TRAINING YOU SOLDIERS.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 February 1920, Page 4

TRAINING YOU SOLDIERS.

WORK AT PENROSE FARM,

MASTERTON, Feb. 3,

The Penrose training farm for solditrs was visited to-day by representatives of the local Repatriation Couunittee. The farm, comprising 700 acres, is situated at East Taratahi, seven miles from Masterton, and is approached by a good road. The visitors were particularly impressed by the residential accommodation provided for the twenty-one men at present undergoing a four months’ course of instruction. The buildings have been brought from Featherston camp and have been reerected on a high piece of ground near the farm entrance. Each man occupies a separate cubicle and lias the use of a fine large dining-room and a sittingroom measuring 32 feet square. A billiard table, piano, gramaphone, and a number of upholstered chairs are included in the luxuries provided. Batlis and showers and hand basins are connected up with a hot water service. Electric light generated on the farm is installed throughout the buildings. Further accommodation is now in the course of erection, and will be available in about a mouth’s time. Under the supervision of Captain Tilley, a general syllabus of instruction is gone through by the men working in parties of three or four. They spend a week each in gaining practical knowledge under special instructors of the following branches of farming: Dairying, pigs, ploughing, sheep, fencing, gardening, poultry, draining, and general work. Though the farm has been in existence for only four or five months it has already reached an advanced stage of development. Lucerne and rape are coming on well and the vegetable garden is by no means behind in its crop. A prominent feature of the farm aro the dairy and cow bails. Both are under one roof and, like the cowyards, have concreted. floors. Twenty-five cows are put through at each milking, and the system employed is sanitary from beginning to end. From the machine the milk is passed into a releaser, thence into a special tank, from which it is eventually drawn for separation. From first to last none of the milk is handled. Water flows continually along special channels in the floor and free use is made of it.

Each week special lectures are given by Government experts on one of tlie following isnbjetcts: Veterinary work, ■wool classing, milk testing, and agriculture.