N.Z. Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 62, Issue 1, 15 January 1941, Page 53

N.Z. Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs

Edited by

S. Freeman,

Dominion Organising Secretary |

Dominion President's New Year Message To Young Farmers

ONCE again the festive season is over, heralding the end of another calendar year year that has been an eventful one in the history of the British Empire, and. I venture to say, in the history of the whole civilised world. This has been the second New Year since there was again forced upon peace-loving peoples the trials and troubles of war; , forced upon . them through the insane ambitions of a man who has set himself up to dictate the mode of life to the peoples of Europe; one who would deprive them of those things which are most dear to the heart of manfreedom of thought and action. During the past year the peoples of the British Commonwealth of Nations have responded to the call of their leaders to resist the efforts of Nazidom in its bid for world domination; and, in particular, the manner in which the people of Great Britain have re-

sponded to that call, and the courage and determination they are exhibiting during; these days of -tribulation has aroused the admiration of. their compatriots, and indeed the admiration and respect of other nations that are remaining neutral. ■ So, then, as one organisation in a country which, although the smallest partner in the British Commonwealth, is by no means least in loyalty and service, we should strive to our utmost to uphold that tradition of fortitude, self-sacrifice, and courage. In reviewing .what we as an organisation have accomplished during the period of. the war, it is evident that we have more than held our own with other organisations in assisting in the various public appeals for financial and other assistance; but we have done more than that, for we have kept our., organisation alive; kept it active in the provision of many things which are . of value to the young farmer, and the., older farmer, too, in their effort to render to the country, their part in the war effort-increased production. The members of our organisation are now divided into' several classes. Firstly, those who are serving overseas; secondly, those who are serving in ' some, capacity with the Forces at home; thirdly,- those who are waiting to enter the Army, Air Force, or Navy; and, lastly, but by no means least, those who. through force of circumstances, are serving on the land. To each of

these sections I would like,' as your Dominion President, to give what may be termed a New Year message. To those who are serving overseas, I would say that although you are no longer active in our organisation, you are not forgotten. Each and every one of you has, through your action .in volunteering for overseas service, placed yourselves on a plane which all would strive to reach. You have shown that you have within you those qualities of service and unselfishness which are the hall-mark of character; have shown a realisation and appreciation of the responsibilities of citizenship in its widest sense, and have shown that there are yet those who are willing and able to accept from their forbears the torch of freedom and liberty, and carry it on. Those of us who remain behind will strive as you do to "do our bit”; to assist you all we can on the “home front”; to- give to you those supplies which are: so necessary to the waging of a successful war; and to ensure as far as possible that everything which it is within our power to provide, whether in goods or material assistance of some other kind, is ready when the call is made. You did not fail us when the time came, and we . shall not fail you. To those of you who are serving in some capacity or other with the Forces at home, I would say that you also are “doing your bit.” Many of you have in all probability volunteered for

overseas service, and because of some specialised knowledge which you may possess, have been retained here for instructional and other duties, To you then, and to those who are waiting to enter some section of the armed Forces, I would say just this, Remember that although the job which you have to do may not of necessity fall into that sphere which you . may desire, and may not be one in which you feel you are being of the greatest service, it is, in no matter how small a degree, a vital part of our defence system, and as such is worthy of all the service that you can give. Remain, then, steadfast, and continue to set to

the rest of the community an example of service, self-sacrifice, and fortitude, which should be the goal of all who would serve their King and their country. - - . And now, to those who are remaining on the land, I feel that there is one thing above all that I should say, and that is, '‘Do not belittle the importance of your job.” Wars are fought and won not alone with strength of arms and by men in the field, but by the co-operative, productive effort of all sections of the community, and in importance from a productive point of view your job ranks first. So remember, then,' that it is necessary to

pursue your job with the will to win and a determination to overcome all obstacles, so that in the final analysis it can be said that one of the greatest contributing factors in the winning of the war was the assistance rendered by that section of the community who served on the land.. - 1 In conclusion, then, may I wish you all, wherever you may be, and in whatever sphere you are serving, the very best wishes for the New Year. —E. W. BARNETT (Pilot Officer, R.N.Z.A.F.), Dominion President, N.Z. Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs.. . •

