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Hokitika Guardian, 14 February 1922, Page 2

The representative of the Workers’ Educational Association on the West I Coast, Mr H. Belshaw, M.A., was in town yesterday and interviewed the representatives of the Progress League in regard to the proposed winter school to beheld at Hokitixa in May. The school will be for a week starting somewhero aliout the 15th May, and in addition to Coast students will l>e attended by about 50 Canterbury students. In the forenoon, a Canterbury professor will give a half hour’s lecture on, say, pastures ; and another professor will give a lecture on the handling of stock or a dairy herd. Finally there will lie a general lecture of an hour on the economic side of farming, marketing of produce and so on. The afternoon session will be an excursion to a far m for practical hints in farm management and organisation, in respect to which two specially qualified scientists will attend to give expert information. The evening session will he devoted to recreative entertainment of a social character, thus filling in a good round day’s { work. Some of the best men from Canterbury College will attend for the lectures, and altogether the opportunity is a golden one for the young men on the land here to acquire knowledge at very little cost or personal sacrifice. The object is so commendable that the winter school should he pronounced success from the outset and secure wide support from the young men up and down Westland. • It is ft sign of the progressive timea in Westand to find that next week three race meetings are to he held in the southern district. From time to time in t]ip past these country gather- .

ings have been recurring, but this year the Clubs are fully organised under the rules of racing and the meetings will be held in orthodox style. The first to hold a meeting will be the old established Club at Okarito, followed by the newly formed Club at Wataroa, and winding up with the IntGr-Wan-ganui meeting nt Hari Httri. Substantial stakes are to be given fob these will be more marked in the immediate country meetings, and no doubt many well bjred horsds will be attracted south. There is a healthy rivalry not only between* the clubs, but also between individual settlers who are anxious to win the laurel wreath of victory. , The southern district has made substantial progress of late. Its progress future. With the opening of the through railway to Christchurch, a great impetus will be given to the stocktrade. Markets will be more stable and prices better assured. If prices are not acceptable on the Coast there is the larger and surer market through the hills, and the stock can be quickly and cheaply railed. Dairy and other produce can be got away promptly to cool storage, and so will be shipped away in a better quality. Altogether with the great increase in the tourist traffic and the opening up of the southern district now assured by the bridging of the southern rivers, the district south of Hokitika seems to have nothing hut growing prosperity ahead of it.