A NEW ZEALANDER'S WORK.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17096, 19 February 1916, Page 7

A NEW ZEALANDER'S WORK.

appreciated in the united STATES. A report of the extension work of the Department of Agricultural Economics, Massachusetts, for til© year ending Decomber 1, 19i<5, presented to i resident Butterfield, makes special reference to the work of Hxtension I rorossor K. rl. Ferguson, a Neiv Zealand teacher well known in Canterbury and Hawke s Bay. It appears that Professor Ferguson, up to July last, gave one-half of his time to extension work ana, the oilier to investigation work in charge of the Department and Office of Markets and Rural Organisation of the United States Department of Agriculture. The work accomplished included lectures to granges, farmers’ clubs, co-op-erative exchanges, individual groups of farmers, poultry associations, commercial organisations and others, about fiftv lectures. . Since Mr Fergusons arrival on January 5, 1914, seventeen co-operat-ive farmers’ exchanges had been 01ganised in Massachusetts, and the report states: “Never before in the history of the State had there been anttbing approximating the organisation of co-operative enterprises among farmers as had taken place since All Ferguson’s arrival.” Organisation for credit was found difficult in the State, and Mr I'erguson spent a good deal of time endeavouring to educate the farmer to an appi eolation of the credit possibilities. One of the credit plans was oil the eve of realisation, and il it is significant that this plan evolved by Air Ferguson was approved bv a conference of bankers of Hampden County, by farmers and by the United States Department of Agriculture.’! His investigation projects for the year included a careful study ol too methods and cost of distributing milk and the preparation of comprehensive accounting sheets. The issuing of a bulletin covering the results of this work, the report says, “reveals one of tlic most comprehensive and careful investigations ever mad'o in the t inted States on this particular subject.” Mr Ferguson carried out his work almost single-handed, and the report in conclusion says: “It may not be out of place to say that in the opinion of the Department of Agricultural Economics. Air Ferguson’s work in assisting and organising co-operative exchanges lias. been one of the most significant pieces of extension work ever done in Alassachusetts. Seventeen cooperative exchanges have come iuto existence largely through his assistance and encouragement within the space of eighteen months.” Air C. A. E. Ferguson, of Sumner, received word of his brother s death some weeks ago. and lias just received the above testimony of his '7^udi fi work in tlia United States,