YOUNG FARMERS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20366, 25 July 1934, Page 8

YOUNG FARMERS.

Agricultural Review by Mr G. H. Holford. NECESSITY FOR EFFICIENCY. “ Looking Backwards and Forwards was the subject of an address gi' en by Mr G. H. Holford this morning to the young farmers who are at present attending an educational course ,n Christchurch. An address was also given by Mr S. D. Blomfield, general secretary of the New Zealand Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs. The gathering, over which Mr A. C. Cameron presided, was held in the Y.M.C.A. concert hall. Dr J. Hight, rector of Canterbury College, was present for a short time, and in the course of a few words he said that the college would do all in its power to assist the young farmers’ movement. Mr G. C. Warren, president of the North Canterbury branch of the Farmers’ Union, was also present. He declared that a fine impression had been made during the week, and the results had amply justified the efforts made for the young men. Speaking of the present time, he added that conditions were not as bad as twenty years ago, when the world was plunged into the turmoil of war. He referred to the need for the young farmers to enter into public affairs in the future and appealed to them to take a keen interest in their districts. Development Traced. Mr Holford traced the development of farming in Canterbury from the time of the arrival of the first cattle, brought out by the Rhodes family in 1839, and the first sheep, which were landed by the Deans family in 1843. At that time there were 130,000 acres of bush on Banks Peninsula, which today had been reduced by desecration to 800 acres. In the early days the sheep were watched by boundary riders, but fences were instituted in 1862, and with the advent of the water race system subdivision was adopted and intensive farming became the practice. Varying conditions were experienced until the beginning of the present slump which, he thought, would have a great effect on farming in the future. Over the past fourteen years prices had been lower, with each country trying to produce sufficient for its inhabitants. Imports in the various countries were falling, so ,jt looked as if New Zealand would have to depend on the Old Country, which was also developing its agricultural industry. It seemed that the future lay in the contraction of their products, and from that it was essential to have more efficient methods. Mr Holford emphasised the necessity for the young farmers to make themselves efficient in the practice of agriculture. He referred to the example of Denmark as a country which had faced the urgent need for knowledge and had trained its young men in such a way that the country was now a model of agricultural efficiency. The gathering of the young farmers was the first of its kind and was destined to play an important part as the forerunner of a movement along the lines of that evolved by the Danes. Surveys Suggested. It was essential for young farmers to continue their education after leaving school and he suggested that the clubs could tindertake surveys of the various districts to illustrate farming practice and to ascertain the most successful methods. In conclusion, he expressed his keen interest in the movement to broaden the young farmers’ outlook and wished it all success. Replying to a question, Mr Holford agreed that marketing was extremely important and said that in that direction also Denmark had reached a high standard of efficiency. To another questioner he declared that he believed the policy needed in New Zealand was better farming on the country’s better land. He considered there was plenty of scope for the intensification of sheep farming. Mr Blomfield stressed the need for getting the knowledge obtained bv research out among the farmers themselves. It seemed that the course to adopt was to tackle the young farmers, as it had been found in other countries that the clubs were verv useful in that direction. The club movement had spread all over the world while other means of spreading knowledge had been adopted, such as the institution of an agricultural bureau system in Australia. What had been needed in New Zealand was something to follow on the time when boys left school, and clubs had been started for that purpose. The federation of which he was secretary had been formed last March and provincial councils had been set up in Otago, Canterburv and Southland. Pie went on to outline the work of the clubs and declared that it was hoped to secure a happv combination of knowledge of practical and theoretical farming. In conclusion, he expressed his willingness to visit anv district where there was the possibility of forming a club. The speakers were accorded a vote of thanks on the motion of Mr J. Barela v (Waimate). Mr Holford. in returning thanks, announced that he would give a prize for the best essay of about 2000 words on impressions of the week’s course.