Y.F.C. Shearing Activities in Manawatu

By L. EARL, District Secretary, Palmerston North,

DURING 1938 and 1939 the Wellington Council staged their annual shearing contest at the Manawatu A. and P. Spring Show. These contests were . a huge. success, and many Y.F.C. shearers came long distances to take part. This event was a great draw at the show, as well as being an opportunity for the Y.F.C. men to show how they could shear and combine , to time on a really big event and make a success of it. This year it was seen that we could not stage anything on those lines, , but it was recognised that some form of shearing activities could be carried out. \ The Manawatu Executive decided to ask clubs to hold shearing field days of their own, and then combine in one big field day at the beginning of November at Messrs. Levin and Co.’s shearing shed at Feilding. This arrangement met with unanimous approval, and most of the clubs in the pastoral districts held very successful days. A point was stressed that, as far as was practicable, young shearers and learners were to be encouraged, and in nearly all cases competent shearers and classers were in attendance, and. those present were able to pick up many points both at the demonstration and then by actual tuition. So far, the results at hand are from Pohangina and Waituna Y.F.C., as well as the combined contest. . Waituna . The Waituna Club held its field day on. October 28 at Mr. L. T. McLean’s woolshed. This day,.Labour Day, was

extremely wet, but the sheep had been shedded and were in good condition for shearing. The judges for the various events ’were' as follows: —Y.F.C. classes, Messrs. A. B. Shannon and J. M. Old;: best, shorn sheep, Messrs. C. Strawbridge and N. Guylee; fleece-o competition, Mr. F. Woolford; timekeeper, Mr. N. Guylee. An open competition was also held, the judges being Messrs. A. B. Shannon and L. T. McLean. > Results were as 1 Championship Class. —I. H. Old, 1; J. Revell, .2; R. Meads, 3. Intermediate. Sowerby, 1. Junior (shear more- than 50 but less

than 100 per day). —-G. Gledhill, 1; A. E. Sowerby, 2. Learners’ Class (under 50 per day). R. Woolford, 1; C. Nicholson, 2. Best Shorn Sheep (to be judged during the competition; trophy donated by •Mr.. N. V. Shannon).—l. H. Old, 1; A. E. Sowerby, 2, Fleece-o (pick up, throw, and roll). —L. Small, 1; F. Sowerby, 2; R. Meads, 3. Open Event.J. M. Old. 1; P. Shannon, 2. Mr. J. M. Old is an advisory member of the club, and was also one of the judges, so he had a day out. A class for judging the weight of the

sheep (trophy donated by R. Meads) was also won by Mr. Old. The members of this club were highly pleased with the results of this day and the support they gained in the district. The tuition and assistance were greatly appreciated, and it was felt that the day had been really worth while. Pohangina Valley Pohangina Valley Y.F.C. also held a successful day at Messrs. Moore Bros.’ shed at Pohangina. The field day was purely for instructional purposes, with Messrs. Smart Bros, as instructors, and Mr. Roy Mowatt, wool expert from the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., gave an outstanding demonstration of preparing the wool clip as is required under the war regulations. There was a large attendance of Y.F.C. members and farmers from the district. Colyton and Kimbolton held similar field days with good results, the members being well satisfied with their efforts. Unfortunately, the detailed results are not to hand, but will be announced at a later date. Council Competition The shearing field ' days culminated at Levin and Co.’s \ shearing shed, Feilding, on November 1. More than 60 Y.F.C. members entered, the weather was fine, and the contest was finished on time. We are greatly indebted to those people and officials who assisted us on that day, particularly to those who donated trophies, namely:Championship Cup, presented by New Zealand Farmers' Distributing Co.; Intermediate Cup and Junior Cup, R. O. Gloyn, chairman, Manawatu Executive; Fleece-o Trophy, New Zealand Farmers’ Co-op. Distributing Co.; Club Team Trophy, Y.F.C. Council; Place Trophies, Abraham and Williams, Ltd., New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., Dalgety and Co., Ltd., Hodder and Tolley Ltd., Feilding Sash and Door Co., Ltd., Parkes and Co., Ltd., Ashhurst; trophy for neatest shearer (junior), Mr. Farquharson (owner of sheep). The officials were:—Judges, . W. Howell - (Ashhurst), H. A. Stewart (Feilding), J. M. Old (Waituna), D. Scott (Aokautere), and A. C. Morton (Massey College). Committee, H. M. Linklater, D. Scott, A. C. Marton, A. J. Galpin, W. Howell, A. C. Buist, I. H. Old, and I. D. Colquhoun. Results were as follows: — Championship.—A. Sowerby, Waituna, 289 points, 1; C. Dickson, Mangaweka, 267, 2; Blixt, Pohangina, and I. Old, Waituna, 263, 3 (equal). Intermediate.F. Toms, Mangaweka, 252 points, 1; R. O. Gloyn, Rongotea,

