BOYS’ AND GIRLS’ CLUBS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 28 July 1924, Page 4

BOYS’ AND GIRLS’ CLUBS.

ANNUAL MEETING.

The annual meeting of teachers, ■supervisers, and Agricultural Department officers controlling the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs in South Taranaki was held in the A. and P. Association’s board room on Saturday morning, Mr E. J. Betts presiding. The balance-sheet showed that £32 12s had been found by the Farmers’ Union executive in order to meet expenditure. The matter of the unpaid prize money was referred to, the secretary (Mr G. H. Buckeridge) stating that sufficient money was now in hand to meet all such payments. Considerable discussion arose with regard to the points allocated for cost of feeding in the calf reaving competition, and it was asked whether any calve-s costing about £2 to rear had won prizes. Mr R. Syme explained that 50 points were given for cost, and the method employed by the judges was to subtract one point for every Is which it cost to rear the calf. There were only 200 points in all, and a calf costing £1 15s to rear lo£t 35 points right away. The champion Shorthorn-Friesian calf had been reared on new milk and whey at a total cost of 3s s^d. Mrs Wood did not think that a calf costing only 3s 6d to rear could he any good, and Mr Syme said he agreed with that view. . Mrs McNeill pointed out that the calf in her district which had won the special prize for type had been a fairly costly one to rear, and on that account had come nowhere in the competition. Mr Major then moved, and Mr Hunt seconded, that' it be a recommendation to the incoming committee to do away altogether with the points for the cost of feeding. Mr Deem moved as an amendment that the cost of feeding be considered by the incoming committee, and Mr E. G. Betts seconded. Mr Syme did not think that cost of feeding should be cut out altogether, as there was a danger of the child ivho.se parent was able to give it the best calf and the best feed winning every tune. It was no good rearing a calf at a cost of £6 10s when the calf would only bring £1 in the saleyard. Mr Deem considered that the cliiltiren should not he nut in. the position ot experimenters. The main idea was to teach the children to love the calves and feed them well. Later, when the children grew up, they could go into Question of the cost of feeding. The amendment and the motion were then put, and the amendment 1 carried on the voices. r as^e d for an assurance from the farmers’ Union Executive that greater time and financial support would be given the movement than in the past. Mr Buckeridge said he had offered to visit the various districts and undevtake the organisation of the Boys’ and , Ulubs so that the movement would he run under the ausoices of the farmers Union, but the* Farmers’ Union be -relieved of all financial responsibility. Mr Deem: The Farmers’ Union wants all the credit and none of. the work Mr Buckeridge: The Farmers’ Union started the work, and it has cost theni £l5O up to date. Mr Deem: A mere bagatelle for the farmers of South Taranaki. Jhe ability of the Farmers’ Union to control the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs movement was questioned, Mr Deem pointing out that while some of the branches of the- Farmers’ Union were doing good work, the farmers as a whole were not supporting the executive, and the executive was therefore not in the position to run the Bovs’ and Girls’ Clubs’ movement. ~ %m e thought it a great pi tv that things should lie allowed to drift die past and the movement Mr Buckeridge again drew attention to the tact that the prize money was non- in hand, but Mr Deem pointed out that last, year they were informed that the time money would he mid immediately. The discussion on this topic then concluded, and a hearty vote of thanks was accorded the officers of the Agricultural Department for the efficient way in which they had attended to their work m connection with the movement.