YOURS FARMERS’ WEEK

Evening Star, Issue 22723, 10 August 1937, Page 6

YOURS FARMERS’ WEEK

VISITORS WELCOMED INAUGURAL EDUCATIONAL ADDRESS One hundred and seventv young farmers from the Otago, Southland, and Canterbury districts were welcomed to the city by the mayor (the Bev. E. T. Cox) in the Returned Soldiers’ Association hall last evening, at the commencement of the annual education course, a feature of the off season in the agricultural and pastoral life of Otago. Mr A. C. Cameron presided The mayor (the Rev. E. T. Cox) extended a hearty welcome on behalf of the city, and generally commended the idea of such courses, after which Sir James Allen suggested to the visitors that only by sticking to one another could the Young Farmers’ movement, like any other, attain its ideals and achieve its object—-the education of one another. One thing they must all remember, however they set about their job, was that New was the only place on earth. Mrs J. F. Drake (Dominion president of the Otago Council of the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union)_ stressed the fact that it was one thing to be a farmer, but another thing to be a good farmer. She emphasised the importance of tree planting and kindness to animals in the making of useful and practical tenantry for the country’s soil. Mr N. B. Wilson (past president of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce), in a brief welcome, emphasised the value of the development of new and scientific methods of farming. Mrs W. F. Elliott (president of the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union), speaking in praise of the Young Farmers’ movement, said it was a great pity that it was not started before. The tendency_ was towards a C 3 race of men, but it was a matter for thankfulness that the generation was not lacking in physical health and mental ability. All that was needed was a proper belief in self, and she had hopes that such courses as that which they wore opening that night would foster and encourage such a belief.

Mr James Evans (president of the Manufacturers’ Association) presented facts of manufacturing production in New Zealand to show the progress in volume of output as well as of export aud stressed the fact that su:h development should be merely an adjunct to the expansion of primary production wjiich bulked so largely in the nations, economy of New Zealand. Mr John Hellyer (president of the Otago A. and P. Society), welcoming the visitors, said he wished he was one of them. A week of instruction and entertainment at their. age should he both' enjoyable and useful, and should have the effect of impressing on them that as city people needed gooc: material, so farmers needed good stock and good land if they were to compete successfully • with overseas competitors. Mr R. H. Michelle (president of the Otago Provincial Council of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union) said he had much pleasure in welcoming a. company, of young men who struck- him as being a better type than the average to be observed in the cities to-day. Mr .A. Pannett (Clinton) moved a hearty vote of thanks to the various speakers., OUR HERITAGE- AS BRITONS. In the course, of an interesting address, Mr W, Thomas (rector ot the Timaru Boys’ High School) said it was a great privilege for him to address a gathering of young farmers drawn from various parts of Southland,. Otago, arid Canterbury, He envied- : them the opportunity which a gathering of thu kmd gave for making friendships. He wished to carry this idea of making friendships further—beyond the limits of. the Dominion. If he had been asked to' give an address upon the same subject 30 years ago the audience would have expected him to speak in glowing terms of Britain’s greatness. 4 Rule Britannia ’ would have been the key ' note of his address. There would have been loud cheers when he referred to the Empire upon which the sun never set. His address would have been full of jingoism. This was what he would term “ quantitative pride in the Empire,” and this attitude Jed to bitter jealousy, enmity between nations, and war. Mr Thomas then went on to refer to what he termed 44 qualitative pride.” No one was jealous or a country which had a superior system of justice—a better social system, better schools, farms, etc. There need be no strutting in the spiritual realm. The British race had much to be proud of qualitatively. The speaker compared our system of justice, our democratic form of Government to other countries, and urged those present to preserve our liberty in this respect. He also stressed the difference between liberty and license, and gave illustrations of how national characteristics altered. Both the American War of Independence and the American Civil War had altered the characteristics in a generation. It was possible for one generation completely to alter the outlook for the next generation. Life was not static. Mr Thomas referred to our noble heritage as Britons, to the traditions which centred round the Crown, and to the silken thread which held the Empire together. Foreigners could not understand this loyalty. Royalty had played its part by establishing a tradition of service. That we were content with nothing but the best from our rulers was proved by recent events. He stressed/the part which democracy played in the Empire. Our education should give us a greater understanding of what democracy meant, he said.

Mr Thomas also stressed what Britons understood by justice, and compared our system of justice to that of America, Germany, and Russia. No nation, he said, could be great which did not have a deep understanding of the humanities. That we had progressed in this respect was evidenced by the tremendous strides we had made in the treatment of crippled children, lepers, our attitude to natives, our introduction of the dole, etc. We were in an age of transition, he said. We in New Zealand had a great opportunity. Size did not mean greatness. Greece had demonstrated this. England had produced a Shakespeare when she had a population of 4.000.000 people. Mr Thomas concluded his address with a quotation from Sir James Barrie’s address to the St. Andrew’s University upon ‘ Courage.’ After answering several questions, he was accorded a vote of thanks on the motion of Mr John Preston (Flag Swamp).