250, 2; G. Mitchell, Kairanga, 248, 3. Junior—E. Toms, Mangaweka, 258 points, 1; A. Moore, Ballance, 251, 2; G. Gledhill, Waituna, 245, 3.

Neatest Shearer (Junior). Toms and G. Gledhill, 99 points, 1 (equal). Teams. —Mangaweka (E. Toms, F. Toms, C. Dickson), 777 points, 1; Wai-

tuna (G. Gledhill, F. Sowerby, I. Old), 755 > 2 - ■ Junior.—First heat: G. Gledhill, Waituna, 1. Second heat: L. V. Ward, Feilding, 1. Third heat: A. Moore, Ballance, 1. Fourth heat: E. Toms, Mangaweka, 1. . Intermediate.-First heat: F. Toms, Mangaweka 1; F . Sowerby Waituna,. 2 Second heat: G. Mitchell, 1; R. O. Gloyn, 2. . ,

Championship.— heat: C. Dickson, Mangaweka, 1; A. Sowerby, Waituna, 2. Second heat: I. Old, Waituna, 1; P- Green, Mangaweka, 2. At the conclusion,. Mr. A. C. Buist presented the championship challenge cup to Mr. A. Sowerby. and congratulated him on his win, and expressed great pleasure at the way in which the Young Farmers’ Clubs , had entered lnto the important task of becoming

proficient shearers. He also mentioned that he had a cablegram from Mr. V. Freeman, last year’s winner, who is now overseas with the First Echelon, wishing the winner of this tournament th bes t of , that neX -V y we , Wlll and , if possib i e; enlarge upon it, because, after our experience • this year we know that our efforts have the backing of the whole pastoral community.

Cheery Letter from Y.F.C. Secretary In Scotland

r T~’HE following letter has been reTHE following letter has been received from the Organising Secretary of Young Farmers’ Clubs in Scotland: — Old Army Building, Rose Terrace, September 25, 1940. S. Freeman, Dominion Organising Secretary, New Zealand Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs, New Zealand. Dear Mr. Freeman, I have been reading with interest the reports of your Young Farmers’ Club activities in issues of the New Zealand “Journal of Agriculture,” and cannot help thinking how lucky you are in being able to continue the good work on, apparently, very much the same scale as before the war. As is only to be expected we “up here” in the theatre of war have had to alter our programme considerably. Stock judging has gone by the wall meantime, and so our natural desires to examine and judge good stock, well fed, well groomed, and well led, can-

not be fulfilled. We are not short of petrol, but conserve what we get, and so our other activities, lectures, debates, discussions, socials,, etc., have been reduced in number -and have been more local in nature. Perhaps in this respect we are making some use of the emergency, for clubs now depend ever so much more on the initiative and ability of their own members and prominent local farmers. I • hope that after the battle is over and won and we return to our more normal life the Young Farmers will still use this way of carrying on their activities. Now what I really want to say in this letter is to extend an invitation to any of your members who are on active service in Scotland to get in touch with me, letting me know where they are stationed so that I may be able to put them in touch with some of our club members. They are a long way from home, and on leave they may wish to get back to farming for a little

while. Anything that can be done through this Association will be done with a very pleasant sense of duty to those who are resolved as we in this country all are— see this thing through to its successful conclusion. If any members will write me at this office I will do my best to have them put in touch with our club members. I am sure that the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs of England and Wales (address: Oaklings, Cannons Close, Radlett, Herts., England) and the Young Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster (address: 35 Ocean Buildings, Belfast, Northern Ireland) would wish me to express a similar invitation on their behalf. In conclusion, may I say how pleased I am to get the “Journal” regularly each month. It provides interesting readingand a feeling of a link between us. —Yours faithfully, (Signed) R. M. CHAMBERS, Organising Secretary.

