YOUNG FARMERS

Evening Star, Issue 21752, 21 June 1934, Page 5

YOUNG FARMERS

EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL COURSE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON'S PROGRAMME A variety of attractions were provided yesterday afternoon for the young farmers who are at present in Dunedin attending the educational and cultural course organised by Mr A. C. Cameron. “ EVOLUTION OF THE HORSE.” At the Museum the party assembled in the main lecture room, where Dr Benham delivered a most interesting address on ‘ The Evolution of the Horse,’ illustrated by lantern slides and models. Dr Benham first drew comparisons between the structure of man, the horse, and dog, showing the difference between the bone formation of the feet of man and the dog. He then showed a photograph of the earliest known horse called the Dawn Horse, which had three toes on each foot. Another photograph showed a reconstructed specimen of a horse discovered some 3,000 years later than the Dawn Horse, which, although it had three toes, had the middle one much larger than the side toes. He then showed a photograph of the fossil remains of a horse discovered in America, which was one-toed, known as the Scott’s Horse. Dr Benham showed the gradual evolution of the foot of the horse from five toes to the existing state of one toe or hoof. He also illustrated the evolution of the horse’s tooth. He explained how geologists assisted the biologists by establishing the age of the fossil remains. He explained how. these fossil remains were kept intact# throughput the years.,, The earliest known variety of horse is estimated to Ire about 1,000,000 years old. Some sketches made by prehistoric man were shown on the screen. These were estimated to be 11,000 years old. and it was pointed out that the sketches showed a marked resemblance to the Asiatic wild horse 1 of to-day. At the conclusion of his address. Dr Benham answered numerous questions, and was accorded a vote of thanks on the motion of Mr George Grant (Outram). ‘THE MAORIS OF OTAGO.’ Before conducting the party on a tour of the Maori section of the Museum, Mr H. D. Skinner spoke briefly on the subject of the Maoris of the southern end of the South Island. He traced the origins of the race back to Polynesia, and dealt in passing with the arrival of the first Maoris in New Zealand and then turned to the history of those who settled south of the Waitaki River. They encountered many difficulties in their new country, one of the chief among which was their inability to coax the plants and roots which they had brought with them to grow in this part of the dominion. They lived a lean sort of existence, but contrived finally to acclimatise themselves and to victual themselves with the help of trading in different commodities. One of their industries was the export of moa flesh to the North Island, a trade which had its modern echo in the mutton bird trade which was peculiar to the South Island. At the end of about 100 years the moas gave out, and the Maoris had to find another staple industry. This they found,in greenstone, and for many years large quantities fcf this were sent to the North Island. The greaterpart of the greenstone in New Zealand came from Otago, and the particularfield was at the head of. Lake Wakatipu, in the Dart Valley. Of course, iir a region where subsistence was so hardly won it was not surprising that the race should not develop very rapidly. In fact, the population of the South Island could be found mostly in the coastal areas, especially in the winter time. The Maoris frequently penetrated further inland, but not to make a permanent home. Some tracks made by them in their- wanderings over the province were still in existence, the principal one being that which followed the course of the Waitaki Riverup to the Lindis and on to Wanaka and thence across the Haast Pass to the West Coast. This had been mapped, and, thanks to the work of enthusiastic students of early Maori history in this province, among whom was Mr F. Waite, it had been pegged and named. The introduction of the potato into Otago about the beginning of the nineteenth century was a great boon to the Maoris in their struggle to keep body and soul together, more' especially as it grew very well, but the race was doomed from the start iir the south. Epidemics swept over it with tragic effect, measles and influenza taking a heavy toll. The population was cut down alarmingly, and it, never recovered. Since 1840 there had been no appreciable increase in the number of Maoris in Otago, the total then being about 500. In fact, today, although it was generally considered that the population was about 500", he doubted whether there were a dozen full-blooded Maoris in the province. Mr W. Guffie (Miller’s Flat) thanked Mr Skinner on behalf of the visitors for his interesting address, and the party then inspected the Maori section. where Mr Skinner explained some of the more important features, such as the big war canoe and the Maori house. MESSRS ARTHUR BARNETT LTD. At Messrs Arthur Barnett Ltd.’s the manager, Mr S. Lawn, welcomed the party and briefly explained to them how a big retail business is run. Messrs Arthur Barnett Ltd., he said, had stocks of well over £IOO,OOO and a staff of 150. All the time they had to order in advance and anticipate as far as possible the volume of business and the type of season that they could expect. As far as their country business was concerned, it was largely a mail order business, as they kept no travellers on the road. The party was then split into groups and conducted throughout all the departments of the firm. Great interest was shown in the counting house, where money was received through the tubes and change despatched back to the saleswomen. Parties were conducted through the model gown, manchester, and other departments, and through the office. At the conclusion, each member of the party was presented with a souvenir leather case. On the motion of Mr John Lee Roy (Wairuna) the staff of Messrs Arthur Barnett Ltd. were accorded a very cordial vote of thanks. FERTILISER WORKS. In the evening the parti- were conducted by motor bus to the Dominion Fertiliser Works at Ravensbourne, where they were received by the manager (Mr H. D. Kerr) and assistant manager (Mr Trend). The lads were

then conducted though the works and shown every process. At the conclusion supper was provided iu the spacious dining rooms, and the party was briefly addressed by Messrs Kerr and Trend, who elabox*ated upon many of the things seen, and who explained something of the important part fertilisers played in the development of agriculture. Mr Andrew Pauuett CClydevale) and Mr J. A. Ballingall (Palmerston) replied on behalf of the party, and warmly thanked the management for the interesting time and hospitality accorded them.