YOUNG FARMERS OFFICERS

Chronicle (Levin), 15 May 1946, Page 3

YOUNG FARMERS OFFICERS

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF WEUjIIN G'A'OpJ UOOhJClii. The annual general ineeting of the Wellington Council of the New Zealand k'ederauon of Yonng 1' arineis ' Ciubs was held in Palmerston JNTorth yesterday, Mr. J. L. Sunderland (Central nawke's -Bay) presiding. The aniluai report of tlie council indicatcd that the outlook for the future of tlie Y.F.C. movement was brigliter than since the outbreak of the "vvar uliicli brought the following difticulLies: — (1) Dcjdetion of membersliip due to the number serving in the Armed Porces; ( 2 ) extra work for those remaining ou the farmsj and, (3) the petrol shortage. The council stated that thanks were due those members who had keyit the organisation alive. The increased interest in Y.F. clubs was indicated by figures showing the position in 1941 and today as follows: — JS'orth Taranaki one club in 1941 comparcd with 12 today; South Taranaki 2 — t, AVanganui 1 — 7, Manawatu 7 — 15, Horowhenua 1 — 2, Wairarapa 3 — 5, fSouth II.B. 1 — 7, Central H.B. 0 — G, Northern H.B. 0 — 2, Povcrty Bay 1 — 2, the totals bciug 14 — 02. The report stated that pre-war the district had 78 of the Doininion's 208 clubs. Today the proportion was G2 out of 186. Tiio report eontimied: "The revival campaign of district clubs and comniitlees had boon the undcrlying theine of all aclivities, and that two of the major activities were the education week and the radio session." In conncction with education week the report exprcssed the hope that it woukl be niade an aninuil allair and that otlior districts would follow tlie lead set by the ilanawatu district coiitmittee. 1 ii eoiMiection with-^lie radio session Ihe ciiairiuan thankeu those who had helped, especially II r. Lithgow, tlie council secretary, IVlr. I. Tabor i'or acting as aniiouncer, and all who prepared or dtlivered talks. The repoit coiitinued: "Tlie coiun'i] ehould mako out. a progranunc of activities iucludiiig tours, rcciproral visits, jdobating, stock judging, shearing, dogIrials and sports. The |»ast ycar has secn a very rapid growth in nteinbership bul, cven so, only 10 per cent of the eligible population are taking part in the activities. Eacli club sliould hold a road bv road aurvcv. "I would like to place emphasis on the district coinmittc-e as the niost important unit of tlie organisation. I [suggest 100 clubs with an active menibership of 25 iis the target for the ensuiug 12 months, " said the chiiirman who, in conelusion, thanked all members of tlie council for their coopera(iou during his term of oftice. Hc specially mentioned the work of Mr. Lithgow, (hc secretary, Mr. Hamblyn and other oflicers of the departmcnt. Election of Ofiicer». The elcetion of oflicers resulted as uiider: — Patron, Mr. W. P. McLaren (Wairarapa); chairman, Mr. D. G. Me-Laug-hlan (Wairarapa). There were two nominations for the position of chairman, the other being for Mr. S. Kichardson (Manawatu). Yicc-cliair-meu, Mr. lliehardson and Mr. J. N. Brownlie (Wairoa). There were four nominations. Co opted members of the council clected were Mcssrs .1. II. Bremner, II. McKeuzic, G. McDonuld, S. G. Avery, A. C. Buist, W. A. Jaequcs, who is to be thanked for his lielp, and G. ,T. Graig. Mr. Buist was elected as the advisory delegate on the Dominion execulive. Messrs If. MeJven'/.ie, I. Tabor and K. Tait were appointed substitute advisory members. The active members of the Dominion' executive appointed wero Messrs S. Jtichardson and J. TI. DaJrymple. The meeting decided against appointing a delegate to Ihe Junior Chamber of Commerce. M r. Lithgow gave a survcv of the position in each of the districts and his report indicated solid progress in cvery district. Keferring to the radio session, he saiu it was costing the ecuneil £60 a ycar and it was for delegates to say whether they considered tlie talks worth wliat it was costing. Mr. McLaren said he listened in last Friday but wasted his tiine. Later he niade inquiries and found that recepjtion was very poor in the Wairarapa. Anotlier speaker said reception was poor last Fridav in Marton but that it was usually good. Purther up, kowever, the talks could not be lieard. Mr. Sunderland said the time had arrived Jwheu investigations sliould be made. His considered opinion was that the council, ovcr the wholc area, was not getting value for tlie £60. Mr. S. Avery considered the sessions were playing an important part in reviving the Y.F.C. ino vernon t. Ile tliought they sliould be coiitinued in the nieantime. Mr. Mills (Central Hawke's Bay) said hc had not lieard the session in liis district, Ihe erason lic tliought, being that reception was ])Oor in that district. It was moved and carried that the session be coiitinued in tiro mcautiine but that inquiries be made and the inatter discussed at. the next meeting. A remit from AVanganui that the talks bo jmblished in book form, was next dealt with and Mr. Malcolm Gray seyen-a-side football. Other suggestions moved, and Mr. Avery seconded a niotion that the reconimendation be given cffect to. After discussion it was rcHflvcd to hold tlie mattcr ovcr for discu&Mion at the uexl, meeting. A further remit from AVanganui also adopted, was "That, Ihe council should uvge the N.Z. Federation of Yonng Fanuers ' Clubs to approach the National Broadcasting authorities with a view to arrauging for the recording of selccted Y.F.C. radio talks, such rocordiugs to be lorwardcd to Fngland for rebroadcasl iug under arrangemeuts with the B.B.C. Iu tliis eonnecLion, it was considered that matters pertaiuing to the Y.FiO. movement in New Zealand and of interest to the Y.F.C. movement througliout Grcat Britain, could thus be conypyed • to Y.F. members in the Homelakd- in reciprocation for suggested ar-rangOi-'lbnfs thatt he B.B.C. should include session in its overseas sliort wave brpadcast servicc. A proposal ' that education week shculd be' held in three centres, oue being for Taranaki, an other for tho Wanganui - Manawatu - Horowhenua - Wairarapa area, and tlie third for Hawke's Bay, was discusse'd at lengfch and favourobly. The question of the purchase of army equipment for tliese weeks was also discussed and it was ' resolved that the education week corn-

miKee should bring down a report covering the week and Ihat the Auckland council should be asked to give au opinion. A vote of tlianks to ihe Manawatu District Committec for staging the education week was moved by Mr. Grav, who said the success of it had been a sure indication of the interest yonng farmors were taking in the movement, and Mr. Sunderland, who specially mentioned the work of Mr. Chamberlain and Mr. Lithgow. . Mr. Tabor, for the committee, said tlie mcn who liad worked on the comniittce had been more than repaid for thcir efforts. Remit From Manawatu. Manawatu recoinmended that the council draw up a ftill plan of council activities, submitting it to tlie^ district eommittees to organise. The" idea was adopted and AYanganui was suggested for debating, and Manawatu for were that Soutliern Hawke's Bay be the venue for slieep dog trials, Central Hawke's Bay, shearing, and AYairarapa, stock judging. District eommittees are to be written asking if they would cooperate.