Tree Planting by Inglewood Club. J. V. MacINTYRE, Hon. Secretary, Inglewood Club.

A S the particular kind ,of trees reAS the particular kind of trees required by the club were not available from . Christchurch through the Y.F.C. Tree Planting Scheme, the club decided to purchase 27 native trees of different varieties from nurserymen in New Plymouth. These were duly procured and planted on September' 19 in 'fine weather. . - The IngleWOuti Schoolgrounds was selected as a suitable site, and members attended and prepared the hob* 3 and planted the trees. The chairman and secretary of the school committee were present, and expressed

gratification, particularly at native trees being planted, as these were considered an ideal memorial to the early settlers of the district. It is the club’s intention to keep the trees clean and to erect a notice stating when the trees were .planted and by whom. On the same evening the club held a patriotic dance in conjunction with' the Junior Branch of the Wojpe»’s''Division of, the Farmers’ Union. The dance was a great success, and realised the sum of £lO 10s. The committee responsible for the tree-planting and the dance were:J. T. Stackurski

(club chairman), J. V. Maclntyre (secretary), and M. B. Rowan (treasurer) .

Obituary

B. T. Conlan IT is 'with profound regret that the death is announced of Brian T. Conlan, son of Mr, and Mrs. T. Conlan, “Wajrena,” Tunakatekate Valley, Tauj»arunui, as the result of an accident which occurred on Mount Ruapehu. The late Brian Conlan was an enthusiastic farmer and a keen and popular member of the Taumarunui Young Farmers’ Club.

Rongotea Club's Parents' and Friends' Evening

T~~) ARENTS and friends were welPARENTS and friends were welcomed by members of the Rongotea Young Farmers’ Club at a recent meeting. They attended to gain an insight into what is being accomplished, and were unanimous in their commendation of the club’s activities. Mr. J. H. Gibbons was in the chair. A motion of sympathy with the advisory president (Mr. H. J. Lancaster), who has recently lost a brother, was moved by the chairman, and those present stood for a moment in silence. The business part of the meeting was run on ordinary lines for the edification of the visitors. It was decided to hold a field day for instruction in shearing on Mr. J. C. Gibbons’s farm, the matter being left to the committee to arrange. Mr. Lancaster drew attention to the display of trophies in the hall, at present held by . the club, which included the Wellington Farmers’ Union Challenge Cup, awarded for general efficiency in club work; the P. G. Cope Challenge Cup, for inter-club sports competition; Mrs. M. Wills’s challenge , cup for the farm roots competition; and the Vile Shield for debating. He congratulated the club on its achievements, and stated that he was proud to be associated with it. Mr. W. Wildbore, a visitor from the Apiti Club (semi-finalists in the debate) also congratulated the Rongotea Club on winning the debate. Mr. R. O. Gloyn expressed the appreciation of the debating team. ~ Formal business disposed of. a club debate took place, the subject being That the Tractor Can Economically Supersede the Horse for General Farm Work.” The teams were as follows: Affirmative, G. Pearson, K. Redmayne, and' D. Lind; negative. M. Lind, C. Hunt, and R. Hill. The adjudicator, Mr. H. Fox, said that the matter in-

