Wairarapa District Debating Final Won by Carterton Club

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 62, Issue 3, 15 March 1941, Page 209

Wairarapa District Debating Final Won by Carterton Club

D EBATING ability of a high standard was displayed by teams from the Carterton and Alfredton clubs in the final of the district debating competition. The subject of the debate was, “That the Practical Farmer has Contributed More to the Advancement of Agriculture than the Scientist.” Taking the affirmative, the Carterton team was ably led by B. Brasell, whose main contention was that farming had been advanced for many thousands of years by practical farmers before the scientist even began to direct his attention to the subject. He also suggested that during the relatively short period over which science had begun to affect farming it had done almost as much to destroy as to improve farming efficiency, and gave as instances the disruptive effect on agriculture of the industrial revolution in England, and the destructive power, of scientific warfare. This argument was extended by A. Fisher and W. Campin, the former pointing out that, even where scientific discoveries had aided agriculture, it still remained for the practical farmer to apply these to the advancement of the industry. W. Campin, who ably criticised some of the claims of his opponents, particularly stressed the enormous advances made in animal breeding, to which the scientist admitted that he had made little contribution. ' . Leading the negative argument for Alfredton, T. Shirtcliff contended that it was unfair to revert back to the “dark . ages,” and that the argument should refer only to the period of, say, the last 100 years over which scientific research and investigation had concerned itself with agriculture. It was over this period that the greatest advances had been made, and these were due largely to the development of mechanisation, which in turn was made possible by scientific research. He claimed that the development of artificial fertilisers, which was entirely to

the credit of the scientist, was alone almost sufficient to establish his case. In support, A. Heckler dealt chiefly with the advances made in veterinary science, and stressed the enormous benefit of disease control, and even the use of disinfectants alone, which had been made possible by the science of ‘ bacteriology. Although admitting that perhaps little had been done to assist the animal breeder, S. Ross dealt at length with advances in the science of plant breeding, which had so' enormously increased the productivity of our crops and pasture lands, and which had made possible the seed certification scheme. In his summing up, T. Shirtcliff claimed that the practical farmer himself admitted the claims of science whenever any epidemic or similar trouble occurred by immediately calling in the aid of the scientist. In his final remarks for the affirmative, B. Brasell maintained that all the bene-

fits conferred by science on agriculture over the past 50 years were still insufficient by far to outweigh the steady practical progress made by the farmer from the time when the first primitive hunter began to domesticate instead of hunt his animals. The judge, Mr. J. Tier, Wairarapa College, in giving the decision in favour of the Carterton team by 194 points to 171, complimented the speakers on their performance, and gave some valuable criticism which must materially assist the debaters on future occasions.

Mid-Canterbury Stock Judging

By

R. INCH,

District Y.F.C.

• Secretary. THE annual district Y.F.C. stock judging competition was held recently at the Ashburton A. & P. Show,

and was a great success. The Corriedale sheep were kindly supplied by Mr. R. D. Cochrane, and the Romneys by Mr. W. T. Lowe, to both, of whom thanks of the clubs are due for their generous support.

This year teams of four members competed for the inter-club competition, two members judging each of the two breeds. Eight teams were entered by the various clubs, and competition was very keen. Hinds Club

were again successful in this event, their A team, consisting of B. Simmons, E. Withell, A. McKenzie and D. G. Tait, being the winners. In the individual competition D. G. Tait and E. Withell scored highest points, and were placed first equal.