SERVICES APPRECIATED

Southland Times, Issue 22419, 5 September 1934, Page 9

SERVICES APPRECIATED

AGRICULTURAL INSTRUCTOR MR TENNENT’S DEPARTURE. (From Our Correspondent.) Mr R. B. Tennent, who for the past 14 years has acted as fields superintendent ot the Department of Agriculture for Otago and Southland and has been promoted to the position of Director ot the Fields Division for New Zealand, was met by representatives of the Southland A. and P. Association, the Winton A. and P. Association and the Winton Experimental and Demonstration Farm Committee, at Winton on Monday evening, when tributes were paid to his work and a presentation was made to him. The speakers during the evening were Mr D. H. McLean, of Caroline, who presided as chairman of the Experimental and Demonstration Farm Committee; Mr J. J. Blakie of Ryal Bush (president of the Winton A. and P. Association), Mr W. R. Ronald, of Invercargill (president of the Southland A. and P. Association), Mr W. Falconer, of Makarewa (a member of the Southland A. and P. executive), Mr J. G. Hazlett, of Centre Bush (a member of the Winton Experimental Farm Committee), Mr H. Carswell, of Invercargill (a member of the Winton A. and P. and Experimental Farm Committees), Mr J. A. Broom, of Winton (secretary of the Winton A. and P. and Experimental Farm Committees), Mr A. A. Stuart (instructor in agriculture for Southland) and Dr P. Gow, of Winton (a member of the Winton A. and P. Committee).

“We regret the occasion arising for us to gather here this evening to bid farewell to Mr Tennent, who has received a well-deserved promotion from fields superintendent for Otago and Southland to Director of the Fields Division for the Dominion,” stated Mr McLean. “This honour is a very high one indeed and I wish to extend my congratulations on his obtaining such a position. We all regret that we are losing the valuable services of Mr Tennent, who by sound advice and good judgment, combined with common sense, is, I am sure, one of the most capable officers of the department. He has accomplished valuable work in Southland, the fruits of which will long remain to be seen, particularly his efforts in connection with certified seed. This one phase alone, certified ryegrasses, has done a great deal for the province. It has been said by some people that he has made two blades of grass grow in place of one, but to my mind he has made three blades of grass grow where none grew previously. In my position as chairman of the Experimental Farm Committee I came in contact with Mr Tennent probably more than most of you, and I can assure you that his advice has been of great value to me. On demonstration days at the farm we were always assured of large gatherings, and it was always gratifying to hear farmers comment very favourably on his work. I noticed the other day that the Government was inclined to reduce the grants to the Agricultural Department, but if it carries such proposals out I think' it will be acting absolutely wrongly, and we should rise up in arms against it. If the farmer is the backbone of the Dominion then I think the backbone wants nursing a little.” . On behalf of the Southland A. and P„ the Winton A. and P. and the .Winton Experimental Farm Committees, Mr McLean asked Mr Tennent to accept a leather suitcase and an inscribed cigarette case as tokens of appreciation of the valuable work that he had accomplished in Southland. He was sure that when Mr Tennent went to reside in Wellington, he would not. forget Southland and the Winton experimental Mr Ronald referred to the great help that Mr Tennent had given his association at fixtures from time to time. Mr Tennent, he said, had been pr° mot ®. d to one of the highest positions that his department Bad to offer, and he was satisfied that he would do justice to his new post. He expressed the opinion that Southland had been extremely fortunate in the men who had been in charge of the agricultural affairs in the P Mr Carswell spoke of the wonderful assistance that Mr Tennent had given th<» Experimental Farm Committee,, and said that during his fourteen years association with farming activities m Southland he had thrown a lot of light on problems that farmers were faced with from time to time. _ . Mr Falconer stated that Mr Tennent would carry with him the best wishes of the farming community of the province for his success in his new office, while Mr Blakie and Mr Hazlett refer red to the keen interest shown and the results accomplished by Mr Tennent in the experimental area. . , Mr J A. Broom apologized for the absence of Mr P. A. de la Perrelle, M.P. who forwarded his congratulations to' Mr Tennent on his promotion. Mr Stuart, who had been working under Mr Tennent for some years past, eulogized his capabilities, while Dr Gow also added his quota. In returning thanks Mr Tennent said that he could assure all that he regretted very much losing his connection with Southland and Otago. During the past fourteen- years he had- been associated with farmers in Southland and Otago, and he considered himself very fortunate indeed in making some splendid friendships among the fanning communities of those provinces. These friendships had been extremely happy ones and they would be cherished, by him, no matter where his work might worked very closely with the Experimental Farm Committee, e continued, “and at times_l hare felt sorry for that committee. The members ha™ had many difficult problems to face as well as being subject to criticism, which unfortunately has come from individuals who do not realize the conditions under which the commi.tee is working. The Winton farm to my mffid has served a very excellent purpose to the farming community Southland and I think the .committee should take pride in its asso cl . a V° n tl ±k that farm. I particularly want to than on this occasion the members of the committee for the kindnesses they have shown the officers of the de P^ the development of the • members of the committee have P ers °U" ally sacrificed their own time, so that the community at large may benefit from their efforts. The people of South land should thank the committee for its work, for it has been in the interests of all concerned. I particularly want to thank the chairman of the committee, Mr McLean, who has guided the destinies of the farm during the past four difficult years. (A-Huse.) I want to assure the committee that it has accomplished all that the are ® .'X originally intended for, and the farm has thoroughly justified, its existence. He said that he did not intend to sever his connection with he Winton, farm and he would make a special, point of coming to Winton and seeing the various experiments being carried out. Speaking of the Southland A. and P. Association, Mr Tennent said that it had been his pleasure to be associated with that body for a number of years, rhe association was a most courteous body and willing to assist any movement that would advance agriculture in Southland. “There is no question that the interest that the association has shown in furthering our work has been of inestimable value, and has been of great assistance to the community on the whole,” he stated. He thanked Mr Ronald for the many kindnesses that his association had shown officers of the

department in their work in Southland. With regard to the Winton A, and P. Association he had fortunately been associated with many members of that body and he regretted that he was leaving those friendships. Mr Tennent added that the standard of farming m Southland, South Otago and Otago was higher than anywhere else m New Zealand. (Applause.) Consequently any members of the department who were associated with such a clas’ of men should also be of a high standard if they were to be of any use.