corporated in the debate and the manner of delivery were excellent. The contest was very even, and he declared the affirmative side the winners with 171 points against 159. He gave the contestants. some very sound advice, showing them how they could improve their standard of debate. The Dominion Organising Secretary, Mr. S. Freeman, exhibited a series of moving pictures with sound accompaniment, covering a wide range of subjects of educational and general interest. Supper was handed round by members, and this gave the opportunity to introduce a large birthday cake, which was much admired. It was made by Mrs. J. C. Gibbons, and was iced and decorated in a most original manner by Miss N. Dear, the use of miniature farm animals and poultry giving it a topical interest. The five candles surmounting it were lit by Miss B. Gibbons, and blown out by Miss M. Pearson, and it was then cut in sections by Mrs. Lancaster. - Mr. Freeman expressed keen interest and pleasure in the evening’s entertainment, and stated that the Rongotea Club held a foremost position among clubs in the Manawatu district, which for various reasons—soil, climate, close settlement, etc. — ranked very high in the Dominion for its farming status. Rongotea should be proud of the manner in which its farming youth had distinguished themselves. He considered the Parents’ and Friends’ evening to be a very fine idea, as it should do much to interest other members of the community in the work of the clubs. Mr. Redmayne, sen., spoke on behalf of the parents in attendance, and stated that they had all spent a most instructive and enjoyable evening, and would be pleased to be present on a . future occasion.

Organising Secretary's Visit By W. D. POWDRELL, Chairman, Wairoa Club.

THE official visit to Northern Hawke’s Bay, by Mr. Sydney Freeman, the Dominion Organising Secretary of the Federation of Young Farmers, made a very interesting week

for the -various Young’Farmers’ Clubs who had the privilege of his visits. Mr. Freemen brought with him his cinematograph apparatus, which added considerably to the interest and educational value of his addresses.

His itinerary was .an extensive one, starting at Meeanee on Monday, October 21, with an attendance of 31 members of the Young Farmers’ Club. Tuesday saw him at Hastings, where a debate took place between the Wairoa and Hastings Clubs. Wednesday was spent at the Hawke’s Bay . A. and P. Show, concluding the day with his attendance at a meeting of the Northern Hawke’s Bay District Committee, presided over by Mr. W. J. Brownlie. Mr. Freeman then travelled to Wairoa on the 24th, on the night of which he addressed 24 members of the Wairoa Young Farmers’ Club, and on the following day he returned to Hawke’s Bay and addressed an enthusiastic meeting of 28 members of the Matapiro Club. The thanks of the various Young Farmers’ Clubs are due to Mr. Freeman for his entertaining and instructive addresses, and it is our desire that we may be favoured with another visit at an early date.

Football Match By H. J. POFF, Hon. Secretary, Methven Y.F.C. A FOOTBALL match between A Methven Y.F.C. (challengers) Methven Y.F.C. (challengers) and Hinds Y.F.C. was played on the Hinds football grounds, the teams being as follows: —■ Hinds. — Chisnail (captain), C. Bevin, J. Tait, E. Withell, D. G. Tait. K. McConnell, W. McConnell, G. Watson, R. Watson, M. Davidson, J. Gibb. T. Gibb, R. Ferriman, R. Reddicliffe. W. S. Keeley, and J. Proctor. Methven. Lock (captain), D. Campion, C. Middleton, T. Middleton, C. Watson, T. Green, D. McLaughlin, K. O’Reilly, P. O’Reilly, J. McKendry, E. Eddy, C. Body, H. Poff, A. Low, and H. Alexander. From the kick-off play was willing, and some fine individual efforts were seen. The Hinds pack held a small •advantage in weight, which began to tell on the Methven pack in the second spell, but this disadvantage was offset by the speedy Methven backs. A feature of the game was the solid tackling by both sets of backs. Methven won by 17 to 3. The referee was Mr. E. Newman. Scorers for Methven were P. O’Reilly,. two tries, C. Middleton, W. Lock, and A. Low, one try each; K. O’Reilly converted a try. J. Proctor scored the try for Hinds. ; ,

