FARMERS' TRAINS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 4, 5 July 1926, Page 3

FARMERS' TRAINS

WHAT IS A "SCRUB BULL"?

INEPTIUDE IN EXCELSIS,

"The farmers' train" may presently become a feature of the proceedings in connection with big shows or other rural gatherings, for this i method of bringing tho farmers of one district into another farming district seems to have made a very good start in connection with the Hawera Show. Tho train itself may prove to be a place of entertainment and instruction, and the passing landscape is a constant object lesson. Incidentally, some of the competitions held in the train serve to cmphasiso the terminological skill of the farmer, or the farmer's wife, in describing some factors-of tho farm routine. Writes the Hawera "Star": Carrying a party of approximately 150 visitors from tho Soiith Auckland district, the first farmers' excursion train to be run under the scheme newly adopted by the Railway Department, arrived in Hawera at 11.35 p.m. on 30th June. As arranged by Mr. A. W. Wellsted, tho commercial agent of the Railway Department in the Taranaki district, who joined the train at Waverley, the visitors were each advised of the addross at which accommodation had been arranged, the result being that they were able to readily get into touch with escorts of hosts and were able to proceed to their respective billets without inconvenience or confusion. Impressions of the journey, gathered by a "Star" reporter from some of tho passengers, indicate that the facilities provided by the Department had been greatly appreciated. A notable provision was the provision of a specially published booklet, descriptive of the country on the route betweon Frankton and Marton, giving particulars of the principal points of interest, and including the class of land, Its use, capacity, value, etc., and generally indicating thoso points in regard to which farmers are likely to be interested. Among the party were Messrs. T. H. Patterson and W. A. Collins, departmental instructors in agricultural and veterinary work respectively, who gave interesting lecturettes, the former dealing more particularly with manuring work and the results obtained in the country through which the train waß passing, while Mr. Collins afforded further interesting information in relation to stock. A stop was made at Te Kumi, where an explanation of experimentbeing carried out by the Department of Agriculture was givon by Mr. Patterson. Competitions arranged also added to the general interest. In one competition the contestants were requested to give a definition of a "scrub" bull in relation to a dairy farm. lilt this a prize of £5, donated by the Nsw Zealand Cattle Cake Company, was given. Messrs. T. Simson (general manager of the Farmers' Fertiliser Company, of Auckland), Dynes Fulton, (chairman of the New Zealand Co-op. Dairy , Company), H. Welsh (commercial agent of the Railway Department in the Auckland district), and Messrs. Patterson and Collins officiated as judges. Firsthonours were awarded to Mrs. Lambert, of Onewhero, who described the "scrub" bull as "a first-class brake," while Mrs. Fagan, of Newstead, who defined the animal as a "typical example of ineptitude in excelsis," proved the runner-up. In another competition the quantity of butter exported from the Auckland Province for the five years ended 30th June, 1925, was asked. Mr. J. Thompson, of Hamilton, and Mr. H. Hall, of Waiuku, who each guessed 160,000 tons, tying for first place. The correct answer was 161,304 tons.. Another feature of interest was an address in tho running of a train, illustrated by diagrams, which was given by Mr. Welsh.