THE HAPPY FARMER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1872, 3 September 1918, Page 1

THE HAPPY FARMER.

BOON OF ELECTRIC ENERGY. ROSEATE FUTURE SKETCHED. The guest at the Otago Expansion League’s monthly luncheon recently was Mr A. W. Rodger, president of the Southland League, who delivered a hightly interesting address, in the courhe of which he drew a picture of a farming community, happy as well as prosperous, sharing many, of the amenities of city life, relieved of the present drudgery, and doubling the productivity of the Dominion. The genie of this new Aladdin’s lamp is electric energy. Mr Rodger said that the exodus from the country to the towns must he not only stopped, hut (he position entirely reversed, if increased production was to he effected and the credit of the country main'ta'ined. He was persuaded that to induce people lo return to the land two things were necessary —(1) that life in Ihe country he made more pleasant hv some such amenities as were employed hy city residents; and (2) (hat the methods of farming he made more efficient, with less drudgery and less dependence upon lured labour.. Electric energy would go far to solve these problems, and he was glad, in this connection, to say that he had, at least., every reason to believe that the measure he had explained to the Otago League on an earlier occasion, which would make it possible for every province or district to cany out its own electritica!ion scheme, it would he put upon the Statute Book during the coming session. Once this was done the universal application of electric energy was assured. By the simple* process of erecting a wire, power of untold capacity could he placed at the disposal of the farmer, and could he used for ploughing and cultivating the soil, harvesting and threshing the crops, pumping water for irrigation, milking, and churning, pasteurising and concent ruling, shearing, wooipressing, stimulating crops of cereals, giving greater and earlier yields of higher qualiries, free from the same outlay in capital labour. He was convinced that it was only necessary to place the power at the disposal of the farmers generally in order to have every implement required on (he farm propelled or hauled electrieallv. As one suggestion, he Avonid say that a 'machine Avould he devised that would in one operation so pulverise (he soil as to leave it in a similar condition lo that in which it now was after it had been ploughed, exposed to the weather for Aveeks, or even months, .disc hnrroAved, and (ine-harroAved. He Avould ask the league to contemplate the immense development of the country district.'* Ihc supply of electric energy Avould mean, and (lie immense direct benefits that would accrue to the people and country as a Avhole. So imbued with the possibilities in this direction Avere the people of Southland Hint Hie whole of their attention was being given to their development, and so confident of success were they that they Avere already going ahead Avith the survey work. “Once we have this unlimited energy,” he said, “farming Avill become more intense, giving the greatest possible yields and returns; and \ \ country life will be made attractive ami lucrative. In a Avord, electricity on the farm spells efficiency. Mr Rodger had a warm reception, and on Hie motion of the president (Mr Bothgate) was accorded the Otago League’s heartiest thanks.