Among the Clubs: Reports on Activities

Western Southland. Orepuki.— business. Lecture by Mr. W. L. Harbord, Department of Agriculture, on “The Founding of the Linen Flax Industry." Eastern Southland. Balfour. — chosen to act as stewards at Gore A. and P. Show. Short speeches by two club members, “The Advantages of Run- ■ ning Cattle on a Sheep Farm" and “The Various Processes a Calf Goes Through at the Freezing Works.” South Otago. Clutha Valley.— held “That Tractors Are More Economical Than Horses.” G. Braid, W. Small, and J. Anderson took the affirmative, while the negative side was taken by D. Coll, R. Stirling, and A. Pannett. The latter team gained the decision. Clinton. General. Mr. H. Steel, Clinton, addressed the meeting on “Early History of South Otago." : Lawrence.— business. A talk was given by Mr. S. Bowie, his subject being “My Experiences in England.” Waripa.General. Mr. E. Holden, of Waiwera, gave an interesting and instructive demonstration of blade shearing and also discussed the way to roll fleeces. Central Otago. Roxburgh.The speaker for the evening was Mr. C. V. Dayus, Department of Agriculture, whose subject was “Milk Fever in Cows, Sheep, and Sows.” He also gave a short talk on “Increased Pig Production." 1 : Dunedin. South, Taieri. —New Secretary elected. Mr. A. Miller, of Maungatua, addressed the meeting on the subject of “Stock Judging.” West Taieri. —General. Mr. A. Miller gave a short address on “Stock. Judging Competitions.” Dance held for remainder of the evening. . North Otago. Five Forks. — open meeting held. The International Harvester Company’s talkie film shown by Messrs. Lyons and Neill. South Canterbury. —Decided to hold a combined Y.F.C. Farmers' Union and W.D.F.U. dance in aid of patriotic funds. The evening was spent in social activities. Pleasant Point. Report on Field Day held ’recently at Lincoln College. Two members gained places in stock judging at Timaru A., and P. ’ Show —A. Crombie, 3rd Sheep Judging, and A. Talbot, 3rd, Horse Jumping. Mr. A. Shipley, of the International Harvester Company, gave a talk on “Running Repairs and Maintenance of Farm Tractors.” Christchurch. Barfield. arrangements for stock judging competitions, to be held at Courtenay A. and P. Show. Barn Dance showed a profit of £9 3s. A lecture on “Coal Gas As Applied to Farm Tractors." Ellesmere. —General. Talk by Mr. J. Simpson on “Pig Keeping.” A Field Day was held recently in Christchurch. The party was conducted through the following factories:. Lichfield Shirt Co., Ltd., Bunting and Co. (Brush Manufacturers), I. H. Green and Co., Ltd. (Bacon Curers), and Woolston Tanneries, Ltd. (Leather Manufacturers) . ' North Canterbury. Scargill-Omihi.—Field Day to be held. Mr. Howarth spoke on “The Preparation of the Wool Clip."

Wairarapa. Carterton. address on “The Work -of the Various Divisions of the Department of Agriculture” was given by Mr. N. Lamont. At a previous meeting speakers were selected for the proposed debate with the W.D.F.U. Mr. F. Bettelheim, of Wairarapa Seed Company, lectured on “Potato Growing.” Martinborough.—General. Talks by club members on various agricultural topics. Horowhenua. Johnsonville. —Arrangements for Shearing Contest. Gifts to be sent to members on active service. Purchase of health stamps for use on correspondence. Discussions by club members on everyday farming problems. Manawatu. Feilding.— member elected. Annual Dinner to be held. Two teams entered ‘for Judging Competitions at Feilding Show. Arrangements made to hold a Patriotic Ball. Dr. Vernon gave a moving picture display depicting “Agricultural Work in Great Britain and on the Continent." Kimbolton-Kiwitea. —General' financial matters of club discussed. Report on shearing demonstration. Opiki.Business meeting. Rangiotu.—General. A lecture entitled “Stock Diseases—'Causes and Cures" was delivered by Mr. J. Hill-Motion, M.R.C.V.S. Rongotea.Shearing Field Day to be held. Two teams entered in Chisholm Shield Judging Competition. Third Annual Parents’ and Friends’. Evening. Club debate “That the Tractor Can Economically Supersede the Horse for General Farm Work.” Speakers: Affirmative, G. Pearson, K. Redmayne, and D. Lind. Negative, M. Lind, C. Hunt, and R. Hill. The affirmative side gained the decision. Mr. S. Freeman, Dominion Organising Secretary, also showed a number of films. Whakarongo.— arrangements for Field Day. Mr. L. Earl, Department of Agriculture, showed some films. Central Taranaki. —Eight entries received for Stack Building Competition. Notes for radio talk read. Trees planted as a Centennial Memorial. Mr. L. Knowles was the speaker for the evening. North Taranaki. Hillsborough-Tarurutangi.—General. Mr. D. LeC. Morgan (North Taranaki Farmers’ Union) gave an instructive address on “Methods of Farm Bookkeeping.” Field Day held at Katere Experimental Area. Demonstrations by Mr. J M. Hopkins, Department of Agriculture, included experiments showing the results obtained in (a) the sowing of pasture with different weights of seeds per acre; (b) use of various manures on pastures; and (c) spring and autumn sowings of grasses on plots ploughed, and on others just disced. Inglewood. General business.' Pilot Officer E. W. Barnett, Dominion Y.F.C. President, spoke on “Training Air Force Personnel.” Mangorei.— general discussion took place on the subject “The Value of Shelter to the Farmer.” At a previous meeting Mr. J. M. Hopkins, Department of • Agriculture, gave a lantern lecture on “Various Methods of Making Ensilage.” , Central Hawke’s Bay. Onga —General. Short talk by S. T. Carter on “Pampas. Grass.” Discussions took place on “Wool,” “Footrot in Sheep," and “Machine Milking Without, Stripping.” ■ C. Masters then read a ’ humorous article on “Farming.”

