INSPECTOR FAREWELLED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 151, 28 June 1934, Page 4

INSPECTOR FAREWELLED

MR HUGH CLELAND TRIBUTES FROAI FARMERS Air Hugh Cleland, chief stock ins.pector of the Department of Agiicul- 1 ture, was farewelled yesterday by mem- , bers of the farming community, and , was presented with a wallet and wished , everv success in the Auckland district, to which he has been transferred. Mr Cleland has been a very popular, officer and has made many friends in the Wanganui district, not only among the farmers with whom he was directly in contact, but people in the city as well. Air T. Currie, president of the Wanganui Provincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union, presided. “It. is with mixed feelings that wc are here today,” said Vr Currie. “Regret that Air Cleland is leaving the district, and pleasure at the knowledge that he has been promoted. He has been a most efficient, officer and wo will miss him, not only in connection with his work, but on the social side as well.” Air C. Corliss said that not. only the cold, hard facts of business had to be looked a’ in a position of this sort. There was the social side, and to that Air Cleland had boon a great contributor. He had made the community very happy with his joviality. Air C. IT. Walker, who deplored the fact that the Government of this country, and the people generally, did not scorn to appreciate as fullv as they should the value of the Department of Agriculture, endorsed the remarks nf the previous speaker. Air Walker could testify to Air Cleland’s efficiency and also to his jovial nature. Air Gregor AlcGrogor said that the whole nf the district was sorrv that Mr Cleland was going. Wanganui had been very fortunate in the class of inspectors it had had. Mr Cleland was very efficient and verv obliging. Ihe speaker had been in close contact with him. Stock diseases were more prevalent now than they were a few years ago, and the inspectors and veterinarians had to be very active. “Air Cleland has been the most obliging and efficient officer I have had the privilege to meet,” said Mr J. Robb. “At the present time there is being dismissed the groat question of whether the embargo should bo lifted on the importation of stock. The Farmers’ Union has its views on that subject and T have mine. I am not saying anything one way or the other, but I will say this that so long as wo have officers like Mr Cleland wo will have nothing to fear.” Air Robb also spoke of Air Cleland’s valuable work as a dairy inspector and in connection with Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs. “I have spent a verv hapnv time in Wanganui,” said Air Cleland, in reply, “and I am really sorrv to leave. In the department I work for a great deal of what we learn comes from information we get from the farmers. I have never been afraid to seek and ask for that information. There has been absolute harmony between the department. the Farmers’ Union, the County Councils, in fact the whole district. It is not possible to got the best without harmony. The Boys’ and Girls’ Calf Clubs is a movement which you farmers should be more enthusiastic about. It is a movement which I think the farmers should get to know about more than they do. The boys of today are the farmers of to-morrow and I know, from mv own exnerence. that they have been the bettor for those competitions. The comnetitions are run very cheaply and if the farmers contributed a shilling a rear there would he wonderful calf clubs in this district. ’ ’ Air Cleland concluded with a humorous reference to the destruction of rabbits and the gathering drank his health with enthusiasm.