YOUNG FARMERS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 183, 6 July 1937, Page 9

YOUNG FARMERS

CAMP OPENS IN CITY. OVER 300 VISITORS. “I have no fear of the future of this primary producing country when I survey to-night the stamp of tbe young farmers before me,” said Mr H. J. Lancaster, president of the Manawatu Young Farmers’'Club, in extending a welcome, in Palmerston North last evening, to over 300 members of young farmers’ organisations who have been drawn from almost all quarters of the North Island to participate in a full week’s programme of instruction and entertainment in the Manawatu district.

“The farmers are the backbone of the country; everything we see around us comes from farming,” added Mr Lancaster. “The destiny of the future is in your hands.” The members are encamped in tbe halls at the Showgrounds and arc finding the experience of living under army camp conditions, with, of course, certain added comforts and privileges., both novel and exciting. The Young Farmers’ Club movement is a comparatively new one, but some idea of the progress made can be gathered from the fact that no fewer than 33 clubs are represented, members being present from north of Auckland, Taranaki, forty miles beyond Gisborne, and the Wairarapa. The full list of clubs is as follows: — Te Kuiti, Apiti, Ballance. Norsewood, Halcombo, Featherston, Ivnitaia, Shannon, Te F raka, Kaponga, Rangiwnhia, Pongaroa Kniranga, Rongotea, Wairoa. Tinui, Woodville. Mangatainoka, Carterton, Otaki, Te Horo, Mnrtinborougli, Levin, Kimbolton, Iviwitea, Masterton, Bulls, Waimarino. Cardiff. Ekctalmna, Linton. Tolaga Bay, Gisborne, Greytown, Rangiotu, Te Anga, Nuhaka, and Takapau. On Thursday evening next the camp will be visitocl bv the Minister of Agriculture. Hon. W. Lee Martin, who will have dinner with tbe young farmers and later address them. The programme drawn up is in every way attractive and covers every type of farming operation.

At a short function last evening a warm welcome to the city and district was extended to the young visitors by the president of the Manawatu district club, Mr Lancaster, who is an enthusiast for the movement and sees in it tremendous possibilities. He apologised for the absence 'of the Mayor (Mr A. E. Mansford;, who had been engaged at a City Council meeting, and on his behalf said the members had a warm welcome to Palmerston North. “I hope that this week will be an outstanding success both from an educative and entertainment point of view,” Mr Lancaster added. “The _ movement is only in its infancy in this country, but, sponsored as it is by the Department of Agriculture, it is going to grow into a verv big thing.” . It was going to be the training ground for good farmers, and farming had become such that only good farmers would stand the test in the future, declared Mr Lancaster, who appealed to those present to grasp every opportunity to learn and go hack to their clubs and teach the other members what they had learnt. Mr Lancaster mentioned that through the courtesy of the City Council the Coronation illuminations had been left up in the halls for the Young Farmers’ Educational "Week, and he called for three cheers for the council, which were heartily given. Mr C. J. Hamblyn, of the Fields Division of the Department of Agriculture, announced that two cups had been donated, one for camp tidiness, and the other by Mr C. G. Cope, for sports competitions, and cheers were given the donors. Mr Hamblyn spoke of the camp routine, and this was further enlarged on by Mr A. M. Galpin, of the Department of Agriculture, who is the organisiug-secretary for the camp. Colonel J. H. Whyte, who, along with Sergeant-Major Ryan, will judge the camp tidiness competition, explained the system of judging, and appealed to the young men to enter into the spirit of the competition. “It is thought in some quarters, you know, that farmers are the most nntidv people in the world,” added Colonel Whyte, amid laughter, “and you have a glorious opportunity to show the people of Palmerston North that such an opinion is wrong.” Colonel Whvte offered a few hints, based on his military knowledge, on how to get added comfort in camp life.

GROWTH OF MOVEMENT. Mr S. Freeman, organising-secrc-tary for New Zealand of the Youlig Farmers’ Clubs’ Federation, said that the movement was already 3000 strong and there were 61 clubs in the North Island and 61 in the South. “But it is not going to stop there; the movement is growing every day,” he said. Mr Freeman mentioned the recent tour of tlie Bay of Plenty clubs, who bad visited Palmerston North, and outlined details of an Educational Week to be held in Wellington in the near future. He appealed to members to grasp the full opportunities of the visits to other places and to learn as much as they could of the new science of farming. Mr Cope, who was responsible for tbe two fine trophies being given, also briefly addressed the gathering giving visitors a warm welcome to the city.

Details of camp organisation were then gone into and a motion picture entertainment was enjoyed. The camp time-table is as follows: Reveille. 6.45 a.m. ; breakfast, 7.30 a.m. ; illicit, 12.15 p.m.; dinner, 6.30 p.m.; supper, 10 p.m. This morning the party visited the Government seed testing station and inspected the seed-cleaning plant nt Messrs Barraud and Abraham’s premises. later going through Messrs Cook’s box factory. This afternoon the Plant Research Station and the Dairy Research Institute were visited. To-night a lecture on animal diseases will be given by Mr F. C. Flphick. Government veterinarian stationed at Palmerston North.

The programme for the remainder of the week is as follows: Wednesday.—Visit to flax mill near Foxton and later inspect woolpaek and bag factory. Luncheon arranged by the Foxton Chamber of Commerce. 2 p.m.: Leave Foxton; visit Mr M. Voss’s property, Tvarero (demonstration on Romney sheep), and Mr J. Callesen’s property (pedigree white clover seed area).

Thursday.—9 a.m. in 12 noon: •Showgrounds pavilion, demonstration by members of the staff of Massey Agricultural College on College selected stock (sheep, Rvelands . and Southdowns; cattle. Polled Aligns, Eriesians. Jerseys and Ayrshires); demonstration of half-bred Ryelnnd sheen by AH E. W. Harnett, Tokorangi; demonstration of pigs, under the auspices of the Manawatu-Oroua Pig Recording Club (Messrs E. P. Nielsen and AV. J. Croueher). Afternoon : Visit to Massey College, tour of college property by cars, partv to divide into sections and inspect, sheen farm (wool demonstration by. Air Waters and intensive grazing trial by Art- A. W. Hudson), dairy farm, niggeries, poultry farm. G. 30 p.m.: Alinister of Agriculture. Hon. AV. Lee Alartin, will have dinner with the members together with those who assisted to organise the week. An ad-

dress by the Minister will be followed by a social and dance run with _ the co-operation of the Women’s Division of tbe Farmers’ Union and tbe Y.W.C.A. Friday.—9 a.m. : Leave Palmerston North, on visit to Mr B. McLeod’s property at Colyton to inspect the latest method of mole draining; then visit to Department of Agriculture’s experimental area, Marton (demonstrator, Mr W. J. Woodcock). In the afternoon, visit Mr A. Phillips’s property, Marton (a practical demonstration of high carrying capacity made possible by the application of certain farm management). The camp will close on Saturday with a sports meeting to he held on tho Showgrounds between 9 a.m. and noon for the special inter-club cup donated by Mr Cope. At a special meeting of the committee, yesterday afternoon, the matter of transport was discussed and it was found that still more ears were required. Offers of transport facilities are urgently required.