FARMER STUDENTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3613, 12 June 1923, Page 13

FARMER STUDENTS.

A G RIC U LTU RA L DEPART ME XT' S ACTIVITIES. A HEARTY SOCIAL GATHERING The school of instruction organised by the Agricultural Department lor farmers which has been carried on so successfully during the past week was brought to a close at a happy social galhering in Kroon’s Social Hall last evening. Mr J. Crawford Anderson presided, and was accompanied at the main table by the Hon. C. E. Stalhum, Mr W. J. Poison (dominion president of the Farmers’ Union). Mr A. Craig (Otago president of t'ne union), and many other* well known to the farming community. There were about 150 present. The Chairman said that in this school the Government had come lo their assistance. Each of the lectures given had contained as much valuable and practical information as they could have got out of a barrow-load of books. (Applause.) The only way they could now greatly increase the primary production of the country was by introducing scientific and up-to-date methods such as had been put before (hem. He hoped and trusted t his would be mi annual fixture, for tho response made to the department had been phenomenal. —(Applause.) The toast of the “Parliament” was proposed by Major F. Waite, and responded to by tlie Hon. C. E. Staiham. “Vne Department of Agriculture ’ was proposed by Air A. Craig, who coupled the toast win. the name of Air J. L. Bruce, superintendent of experimental farms. . Air l raig said he trusted that the enthusiasm the farmers had shown over this s hool would prove that ari experimental farm was needed in Otago.—(Applause.) He was convinced that the time had arrived when the farmer arid the department must work hand in hand. The department had a set of instructors who were second to none in tlie world. (Applause.) Air Bruce said he believed he was eldest officer of ihe Department of Agriculture in the room, and he had served under every Minister of Agriculture. He could tell them that the heart of every Minister they had had was absolutely with the farmer though sometimes the farmer thought it did not look like it He greatly envied t ie younger generation of farmers with ail the scientific information that was now at llicjr disposal. He paid a tribute to Mr R. '* 'Ferment, as Ihe moving spirit in all Mie organisation of ihe school of instruction.— (Applause.) . Mr C. R. Smith, in proposing J he i armin a Industries,” pointed out that farming was tlie greatest and biggest industry m the country. Two out of three of the population were concerned mat. though the townspeople thought thut tiie\ weie the only people in the country to be considered. The farmers were taxed at every turn by the Government and by tlie middlemen, and if the were to meet tlie burden pur upon them they would have to combine and cooperate on scientific lines. (Applause.) Then there would he some hope thai they would get their own. What was wanted was more economical, more intensive and more scientific production, and to bring this about the Xew Zealand Government had done nobly. He put in a plea for more boys to be sent to the agricultural course in connection with the Technical Coiiege. At this stage the lion. W. Nosworthy (Alinister of Agriculture) joined the galhering and had a cordial reception. Mr Poison, in responding, said that (he Farmers’ Union had for long been discussing the subject of farmers’ schools and seeking io get the Government to take more interest in it. Provision for the artisan farmer was what they particularly wanted. We must have closer settlement in New Zealand, and that was the aim of the Government. This movement of farm schools was one that was going to spread through the country like a lire, and

f-ir i’ll the ,r re'i* c-v was due to the Hon. Mr Nosworthy.—(Applause.) They recognised in Jiim one ol me finest Almisters of Agriculture New Zealand had ever had. —(Applause.) Air 0. .Tones, responding to the same toast, said of the farming community: "We are the people.’’—(Applause and laughter.) The marvellous work done bv the farmers' wives was beyond alt praise.—(Applause.) The Mayor (Air IT. 1,. r J apley) attended the gathering at this stage. The Chairman proposed as the principal toast of the evening "The Minister of Agriculture.’ The school from which they had learned so much had been run for them l.y the Department of Agriculture. lie pointed out that we were over the £50,000.000 mark in production, and it should be their aim in reach £80,000.000, which would make their conditions much more comfortable. If they used the information they hod received from the depart-

ment there was no reason why they should not. roach the £80,000.090 tusirk. They were all extremely grateful to the Minister and to his department for what they had done for them.- —(Applause.) The Hon. A*r Nosworthy returned thanks lor the invitation to he present and for the

reception accorded him. If the Government had not done more for their scientific education it was simply because, as they knew, the Government simply did not have the means available under the conditions that existed. He congratulated them on the splendid success and large attendance at their school, and said vhat anything he could do as Alinister of Agriculture to foster this movement would be done. The Alinister’s reference to Mr Cockayne as one of the best officers of his department was heartily applauded, and the names of Messrs Ward and Tennent had a similar hearty reception. He predicted that the attendance at the next school would be , quite doubled as its benefits were more. | widely recognised. He thanked the board l of the Technical College for the way in | which it had placed its buildings at the ■ disposal of the school, and also thanked the I A. _ and P. Association and the Farmers’ | Union for then- assistance and interest. He ! was in favour of the schools they had in | vogue now. and the smaller experimental I farms like those at Moa Flat and Galloway | Flat for local instruction. The faster he j could get the money from the Alinister of I Finance the faster he would push on the j farm school scheme. He had been a farmer all his life, and understood the difficulties the ma-.r on the land had to contend with, | hut he was satisfied they would overcome j them all and come out on top. Production j in New Zealand was as nothing now conij pared with what it would be in the future. What we wanted was more population and abundance of cheaper money. Any Government that was not prepared to push on agricultural instruction would in the long run nor be tolerated by the people.—(Applause.) 1 he worst weakness the farmer had had m the past was that they failed to pull together. If they all pulled together, nothing could stop them. If the betterment of the country did not come from the farming community, then his opinion was that it could not come at all. —(Applause.) He admitted that the whole incidence of taxation required altering, and that would have to come in due course.—(Applause.) In the meantime, the Government, was making reductions, and was contemplating further reductions. The plain, straight truth was that 95 per cent, of the total wealth of -bevy Zealand to-day had to come out of the land, and they were there to t.ry and foster and increase that output. He hoped this would not be the last occasion on which he would be able to be present with them. — (Applause.) He would not admit the charge that the North Island got everything and the South nothing, and he never allowed provincial districts to come into his view at all in the administration of the dominion. They knew, and he knew, that the further south they went in the dominion the more solid the people were, and the belter farmers they had been.- —(Applause.) He could assure them they were not. going to be left, a? some seemed to fear. He would do his level best in every possible wav to further their interests. —(Applause.) The toast, of " The Alayor and Councillors of Dunedin ’’ was proposed by Mr M'Eride. In responding, the Mayor expressed his regret that he had not been able to bo with them all the time. He was convinced that the dominion was going to benefit greatly bv such courses of instruction as they had just, been receiving. He complimented the Government on having instituted the course, and said that, would redound to its credit in years to come. He heartily welcomed the Minister to the city.—(Applause.) The toast of “The College Instructors” was proposed by Afr Niederer, who pointed out that the success of the course had been due to these instructors and to the feeling of good fellowship that had existed between them and the farmers attending. The result would be a general uplift to the farming community. (Applause.) , Alessrs Tennent and Ward responded on behalf of the instructors, saying it had been a pleasure and an honour to address such a. representative group of farmers from South Canterbury to the Bluff, all keen and eager to learn.