FARMERS' OUTING

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21414, 5 March 1935, Page 5

FARMERS' OUTING

♦ VISIT TO LYTTELTON HARBOUR ENJOYABLE DAY AS GUESTS OF BOARD A field day in Lyttelton, organised by the Waimairi Farmers' Union, which -was held yesterday, proved most successful, and more than 160 persons, including representatives of the Kaiapoi and Yaldhurst Farmers' Unions, and the Marshland, Belfast, anS Styx-Harewood branches of the Women's Division of the Farmers' Union spent a most enjoyable day as the guests of the Lyttelton Harbour Board.

Tha party was met on arrival at Lyttelton by the Mayor, Mr W. T. Lester, and the chairman of the harbour board, Mr E. J. Howard, M.P., who welcomed them to the town. The visitors were then conducted through the board's No. 5 grain-store, where a large amount of wheat, including some of last season's, is in store. They next saw wool being "dumped" by the powerful presses in the store of the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company. The loading of the New Zealand Shipping Company's big motor-liner Rangitiki with meat and wool was watched with interest by the visitors, and they also made a brief inspection of the ship at the invitation of the captain. Boarding the tug Lyttelton, the party had lunch. A visit to the new oil-wharf and the Shell Oil Company's bulk installation followed, Mr J. P. Stewart, the Shell Company's superintendent at Lyttelton, giving an interesting talk on the methods of storing petrol and oil in bulk, and the precautions taken to guard against fire. Later in the afternoon they boarded the tug once more, and were taken out to the dredge, which was working in the middle of the harbour. The sea was so calm that the vessls came side by side, the excursionists transferring from the tug to fne dredge in mid-harbour. The working of the vessel was explained in full to them, and they were given an opportunity of seeing the dredge discharge at the reclamation ground. The party boarded the tug once more, and were taken to No. 7 wharf, where about 30 disembarked, and were shown over the graving dock, the New Zealand Shipping Company's wool-store, and the board's cool-store, returning by an earlier train. The others were taken for a trip round the harbour by the tug, and this proved one of the most enjoyable features of the day. At the conclusion of luncheon

aboard the tug, Mr S. Farquhar, president of the branch, thanked the members of the Harbour Board for their hospitality. Thank? was also expressed by Mr A. J. Rich, of the Kaiapoi branch of the union, Mr W. T. Franks, ol the Yaldhurst branch, Mrs W. Guthrie, representing the Belfast branch of the Women's Division of the Farmers' Union, Mrs W. H. Parkes, representing the Marshland division, and Mrs R. Jones, representing the Styx-Hareward Division.