To Head Boards’ Economic Service

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31215, 12 November 1966, Page 14

To Head Boards’ Economic Service

A Christchurch man has been appointed director of the Meat and Wool Boards’ Economic Service. He is Mr F. L. Ward, who has been with the service since its inception in 1950. Mr Ward will succeed Mr R. H. Bevin, who will retire at the end of February.

For the last two years Mr Ward has been senior district officer in the service.

Bom in Marlborough, Mr Ward was educated at Nelson College. A farmer’s son, he had eight years’ practical experience before going to Massey College. His studies at Massey were interrupted by the Second World War, and Mr Ward

went overseas with the First Echelon. He served with the Divisional Cavalry Regiment and was wounded in Greece. He returned to New Zealand late in 1943.

Resuming his studies at Massey, he gained the diploma in sheep farming in 1944. Next year he gained the diploma in valuation and farm management at Lincoln College and was gold medallist.

From 1946 to 1950 he was assistant lecturer in agriculture at Lincoln College. Over the final period of his service at ; Lincoln he was lecturer in charge of courses for former searvicemen and supervisor of rural field cadet training for North Island groups. Mr Ward joined the economic service on its formation in 1950 as a field officer for the South Island. In survey work for the ser-

vice and other investigations on behalf of the boards, Mr Ward has met many farmers throughout the South Island. That the survey work had become of value to the industry was a reflection of the cooperation the service received from many farmers, Mr Ward said yesterday. The cooperation, too, of accountants, stock firms, and freezing companies was also regarded as essential. Mr Ward is chairman of the production and statistics committee of the North Canterbury Agricultural Advisory Committee and has been a member of the executive of the Lincoln College Old Students’ Association for many years. He still lectures at Lincoln on subjects associated with farm management.