YOUNG FARMERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24432, 18 October 1940, Page 12

YOUNG FARMERS

INCREASING PRODUCTION . SHEARING CLASSES AT ROXBURGH COURSE STARTS NEXT WEEK “Help to Increase Production” is one of this country’s and the Empire s vital slogans in these times. Naturally, its application, as far as New Zealand is concerned, is mainly with the products of the land, and one of the most important ways in which practical effect can be given to this aim is in the educating of young men—and perhaps as time goes on of voune women too—in agricultural work. A department in which it has been becoming increasingly difficult to obtain expert instruction is shearing, and lince a serious shortage of shearers is expected this difficulty is likely to have very troublesome consequences. A - move to offset these has been set in train by the Otago Primary Production Council, working in' association with the Otago and Roxburgh-Miller s Flat branches of the New Zealand Farmers Union, the Otago and SouthlandJjranch of the New Zealand Sheep Owners Federation, the Otago and Mount Benger A. and P. Associations, the Otago and Southland Council of the New Zealand Federation of Young Farmers Clubs, and the Dunedin stock Agents and Wool Brokers’ Association, Shearing classes for learners are to start at Roxburgh at 8 a.m. next Tuesday. The course will last until Friday, November 1. and gives every indication of being a valuable as well as an enjoyable experience, A local committee has been formed of fanners drawn from the R9xburgh Teviot. and Miller’s Flat districts, and arrangements have been made for the use of four shearing sfteds and an adequate supply of sheep. (Competent instruction is to be given in the care and use of blades and machine shears the handling of Sheep, wool classing, baling, etc. A small fee is -being charged to cover the use of blades and shearing machines, all of the instruction and other incidental expenses, such as transport tp and from theshearing sheds, ... , ~, , ■Mr R. Findlay, of Millers Flat, hag undertaken the main responsibility of instructing the class in shearing, and he is at present visiting Christchurch to obtain first-hand information of the shearing class conducted by the Christchurch Technical College. Mr J, McGregor the wool expert of Messrs Dalgety and Co.. Ltd.; Mr J. Murphy, the Lister machine expert; and Mr G Calder. of the Department of Agnculture, Alexandra, are also to give lectures and demonstrations. So far the response from young tamers is scarcely as good as was expected. About : 18 learners have already enrolled, and it is likely that at least two or three more will join up A special effort is being made to nave a success at this first attempt, and if,the results are satisfactory jt is hoped to "conduct more classes next year. Full details of the course can be'obtained from any of the officials of the Farmers’ Union dr the Department of Agriculture. ■ Experience in other centres has shown that these courses are popular and the officer in charge at Roxburgh (Mr Calder) and the local committee are taking into consideration the social aspect as well as the purely mstrucr tional side of the experiment.