N.Z. FARMERS’ UNION.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 10 December 1928, Page 12

N.Z. FARMERS’ UNION.

ELTHAM BRANCH. Mr. J. Cocker presided over the monthly meeting of the Eltham branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, held on Saturday afternoon, at which there was a sparse attendance, due, no doubt, to the seasonable pressure of farm work. AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE IN SCHOOLS. The chairman introduced the ques tion of urging the adoption of agricultural science as a necessary subject for primary schools proficiency examin-, ations. The speaker instanced the case of an Okaiawa school pupil who had last season taken first prizes in calfrearing and carrot and mangold grow ing, arterwards failing to gain her proficiency on account of a weakness in spelling. A boy who secured only competency marks for scholarship, but showed special aptitude in woodworking would be able to get a free place at a technical high school. Agricultural science would count for nothing. No branch of industry in New Zealand was so important as agriculture, seeing that a very great proportion of the Dominion’s products came off the land. He moved that the branch considered it necessary that agricultural science should be included as a compulsory subject in proficiency examinations. This was seconded by Mr. AV. Barber and carried. PADDOCKING TRAVELLING STOCK.

Following discussion on the danger of drovers and others putting travelling stock into a farmer’s paddock, with a consequent likelihood of spreading disease among the farmer’s stock, the following resolution, to be forwarded to the provincial executive, was carried: “That this branch of the Farmesr’ Union desires the support of the provincial executive to have the law so amended that no stock may be turned into farmers’ paddocks without permission of the farmer occupier.” FIGHTING NOXIOUS WEEDS, it was decided that in the opinion of tlie branch this was the correct time of the year to deal with prevention of the spread of noxious weeds. The attention of inspectors was drawn to the necessity for dealing more severely with defenders, and to the advisability of transmitting to landowners any available advice in reference- to the spread and eradication , of noxious weeds. JANUARY MEETING. It was unanimously decided to dispense with the usual monthly meeting in January, in view of the fact that members would be busily engaged on their farms.