WEST MELTON Y.F.C. ANNIVERSARY

Press, 1 December 1978, Page 10

WEST MELTON Y.F.C. ANNIVERSARY

Young Farmers’ Clubs are very much a part of many rural districts and from them have come young men who have become leaders in their communities and also leaders at a national level.

The West Melton Young Farmers’ Club recently celebrated the twenty-first anniversary of its reformation late in 1957. but the club goes back 20 years earlier and an early member at that time was W. N. Dunlop, who is now Sir William Dunlop, a former Dominion president of Federated Farmers and one of the most highly regarded farming leaders of more recent times.

The first chairman when the club was reformed in 1957 was Mr G. T. (Geoff) Wright, a brother of Mr A. F. Wright, who is now Dominion president of Federated Farmers and a former Dominion president of the New Zealand Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs. The early club went into recess early in World War 11. The last records of the club at that time relate to 1940 and to a debate against Darfield in which the West Melton team was led bv Mr Dunlop and also included Norman Hille and Gordon Calder. The records show that West Melton lost by 270 points to 297.

Norman Hille, who is now of Motunau. was the original chairman of the club and Gordon Calder its first secretary and the late Mr H. E. Cross was the initial advisory member. In 1938/39 membership was up to 23 and five of those on a membership list of July 1, 1939, are still farming in the area.

There is a little doubt about exactly when the club was reformed but it was sometime late in 1957. Mr Wright then became chairman and has since served as an advisory member. He still has land in the area and represents the West Melton riding on the Paparua County Council. Mr Robert Overton, who is farming in the area, was the secretary and Mr Athol Hulston, who is still who had been a member of the earlier club, was advisory member for a short period after the club was reformed. The club has been active in the sort of activities that are part of the Y.F.C. club concept—stock judging, wool handling, debating, social sports with other clubs, farm visits and tours. Quite regularly its members have gone on tours to other parts of the country' and one of these took them through Molesworth station in the hinterland of the South Island to Blenheim. Club members have also joined in Christchurch district tours to the North Island.

The club reached its peak as far as membership is concerned in 1963/64 at 35. About 10 years later numbers dropped to a low point in 1975/76 when there were only seven or eight active members. There was talk of going into recess again but the club was kept alive with members meeting in each others homes and numbers have built up a little again until there are now 13 or 14 active people in the group.

The present senior advisory member of the club, Mr C. L. (Colin) Watson, believes that there is a great future ahead of the club with the local school role now standing at 190. There has been quite .a lot of small block development in the area and Mr Watson is enthusiastic about this association of urban and rural people and the sympathy and understanding of rural life that it engenders. - ■ It is of interest that the family - associations of Colin and the junior advisory member of the club, Mr Roger Hughes, with the district go back to 1863 — Roger through the Tricketts and Colin through the Hills with John Hill having been one of those who came to Canterbury in the First Four Ships. Henry Trickett, who was born in "West Melfarming in the area and ton in England, gave the

district its name. The club has its successes in outside activities. In 1962 Bill Wylie was a member of the South Island wool handling team that went to Australia and in 1964 Malcolm Calder was in the team. In 1961 the club’s senior debating team was runnerup in the Canterbury council area. It comprised David Watson, Robert Overton and Brian Reid. David won a Nuffield farming scholarship in 1971 and has recently been an flection candidate. He is also a chairman of the club and a former advisory member and along with Geoff Wright and Jim Curragh is a life member of the club.

Outside club pursuits members have also taken honours in that Donald Hayes was a member of the Junior All Blacks this year and Robin Wilson a member of the New Zealand colts hockey team.

The present chairman of the club, Gavin Wilson, is one of three current members who have all been chairman and whose fathers were members of the earlier club. The others are David Prouting and Graham Hulston. Another member, William Pearce, is the son of Peter Pearce, who was a member when the club was reformed. The present club secretary is Mark McFarlane.

There has always been a close association between the Department and now Ministry of Agriculture and the Young Farmers’ movement and the club re-

gards with special affection Mr Gordon Ferguson, who has been a ready source of assistance for many years. Mr A. J. Ebert is now liaison officer with the club. The anniversary celebrations attracted 70 former members of the club and their wives. The celebrations took the form of a -morning visit to the Ministry of Agriculture’s Templeton research station followed by golf at the Country Club at Weedons and an evening meal at the West Melton Tavern. The speakers included Gavin Wilson, David and Colin Watson, Norman Hill, Geoff Wright and Robert Overton, and just to indicate that the club is still holding its own the Christchurch district chairman of the Y.F:C. movement presented a trophy won by the club in district stock judging.