SOLDIER DAIRYMEN

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 28, 2 August 1923, Page 4

SOLDIER DAIRYMEN

HOW THEY HAVE BEEN ASSISTED

A PRACTICAL EFFORT

' Some nine months ago the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association began to interest itself in the problem of improving the-dairy herds of the returned soldier settlers, and, in the- livst in-t stance, made an appeal to several' wellknown breeders of purebred stock for bulls at. reasonable prices. The Bloom? field Farm Co., Wellington, responded readily, and, as a result, a Friesian purebred bull was sold to a Marlborough soldier settler at £25, payable in monthly instalments over a period of a. year. , The 'circularising of this information caused soldier settlers to make inquiries, and eventually the president of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association (Sir A. H. Russell, X.C.8., K.C.M.G.) evolved a scheme for the hiring of pedigree bulls to the- soldier farmers, for a period of three years, upon the payment of £5 (£1 on application and £4 on allocation, the settler to defray all charges in connection with the transport of the bull to his property); at the end of the' third year the soldier to bo given first option of purchasing the bull straight out at. a price to be arranged, or another soldier to hire the animal on the same- terms. Having decided the terms upon which the soldier could hire the bull, the question of provision of the stock arose, md a circular drafted by Sir Andrew Russell was dispatched to pedigree stock-breeders during March and April this year.

At the present time the scheme is well m .hand, and twenty-four animals are about to commence their journeys to as many soldier settlers in various parts of the Dominion. There were over 100 applications, for the 24 animals, and the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association intends to continue the. scheme. Already 24 breeders have promised to donate bulls for the 1924 season, and it is felt that even move support will bp obtained as the scheme becomes known livery animal allocated .is either registered in the Herd Book 'of its particular breed or is eligible for registration, and the butter-fat records of the ancestors are of. the highest older. The New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association takes, this opportunity of puDhcly thanking the following breeders for their generosity in donating animals for this season:— Messrs. G. R, rlutchinson (Auckland), Roland Hill VVhangareiK G. Hodgson (Whakapara), Parkinson Bros. (Opotiki), W. H. Bay! liss (Netherton), Department of Agriculturei (Moumahaki), T. M. Thomson, sen. (Waiuku), T. C. Barbour (East l^maki) S. Knight and Sons (Ongarue), G. A. Marchant and Sons (Cardiff), Sir ton), Canterbury Agricultural Collefe Lincoln), A S Ehvorthy (Timaru), R. Colee (Greendale, D. G. Wright (WinmX''*l^^ 'Middlemlrch)a"d Mrs. -A. M. Buck! (Carlerton). The eenjeral secretary, P.O. Box 1010, Wellington would be pleased to give further dl oJrlw. tI U- SChera° to any interested pei son. It is a practical effort to assist the returned soldier dairyman, ■ and the dairy products of our Dominion.