BOYS’ AND GIRLS’ CLUBS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 28 July 1928, Page 16

BOYS’ AND GIRLS’ CLUBS

EXTENSION TO SOUTHLAND.

So great an advance lias been made towards the establishment of the Boys’ and Girls’ Club movement in South-

land (says the “Times”) that at a liieeting wlii h has been called it is expected that final arrangements will lie made iii preparation for eoniineiiciiig the root-growing 'competitions at an early date. The movement was first

.suggested, early in the year, and lias met with cordial support ili all parts of the province. This is due to a large extent to the activities of Mr. J. E. Davies, instructor in agriculture, who has had considerable experience of the club work in Taranaki and is in touch with the activities in other parts of

the world enabling him to capably occupy the position of secretary of the committee.

The value of juvenile clubs to foster among the young people interest and respect for the soil, crops and stock has been recognised iii most agricultural countries, and such clubs have Ireen developed with a view to preventing the drift to the towns and encouraging a movement towards the land with oonsideriPble success. The movement originated in the United States in lf)08, when juvenile corn clubs were established. and these have developed greatly both in scone, and membership. Such clubs wore introduced into Taranaki some years back, and the competitions have become extremely popular. "While at first root-grow-ing competitions only were conducted, calf-rearing was introduced shortly after, and a poultry-rearing competition lias been suggested and is now under consideration. In the north some exceptional results have been achieved in root-growing, and in the last coihpetition some remarkably

heavy mangold crops were grown, which showed what can be done by intensive cultivation.'

For the first year of the Southland competition it ,is proposed to confine the activities to root-growing, but it is expected that other competition will be introduced later.