A SWORD SUSPENDED

Taranaki Daily News, 22 July 1929, Page 8

A SWORD SUSPENDED

BOYS’ AND GIRLS’ CLUBS MOTION TO DISSOLVE DEFERRED. ANNUAL MEETING IN HAWERA. . The sword is suspended over the life of the South Taranaki Boys’ and Girls’ Agricultural Clubs’ Association. The annual meeting" called in Hawera on Saturday saw eleven persons attend. A notice of motion that the movement be discontinued and the election of officers were deferred for consideration and decision until Saturday week. A strong plea for continuance of the movement ■was made by Mr. R. G. Ridling, agricultural instructor of the Education Department stationed in North Taranaki. The chairman (Mr. E. J. Betts) said he "would be very sorry to see the club movement “go under.” He would always take an interest in the organisation. Mr. A. J. Glasson said he had recommended that the Agricultural Department continue with its assistance in the form of supplying seed and manures. The department would not authorise any further commitment. Only about a quarter of the organisers and canvassers were functioning in the school districts, said Mr. Syme, who believed it was mainly a question of the man who canvassed for subscriptions. “MOST RETROGRADE STEP.” It would be the most unfortunate and most retrograde step ever made, if it were decided to relinquish the club movement, declared Mr. Ridling. As an instructor deeply interested in farming he felt they should continue. Farmers were really interested, even if they did not show it outwardly. He suggested there were other- means of raising finance than direct subscriptions. Endeavours should be nlade to interest the farmers’ wives. If that were done it would be quite' certain the interest of the men would bo obtained. The -work must go on; it was highly essential. Taranaki was the home of the movement; it had spread throughout the whole of the Dominion.

Boys’ and Girls’ Club activities had done more to stimulate farming than any other means known. The stock inspector- had declared the calf-rearing competitions had done marvels towards improvement of stock. Subscriptions totalled 103 at 5s said the secretary. That number was by no means sufficient to manage a club the size of the South Taranaki organisation. There should be nearer 400 members. If there were as many subscriptions received as would equal the amount of donations all would be well, said Mr. Syme, NO GRANT FROM GOVERNMENT. Subscriptions should be the main source of revenue. Either better organisation for collecting subscriptions or more members were needed. It had been hoped to have had £5O from the Government as promised by Mr. O. J. Hawken when Minister of Agriculture. Had that grant been made the position would have been better. . The financial position was a deficiency of £2B, although, the secretary reported, subscriptions and other moneys had been received since the balance-sheet had been compiled. There had been a surplus of £G 9s lid on the actual year’s working, excluding moneys since received. Donations had totalled £63, while subscriptions had amounted to only £25 15s.

Donations had been received from:— Tokaora branch Farmers’ Union, £lO Ids; Walkley and Cameron, £10; Samuel Turner, Ltd., £5 ss; Taranaki Education Board, £7 10s; Mr. O. J. Hawken, £3 3s; Ngaere Dairy Company, Ltd., £3 3s; directors Eltham Dairy Company, £2 10s; A. J. Mills and Company, Ltd., £2 2s; New Zealand Educational Institute, £2 2s; Hawera Dairy Company, Ltd., £2 2s; Hodder and Tolley, Ltd., £2 2s; Lowgarth branch Farmers’ Union, £2 2s; Mr. F. Hoskin, Matapu, £1 10s; Mr. R. V. Smith, Rawhitiroa, £1 ss; A. H. Turnbull and Company, Christchurch, £1 Is; N.Z. Co-op. Marketing Association, Ltd., Messrs. J. Pow, Wellington, R. Syme, Hawera, W. McL’Dowie, Matapu, D. Spence, Hawera, E. J. Betts, Okaiawa, D. P. F. Malone,, Kaponga, J. F. Stevenson each £1; total, £64 Bs. For the current year donations had been received from Messrs. Walkley and Cameron (£l2 10s) and the Taranaki Education Board (£5). EXCHANGE OF JUDGES. ' Exchange of judges between North and South Taranaki clubs was recommended by Mr. Ridling. The idea was regarded by the meeting as a good one, but doubts were expressed as to ability to manage the exchange. It was decided to support the suggestion. Mr. Rod Syme submitted the following reports: — COMPETITIONS, The competitions for the past season were the same as in the past—carrot and mangold growing and calf-rearing, and judged from the point of view of the success of these competitions the year’s work must be regarded as a good one. The entries continue to show an increase as is apparent from the following figures:—!

