtained amongst Argentine settlers and that anything liko a. determined effort had been mado to keep tho quality and stamp out disease. “Now,” said he, “tho Argentino is bidding high and securing the best stud stock obtainable in the world, either in sllieop, cattle or horses. I met one mail who spent £25,000 in ono year on imported stock. Sheep aro imported from England, Australia and also from New Zealand.”

Mr. Carmichael referred to a report which had been circulated by a "Wellington gentleman who returned from the Argentino twelve months ago, and who in the course of adverse criticism on the Argentino as a place for settlement declared that no man should take his wife and family to live in tho country there as the conditions wero unfit. The Gisbomeito declared emphatically that this was all nonsense. “So far as I could see,” said he, “tho homes are superior to those of the New Zealand slieep-farmer; in fact many of them aro really palatiall.” Suming up his views, Mr. Carmichael said Whatever the Argentine lias done in the past may be taken fis a mere fleabito to what it will accomplish in the future. It is ail immense territory—l met one man whose holdings comprised over a million acres—and despite tho drawbacks of locust plagues, and an occasional drought, the climate is a good one, and much of tho soil produces splendid crops. Personally, I believe tho production of root crops for fattening lambs will take a great part in the futuro prosperity of the country. They are beginning now to go in largely for growing alfalfa, or lucerne as wo call it, and rape. Tlieir lambs seemed to mo to be larger tflian ours, bub the quality was not so good.” Mr. Carmichael spent a good deal of time in Buenos Ayres, which he describes as a very fine city of the modern type. Tho inhabitants pride themselves on its being termed “tho ' Southern Paris.” It has a rnagnjP cent tram service—ono of tho ‘ J T in tho world—but many of its r\ are very narrow. There ia streets nificent club there, the oxr’ ma S" of which may be judgw’ -nisiveness fact that tho entrance A and tho annual sub - . ls An interesting sigV fcnption £IOO. lander was tho r to the New Zeatho wheat win- methods of handling ports in irm - c!l Oho Argentine exsaw a gc k menso quantities. He w i,„ n+ od sized ship unloading high a * co a flour mill five stories whilst " rate of 36 tone an hour, a c _„ , another ship was receiving Ipv ' -.rgo of flour from the same mill. ae wheat on being taken from tho vessel was emptied from the sacks and sent up in bulk by elevators to the fifth story, where it pasesd through automatic weighing machines that registered every 1001 b passing through. Mr. Carmichael met many New Zealanders in the Argentine and they all appeared to be prosperous, and (had no intention of returning to this country. It was suggested that the cheapness of labor might assist to the progress of agriculture in the Argentine, but Mr. Carmichael states that wages are now comparatively high and tho labor problem is getting the most serious question of consideration there. Native laborers arc getting a pound a week. After a month in South America, Mr. and Mrs. Carmichael weqt on to London, and spent a goqd deal of time in tho world’s metropolis, after which Scotland, Ireland a nd the Continent wero visited. The return journey was mado r a ' t i le Ortona, via the fenez canal. H was significant, said Mr. Oarmichael, that, -the (legislation of tlio present Covr_. l . ] la d created a very unfawovnj, 0vn j,j 0 opinion abroad, though it, was a ] so true that this opinion was ] )as ed on a misconoep“°n\ Outsiders were thoroughly convr lce d that our land laws meant stnr ,ght-out confiscation, and that it s quite unsafe to own land in New . ,ealand; hut it was possible they had not heard of thfe amendments made in the original policy of tho Ward Government. “There is only ono city in the world,” dedlared Mr. Carmichael, “and that is London. Paris js certainly very beautiful, but if ono wants real enjoyment and something to see there is no place liko London.”