THE DISTRICT FARM.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160712, 27 July 1920, Page 7

THE DISTRICT FARM.

To the Editor. Sir,—Exports from meetings of farmers in various parts of this district recently have led to an impression that the Wanganui Technical College Committee fishes to induce the Farmers' Unions to provide an experimental farm for use by the College agricultural students. This impression I wish to correct. The College is anxious to see* a District Farm established for the instruction and guidance of the farmers. It would be managed by the farmers and used to solve problems such as an individual farmer could not afford to experiment with. It was our opinion that such a farm should exist in close proximity to the town, for only in such situation will an instructional farm be of use to the boys, and instructional farms should exist in every centre, so that Moumahaki and all other State Farms might continue to exist after the Wanganui District Farm was established. The College authorities recently approached the Department of Agiculturft and of Education for an annual subsidy for such a farm. The Department infoi* maJly agreed to contribute .£250 per annum as a subsidy to a District Farm for the district. A condition -was imposed by each Department. Firstly, tha Department of Agriculture said it would not push the district to accept a subsidy. If the farmers were really anxious for such a farm, it would contribute the promised amount for a fixed term, but if the farmers were half-hearted, tha subsidy would go elsewhere. Secondly, the Education Department insists that the farm be near enough to the town for use by the young people. Our use of the farm would, I presume, be limited to visits to it about once a month. Our students would be placed at the manager's disposal for a week at sowing time, and a week at harvesting time, for in this way the boys would get a direct personal interest in the experiments conducted and a better knowledge of the results obtained. But 1 think it is hardly fair to say that such a farm is a Technical College farm fof any school, primary or secondary, could use it precisely as we should do. The Technical College' Committee, having made the inquiries, have left the working out of the details of the scheme to the Farmers' Unions, for unless the farmers want a District Farm, it would be folly to establish one. Wa have therefore asked the Farmers' Union executive: 1. That a committee of farmers ba selected by the Unions to represent the farmers of the district on the committee of management, which would also include a representative from the Agricultural Department and one from the Education Department. 2. That negotiations be continued with the Government Departments to obtain a definite pledge for a definite tei-m of the aforesaid subsidies of J>soo per annum, and that attempts be made to increase this- by guarantees of subsidies from local bodies or the Farmers' Unions. 3. That the management committea select and negotiate for a farm for lease for, say, ten years, which, in view of the uncertain times ahead, should be quite possible. If the Farmers' Unions respond in the spirit in which the matter has been takfj en up by the Technical College, W e shall obtain for this district an institution of very great value to the primary producers. It will be essential in the decade of receding prices upon which wo are entering that methods of production be made more efficient. In the past de- ] cade, rising prices have enabled , the j farmer largely to ignore methods of im- j proved production, but in the decade of falling prices the reverse will be true. Most of our cities believe absolutely on the prosperity of its hinterland, and one might well regard the establishment of a District Farm as important as or more important than'the establishment of a district harbour. In the present state of public opinion this is far from being the case, bufc we hope that the Farmers' Unions will, at any rate, bo alive to the importance of a District Farm, and seize the present opportunity of having one established.—l am, etc., G. J. PAEK.