The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1885. Farmers’ Clubs.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1471, 23 February 1885, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1885. Farmers’ Clubs.

A few years ago a great deal was said and written in Ashburton about cooperation. Its advocates, without encumbering their scheme with any minute details, avowed that it would prove the panacea for all commercial abuses and many social evils. The agitation in reference to the matter assumed considerable dimensions, but, as we predicted at the time, having been employed to sharpen several private axes —in one instance serving as a stepping stone to Parliament—it was allowed to sink into oblivion. To carry out such a principle of co-opera-tion (as then proposed) with success, there must be a large intelligent population with mutual trust, a considerable similarity of taste and some amount of capital. Even if all these elements were at hand in Ashburton, private enterprise and competition have already done much to remove the conditions that have given rise to co-operative stores and trading companies in older countries. But there is another species of co-operation surrounded by no formidable obstacles that has been adopted by agriculturists in other communities with marked advantage —we refer to Farmers’ Clubs. The different Agricultural and Pastoral Associations of this colony have accomplished much useful work, but they have labored more among results than causes; they have cultivated public taste and provided authoritative standards of excellence, but few of them have done much to promote agricultural knowledge or encourage an exchange of ideas between farmers and others immediately interested in the results of agricultural operations. In Oamaru, Kaiapoi, and some other districts, clubs have long been established where farmers meet periodically and discuss matters pertaining to their business ; papers are read and information and suggestions freely exchanged. By these means much unnecessary labor and many blunders are avoided. The experience and knowledge of one cultivator is made a benefit to others, and the same ground is not traversed over and over again in experimental research. The field open to such an association in a district like this is a very large one. The cost of a central meeting room, the establishment of an agricultural library, and even the employment of a secretary to conduct the routine business, and generally watch the interests of the members would not be large. Such a body would have far more weight than a greater number of isolated farmers can ever enjoy. The Government would offer every facility for the attainment of its objects, and its voice would on all matters relating to agriculture, trade practices, railway, and shipping customs receive the attention it deserved.