YOUNG FARMERS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 12, 31 March 1947, Page 6

YOUNG FARMERS

VISIT TO HOROT3U Travelling by special bus and private car 44 members of Young Farmers’ Clubs of the Whakatane and Opotilci Counties (Eastern Bay of Plenty district) accompanied by some older farmers attended the gathering of some 400 farmers at the Auckland Farmers’ Freezing Coy.’s Works at Horotiu on Monday last. The occasion was the judging on the hooks of the Bay of Plenty Y.F.C. Porker Competition which was judged on the hoof at the recent Summer Shows. The Waikato Porker Competition judging was held in conjunction and the prizes for both competitions were presented by Lord Bledisloe. One of the most memorable parts of the day was the very fine address given by that grand old man. Although over eighty he is extraordinarily well preserved in body and mind and he had the diligent attention of every man in the crowded woolstore where the prize-giving was held. Spontaneous approval of the points made was only exceeded by the sincere applause tendered to the speaker when he sat down. Lord Bledisloe said that he is in New Zealand on a goodwill mission from Britain but he was addressing that gathering of pig keepers as a fellow pig keeper. He congratulated New Zealand on the very noticeable improvement in quality of pigmeat which has been made but deprecated the decrease in quantity. He stressed the urgency of Britain’s need for foodstuffs, mainly meat and fats both present in pigmeat, and explained what has been a puzzle to many New Zealanders, why Britain should give some of her slender rations to British-occu-pied Germany. This, Lord Bledisloe said, was a simple humanitaranism, and solely to prevent starvation of our former enemies. Britain’s own need was desperate but Germany’s even more so. He appealed to New Zealand pig keepers to produce more pigmeat for export. A following speaker suggested that this could well be done if every farmer mater one more sow than he had intended during the next few weeks. The results of the Bay of Plenty Y.F.C. Porker Competition were as follows: Bay of Plenty Shield for Young Farmers’ Clubs: W. F. Martelli, Reparoa Y.F.C. (Eastern Bay of Plenty District Committee). Pig Council Cup, Eastern Bay: W. F. Martelli, Reparoa Y.F.C. Pig Council Cup, Western Bay: J. McDowell, Paengaroa Y.F.C.