The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Const Times. FRIDAY, JULY 25th, 1921. HELPING THE FARMER.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 July 1924, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Const Times. FRIDAY, JULY 25th, 1921. HELPING THE FARMER.

Tukkk is a very general desire on the

part of committees to help the farmer succeed with lus profitable avocation, that ho is a factor in the country's material progress is evidenced by the tigure.s disclosed lor the year's production off the land. The value in money of the produce of the country lia.s averaged nearly a million a week, or fifty millions for the year. It is well therefore for liberal help to be extended to assist and encourage the fanner to maintain and even increase the productivity of the land in use. The Government does a great deal in the desire to hoip the farmer individually hy personal instruction in the treatment of stock, herds and land, as well as the imparting of knowledge for fields’ produce and the finding of markets for surplus produce. The committees do their bit

also in promoting winter schools. Unfortunately the ell oll in this quarter did not receive the support from the farmer which was expected. The best lecturers in ibe Dominions were brought lietc for tin* instruction of the man 011 the land. Rut the funnel was conspicuous hy his absence. It is t;> he ho] ed the school in Greymoutli this week will lie more successful in seeming the attention <4 the limners, and that they "ill not he slow in picking up knowledge and instruction in their work. A Very large sum i.s spent hy the (omitry year hy year in maintaining its instructional department bn the farmer; This expenditure is to lie extended now hy the mining of a (hair of Agriculture to tile country's liabilities. In discussing the attention of farmers to the educational side at a Dominion Conference the other day. a prominent Government lecturer remarked that- lie noticed well-to-do farmers were generally iiiii.'c keen to put their soils into ] ralession.s than to see that they were soundly instructed in seiontilie knowledge nllVetiiig fanning pursuit*. This complaint applies to the farmers themselves as a whole, for exponent e shown they are not ready to avail themselves of oppmtunities often brought to their doors hy expert loetuiers to instruct them in various phases of I'arlning. A great deal of instruction mid information lias been given to the farmer ahoin herd testing, hut it is practiced hut little, yet herd-testing i.s the first-requisite movement to aid increased dairy production. There is no other resource of the Dominion better catered for than farming, and that being so. the farmers as a whole should respond more than they do to the desire to lend them friendly help to advaiuc their own and the national interests which attend their personal success. There is a very huge expenditure involved in the country's desire to help the farmers, and the more the settlers make it worth while the better all will he pleased with the expenditure,