Rural support industries work hard for the diminished dollar

Press, 20 March 1987, Page 15

Rural support industries work hard for the diminished dollar

Working displays by a big range of farm equipment will be a feature each day of the 1987 South Island Machinery Field Days at Lincoln next Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Special areas at the field days site, near Lincoln College, have been set aside for machinery to take part in comparative demonstrations.

The displays will include hay-making, ploughing and cultivating, drilling, mowing, irrigating, harvesting, spraying and demonstrations from many smaller pieces of equipment.

As well as the working displays, about 130 exhibitors will have their pro-

ducts on show, taking up about I.skm of display frontage.

The field days is a joint venture between the Christchurch district of the Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs and Lincoln College.

The field days secretary, Mr Don Crabb, said the organising committee was delighted at the heavy support the event was receiving from the agricultural and horticultural industries.

“This shows they are not sitting still, but are prepared to get out into the marketplace and provide comparative demonstrations for farmers, allowing them to make balanced judgments before

purchasing new equipment.”

A series of short talks with the theme “Make your dollar work” Will provide visitors with a change from looking at machinery.

Other attractions will include a pole-top rescue demonstration by the Central Canterbury Electric Power Board, fencing competitions for pairs and singles, Clydesdale ploughing and cultivation, and helicopter rides.

About 14 entries have been received for a new farm equipment contest which carries prizes

worth $9OO. The competition is divided into four classes — for products made outside New Zealand, products made in New Zealand, farm aids, and farmer inventions.

The gates will open at 8 a.m. each day and admission will cost $5 which includes parking and a programme.

The official opening at 1.30 p.m. on Wednesday will be by Mr Peter Withell, chairman of the Christchurch district of Y.F.C. and Professor Roger Juchau, Professor of Finance and Accounting at Lincoln College.

The winners of the new farm equipment awards will be announced at the opening ceremony. The field days site on part of Lincoln College’s farm, off Ellesmere Junction Road, is likely to become a permanent venue for the field days. This will enable facilities such as water, power, toilets and security lights to be installed which could make the site attractive to other users. Mr Crabb said the college could see the merits in having a permanent site for the field days and other events.