Tho number of competitors -who have successfully carried out their work to judging time is as follows: —

r At the same lime there has been a decided improvement in the quality of the calves, and with the root crops the increased average yield is shown to be

CALF-REARING. Once again tho calf-rearing competition has proved popular with the children and in the numbers, both of entries received and of calves, judged, new records have been established. The entries for the past few years are as follow:— 1924. 132 entries from 18 schools. 1925. —175 entries from 25 schools. 1926. 283 entries from 39 schools. 1927. —344 entries from 40 schools. 1928. 357 entries from 45 schools. This year 311 calves were brought before tho judges (277 last year), and it is pleasing to find such a large proportion of the entrants carrying on tho work to the final judging. The various breeds were represented aS follows: Jerseys 258, Friesians 37, Shorthorns 12, Ayrshires 4. The scale of points in the rearing class was the same as for la.t year—--100 for condition and 30 for record chart. While the competitors are required to keep a detailed record of the quantities of the cost of all food given to the calf, the cost of the feeding is not taken into consideration in the judging. The condition of the calves was again particularly good and it was the opinion of the judges at almost every centre that the calves were a more even lot than in previous years with the result that, at both group and championship judging, competition was particularly keen and the judges had great difficultyin separating the winners. The dairy type judging was again kept as a separate competition with special group and championship prizes. It was very pleasing to note the keen interest displayed by children and parents in the work of the judges to the close attention* given to the demonstrations that followed. There cannot be the slightest doubt as to the value of this aspect of the work, and for evidence v-e have only to look at the quality of rhe stock brought forward. i’n this connection it should be mentioned that we have been particularly fortunate in the choice of our judges in being able to secure the services of first-class men who are happy to explain to the children their reasons for the plaeings they make and to give valuable information on choosing and rearing first-class animals.

We again had evidence of the fact that the children retain their interest in their animals after the first judging, and a good number of tho animals reared in the previous years were brought before the judges as yearlings and two-year olds.

Eltham was chosen as the centre for the championship judging and in spite of a rather unfavourable day practically all the eligible calves were brought forward, some having travelled as far as 26 miles. It is by their assistance in this direction and by their presence at school, group and championship judging in such large numbers that the parents are displaying a live interest in the work of the young competitors, and from this alone much good must result.

Very keen competition resulted from the presentation by Mr. J. Pettigrew of a special medal for the best handled calf, and it was apparent that a large number of the competitors had given much time to such matters as grooming and teaching the calf to lead. Thanks are due to the judges who gave so freely of their time and ability, to the teachers, to whom, for their interest and encouragement of the children, the success of the competitions are so largely due, and to all those who so generously donated trophies. The judges were: Condition, Messrs. W. McL’Dowie, A. T. Wills, D, Scott, L. Barraclough, C. V. Walsh, G. Ford, W. P. Jenkins, J. F. Stevenson; type, Messrs. F. Hoskin, H. E. Johnson, D. ’P. F, Malone, A. D. Johnson, J. Pettigrew, H. Hodge, H. Marchant, 8. C. Tonks, P. Bremer, J. R. Corrigan.

WHAREROA NEWS.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

• At the invitation of Miss McCormick and her pupils, a party of girls and boys from Whakamara visited the Whareroa school on Friday afternoon, when friendly games of basketball and football were played. The Whakamara girls play a splendid game and were much too strong for the local players, who have just recently taken up the game of basketball. Whakamara won by 22 points to 1.

At football two mixed teams were chosen and a good game resulted, the score being six points to three. The Whakamara girls and boys were accompanied by their teachers, Mr Buchanan and Miss Burkert, Mr. and Mrs. Gilliver, Mrs. FI. Scott and Mr. Marsden Scotti Afternoon tea was served by the Whareroa pupils and a very enjoyable afternoon was spent.

HAWERA OPERA HOUSE TO-NIGHT.

“THE LAST WARNING.”

“The Last Warning,” the greatest mystery picture ever filmed, will open at the Opera House, Hawera, to-night. You remember the thrills and chills of that outstanding success, “The Cat and the Canary?” The same production abilities have combined in “The Last Warning,” and they have surpassed their previous effort, in the mystery field. The story is entirely different and the director, Paul Leni, defies anyone to solve the mystery beforehand. Laura La Plante is starred. A large cast is in support. The photoplay is fiom the play of the same name which ran°for so long on Broadway. The story takes place in a haunted theatre. The eerie things begin to happen when a producer rents a theatre which has been vacant five years. You are guaranteed the spookiest evening you ever spent when you see “The Last Warning. A fine supporting programme will include a Famous Music Master series, Mary e Little Lamb,” two news reels and comedy. The box plan is at Miss Blake« sweet shop.

Year. Plots. Calves. Total. 1924-25 . . . . 122 1925-26 € * • » .. 196 173 369 1926-27 . . . . .. 133 284 •517 1927-28 .. 195 330 525 1928-29 .... .. 191 357 548

Year. Plots. Calves. Total. 1920-21 • 102 - 102 1921-22 152 IGO 318 1922-23 140 10-1 244 1923-24 >»•<>> 98 133 231 1924-25 85 96 181 1925-20 115 155 270 1926-27 • 140 212 400 1927-28 120 277 413 1928-29 117 311 428

as follows: — Mai golds. Carrots Tons. cwt. Tons. cwt 1925-20 .. 56 14 42 17 J 920-27 .. 59 13 40 13 1927-28 .. 71 12 34 18 1928-29 .. 71 19.5 42 1