SOLDIERS' FARMS.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15859, 26 March 1917, Page 2

SOLDIERS' FARMS.

ASHBURTON,

question op management,

MEETING AT WAI&ARI

A meeting of the farmers of the Waipara county was held at Waikari on Saturday afternoon, to discuss the questions of national efficiency in connexion with the growing of wheat and the management of soldiers' farms. The principal motion of the meeting, moved by Mr James Douglas, and seconded by Mr A. M. Anderson, and carried, was as follows: — "That the members of the "Waipara County Council be appointed a committee, with power to add for tho county, to deal with the whole matter of providing for the carrying on of soldiers' falrms during their absence, and tho arranging of tho methods for the rToater and more efficient production of wheat in consideration of the earnest demand of the Minister of tho Additional members are to be elected ; >y the ratepayers of various ridings. Several other motions were carrried, including one asking the Government j conscript the whole community, and ■gather urging the exemption of team•:s from Territorial camps.

LITTLE RIVER

A meeting of farmers of the Wairewa County was*'held in the Town Hall, Littlc River, on Saturday, for the purpose of electing a committee to assist tho Efficiency Board to carry on the work and farms of those absent at the front. There was a fair attendance, the county chairman being in the chair. Rules for the guidance of future committees, as supplied by the District Commissioner, Mr Frostick, were read: also some suggestions for the managing of absent soldiers farms, as adopted by the Amuri County. Considerable discussion took place as to what would be done in the case of involved farms.

Mr George Barclay stated that he considered that an inventory of stock and implements would he sufficient, as valuation by an expert would be a very expensive matter. Mr Chapman said that one man should be left for each farm or production would suffer. Mr D. Richards: That would knock" tho scheme on the head altogether. Mr Geo. Barclay considered that tho .Efficicncy Board should, as far as possible, have the work on absentees' farms done by the neighbours to savo expense. Tho nominations of eleven members to act as a committee were handed in, and on a ballot being taken, the following were elected: —Messrs W. F. Parkinson, J. V. Chapman, Joseph Johnson, Frank Birdiing and J. F. Buchanan. It was resolved that tho following constitute a sub-committee to assist the committee: —Messrs G. E. Murray, H. T. Chapman, A. V. Hutchison, W. F. Lcwthwaite, Stanbury, M. Barclay, H. Lewthwaite, W. J. Whatman, C. Judson, D. Richards, W. Aitken, W. J. Allen, Geo. Barclay, W. Blyth, J. C. C Gebbie, John Londrigan, and J. C. Harty. It was resolved: "That the constitution and rules of the Amuri Board of Trustees be adopted by this Board, with some slight alterations." Mr J. F. Buchanan was elected chairman, and Mr Parkinson was appointed, together with the chairman, to attend central meetings. Mr T. Quealy was elected secretary.

A largely-attended meeting of th© Central Committee elected by the various Road Boards to assist the Efficiency Board* in the matter of managing and supervising soldiers' farms and for organising labour, was held in the Ashburton A. and P. Association's rooms on Saturday afternoon. Mr James Bruce was voted to the chair.

The committee held a long sitting in committee. Afterwards the chairman informed "The Press" representative that the business which had been transacted was of real, practical value, and that the committee had been put upon a thoroughly sound and workable basis. Every aspect of the grain-growing and general farming question had received the fullest and most careful consideration, and those present wero most anxious to give the Efficiency Board every possible assistance.