Northern. Hawke’s Bay. Meednee.—Greeting cards to be sent to all Y.F.C. clubs in the district. At a previous meeting Mr. A. D. Laing. Department of Agriculture, sppke on “Mastitis and Abortion.” He also mentioned something of farming conditions in South Africa. Putorino. — day arranged. Mr. Les. James gave a talk on “Farm Engines.” At a previous meeting Mr. Wilding, of New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Company, addressed the meeting on “Seeds, Grasses, and Clovers,” while C. Anderton, Club Secretary, spoke on “Fencing.", —General. Dr. R. B. Grey screened slides of his experiences during his recent “War Work in China,” and told members of the customs and conditions in China. Mr. Bernard Teague gave the first of his lantern lectures entitled “Seeing New Zealand With a .Camera.” Poverty Bay. Te Karaka.New member enrolled. Mr. S. Freeman, Dominion Organising Secretary, showed a number of talking films of topical interest. At previously unreported meetings Mr. F. Wise spoke on “His Trip Through U.5.A.," and Mr. E. M. Bates, Department of Agriculture, gave an address on “Growing of Pumpkins” and “Experiences of Piloting an Aeroplane.” Mr. G. M. Whitham lectured on “Herd Improving," while Mr. R. E. Alexander, Department of Agriculture, gave a talk on “Tuberculosis.” Eastern Bay of Plenty. —Business meeting. Western Bay of Plenty. Kati Kati. General discussion on various agricultural subjects. ' Te Puke.—General. An address by Mr. D. b. Ross on his tour of the British Isles in 1930. Waikato. —Lecture by Dr. N. Seigal, D.V.S., on "Stock Diseases on the Hauraki Plains. • Auckland. Clevedon.—General business. The speaker for the evening was Mr. H. Woodyear-Smith, who lectured on “Hay and Ensilage Making" and Illustrated his talk with several films. -At a previous meeting Mr. S. Freeman, Dominion Organising Secretary, addressed the meeting on “Y.F.C. Affairs,” and also showed a number of talking films of topical interest. . —Business meeting. . Harrisville. —A debate held, the subject being “That the Practical Farmer Has Done More for the Advancement of Farming than the Scientist." At a , previous meeting Mr. S. Freeman, Dominion Organising Secretary, presented a very interesting talking film display. Hunua.Business meeting. Warkworth. Wellsford.—General. A lecture was given by Mr. P. S. Syme, his subject being “Topdressing and the Maintenance of Good Grasslands." Whangarei. Kerikeri.General business. A report was given by Mr. P. Everett, Department of Agri- ’ culture, on “The Experiments Taking Place on Mr. H. P. Ritchie’s Passion Fruit Vines.” Five-minute talks by members. —Discussion on stock judging competitions at Spring Show. Field day held on Mr. I. McDonald’s property, which took the form of a lecture on “Feeding and Housing of Pigs on the Fattening Sty System.” Kaitaia.. Oruru. —.General business. Dance to be held.