Y.F.C. LEADERSHIP EVENING

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 40, 23 April 1948, Page 5

Y.F.C. LEADERSHIP EVENING

Meaty Course Of Instructive Lectures

Describing farming as the oldest and most honourable calling in the-world', Mr Donald S. Ross, a past Dominion president -and present patron of the Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs, appealed to young farmers present at the “leadership evening” at Awakeri on Tuesday, to take their responsibilities seriously and try to fit f themselves for that finest of all /occupations. LjVTr Ross was one of seven lectureach of whom dealt instructively With some aspect of club management and the responsibility of membership and office, and the evening, organised by the Eastern Bay of Plenty District committee of Young Farmers’ Clubs, should prove of considerable ultimate value. Though space today permits only a very brief summary of the lectures given; the Beacon has arranged to publish their full texts as a series. Opening the proceedings, the District Chairman, Mr J. M. Barr, thanked the speakers and the district/secretary, Mr E. R. Marryatt, for /their contributions to the even--3rig-!) A' Is Formality Desirable Discussing the question “Is formality. ■djesirable at club meetings?” the District Secretary, Mr E. R. Marryatt/said a meeting orderly in arrangement was very likely to be

an ojiclerly meeting, and a chairman who dressed correctly and spoke qlearly and with authority always load a better chance of commanding Respect than one who was slipshod \in dress and mapner. Formal procedure got the business of a meetring through quickly and efficiently. The meeting expressed its agreewith the point of view the speaker had expressed by passing A motion that formality is desirable at club meetings. tHints To Chairmen j Qualities of leadership, patience, forbearance and tact were essential £o efficient chairmanship, said Mr W. Murray, delivering a lecturette f/Hints - to - club chairmen,” prepared toy Mr lan Gow, who was, unfortunately unable to be present. The ’very first requirement was a full fand accurate knowledge of the objects and procedure of the organisation of which one was chairman. ‘■‘Be firm, be fair, be fearless,’ Mr . Gow advised, and with those words guidance, foundations of good would be soundly laid. He emphasised the last, because he claimed without moral courage a chairman could be neither firm nor fair. It was his task to procure from the collective wisdom present the best possible results in the shortest possible time. Efficient Secretaryship On .“How to be an efficient club secretary,” Mr A. V. Alio, district secretary, Western Bay of Plenty, pointed out that it usually took quite a time to elect a'secretary at an annual meeting. It -was an exacting job, but one that carried rich rewards in the satisfaction it could give to the man who was prepared to make a job of it. The efficient secretary should be thorough, conscientious, prompt ki all his work. He should give immediate attention to matters such as minutes and correspondence. The keen secretary made it his job to try to do everything He get the sporadic attendees to attend regularly. He should never gp to. a meeting without a properly prepared agenda. It was absolutely necessary to keep notes of what wesst on. To write minutes from raemesry was to ask. for trouble. Acciirrate seeords were essential. Proper fUjng was also of first-rank importance. Moreover, in an educational' organisation such as the Y.F.C., the good saeretary should see that something more than mere business happened at meetings. The educational angle should be kept steadily in mind. Looking After The Cash Mr N. H. E. Hockifc, A.R.A.N.Z., Whakatane, gave briqf instruction for club treasurers. Be stressed the importance of keeping intact eomplete records of anything t&at had a bearing on his finances. He must keep close liasdn with the chairman and the seorerffery. Receipts should be is94*eß tttfffiout delay and all monies bahtgjeli promptly. All records musfc kept meticulously up-to-date. fhr as receipt books were equsfeKßed, the best type was fhe &&& cartoon copies and serial ntmibqiiß, preferably with a stamped tit fluted record of the organisation correct designation. All should be in ink, and a proper £©& d? book# should carry the entfitfSi The treasurer should go to every meeting armed with his cash book and prepared to presen l a financial statement of the club’s affair se v“i that date. Generally speaking* accounts should be passed for pp.y-mgnt by a meeting of s the committsfe. He concluded whth some details on, the preparation of an annual financial statement. Members’ ResponsMiftes Dealing with the duties of private members, Mr D. S. Ross Stressed the immense responsib&EHgp of the rank and file of any organisation. All members, whether office bear•ers or not, should them-

selves with and endeavour to live up to the aims and objects of the organisation. That was the paramount importance, and the duty that naturally followed was to see that those aims and objects were put into effect. Further, it was essential for private members to give careful consideration to the election of officers, satisfying themselves that the candidates had more to commend them than mere popularity. Then, having elected their officers, the private members should give those officers their loyal cooperation. The majority of members should attend meetings regularly, and should make a point of punctuality and apologies for absence. Private members, moreover, should regard it as a duty to accept responsibility and even to take office, unless they had a legitimate excuse for refusal. All members, and particularly young members, should be encouraged to take part in discussions. The placq for criticism was at meetings. Finally, he reemphasised the value of the club spirit and co-operation with the chairman and officers. Leadership

“Leadership” was the subject of the lecturette delivered by Mr C. R. Wilson, Edgecumbe. He defined it as a guiding influence, service to a cause and willingness to accept responsibility. It was all very well to be able to paddle one’s . own canoe, but it was important to know how to navigate it. A leader might at times find it necessary to compromise on the principle that half a loaf was better than no bread, but he should never compromise where it meant abandoning a principle. It should be borne in mind that no leader could lead farther or faster than the average intelligence of his followers would allow. There were only two ways in which leadership cpuld be accepted—the right way, “what can I do to help?” and. the wrong way, “what am I going to get out of it?” Material For Publication Hints on preparing material for publication were given by Mr D. C. Stevens, editor of the Beacon, who stressed the importance of clear handwriting or typing, liberal spacing and getting the real substance of the report as near the beginning as possible. He also pointed out that news was only news while it was fresh and that obvious routine matters like the reading of minutes need not be mentioned unless they had bearing on real news, such as an argument concerning minutes that were not confirmed.

Mr E. B. Granville, assistant Fields Superintendent, Department of Agriculture, Auckland, stressed the importance of discussion from the eduoational point of view. He urged clubs to use their advisory members to full advantage. He congratulated the chairman and secretary on the organisation of the meeting and complimented the speakers on their addresses.