YOUNG FARMERS’ CLUBS

Southland Times, Issue 24106, 20 April 1940, Page 18

YOUNG FARMERS’ CLUBS

PROGRESS IN WESTERN DISTRICT

ANNUAL MEETING OF COMMITTEE Good progress by the six clubs at present in existence in the area was reported at the annual meeting of the Western Southland District Committee of Young Farmers’ Clubs'yesterday. Mr J. Middlemiss was chairman and there was a good attendance of committee members and delegates from clubs. Good progress was made by the six clubs at present functioning, stated the annual report. The outbreak of war did not affect the earlier programme of activities carried out by the clubs, as that activity had invariably been confined to the winter months, the clubs being in recess over the summer period, when the major farming operations were in full swing. However, an endeavour was made to complete any activity which had been begun, and the Southland debating contest was concluded at Invercargill and the Dominion championship judging competitions were also conducted at the Royal Agricultural Show -held at Invercargill in December. The Dipton Club had made satisfactory progress. The membership was 17. A club field day was held early in the year on the property of Messrs D. Mcßae and sons (Benmore). The Drummond Club was formed last May and had a membership of 28. An interesting programme of work was carried out during the season. At Lochiel tire membership had increased to 30. A club field day was held early in the year, and an interesting series of lectures was obtained during the winter months. ACTIVE SEASON The Thombury membership was 62. Fourteen lecturers addressed the club during the year on a variety of subjects. This club’s debating team was successful in the local inter-club contest and was also runner-up in the Southland competition. Three _ club members had enlisted in the military

forces. The Woodlands Club had a membership of 29. A party of touring young farmers were entertained by the club at a social and dance in July. On that occasion the members of the winning team for the W.D.F.U. Cup were presented with miniature cups. Two members of this club were serving with the military forces. The membership of the Wyndham Club had increased to 36. Monthly meetings were held until November. A successful district field day was held at Makarewa at the end of August. Thanks were especially due to the Southland Frozen Meat Company, which made ample arrangements for the penning and demonstrations on stock, and also to the demonstrators and breeders who supplied the necessary animals. The W.D.F.U. Cup presented for competition between Eastern and Western Southland was this year won by Eastern, represented by the Otama Club. The Thombury debating team was the runner-up. It was noticed with approval that most clubs now displayed greater initiative in obtaining lectures and demonstrations for their meetings. AUSTRALIAN VISITORS Two members of the West Australian Junior Farmers’ Club travelled New Zealand as guests of the New Zealand

Young Farmers’ organization during the centennial celebrations for about six weeks. During their two days in Western Southland they were entertained first by the Lochiel Club, which showed them over the property of Mr J. May (Winton), the Winton Experimental Farm, the property of Mr J. M. Thompson (Thompson’s Crossing) ana at night they were guests of Mr and Mrs A. R. Forbes (Lochiel). The next day the Thombury Club was responsible for their entertainment, and they inspected the farm of Mr A. H. Hah (Thombury), and that of Mr H. J. Riddle, also the flaxmill of Mr A. Templeton (Otaitai). The finances of the district committee were still healthy, but as the sources of revenue would tend to diminish during the war, it might be a wise policy to conserve that fund as much as possible. In view of the war the usual competitions were not run by the committee, and’ in previous years those had been the chief source of revenue. Two half scholarships were made available to Lincoln College by the Southland Frozen Meat Company, and this practical help to young farmers was greatly appreciated by the committee. The following office-bearers were elected:—President, Mr S. Middlemiss; vice-presidents, Messrs J. Robb and D. Fallow; committee, Messrs J. A. Young, J. Kincaid, J. R. Rubber, H. M. Rubber, S. W. Gray, K. E. McKenzie, M. L. Leith, A. Campbell, K. Hargest, A. S. Irwin, A. Howe, D. Milligan, W. R. Harris, E. S. Thomas, B. P. Mansfield, J. Carnegy Gardner, W. L. Harbord, A. S. Holms, G. Stevenson; secretary, Mr A. Stuart; delegates to Otago-Southland Council, Messrs J. Middlemiss, D. Milligan and J. A. Young. It was decided to support remits to the Dominion conference that the selection of candidates for bursaries for short-time courses at Massey and Lincoln Agricultural Colleges should be left in the hands of provincial councils; that the Dominion executive consider the question of fostering clubs in connection with secondary schools; and that instruction in horse-shoeing be given whenever possible at Young Farmers’ Clubs’ demonstrations.

TALKING PICTURE PLANT It was announced that the Department of Agriculture had made available for farmers’ organizations in Southland for two months of a talking picture plant with two New Zealand films of the growing of white clover and barley. Branches were requested to make application for screenings of the films.

The meeting was the most satisfactory annual meeting in the history of the Young Farmers’ Club movement in Southland. Six active clubs were fully represented and the most noticeable feature was that junior members outnumbered the seniors by two to one. Mr W. R. Harris, the retiring chairman, briefly reviewed the progress of the movement in Southland since its inception seven years ago. One objective that had come very, close to be realized was the training of young farmers to undertake a. large part of the executive work of district committees and councils, said Mr Harris. Referring to the need for increased production of primary products in war time, Mr Harris drew attention to the important work that would fall more and more upon the young farmers as the war period lengthened. Most of the members were under military age and consequently they, together with the older men, would have to make every effort to maintain an increased production in support of the able-bodied men who had enlisted in the services.