YOUNG FARMERS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 50, 27 January 1938, Page 13

YOUNG FARMERS

TO VISIT SYDNEY. CONGRATULATORY GATHERING. Formed only three years ago, the Young Farmers’ Club movement has made rapid strides throughout New Zealand, and yesterday afternoon a very important milestone was reached in its brief history when interested and representative citizens gathered, to bid farewell to the young farmers’ group chosen to represent the Dominion in a,tour of Australia. It was the happy culmination of a scheme inaugurated last year, involving a judging competition for members of the movement at the Royal Show and providing for ia trip across the Tasman to compete at the Sydney Royal Show for the successful entrants. The function, which took the form of afternoon tea and a number of farewell speeches, was held in Messrs Collinson and Cunninghame’s rooms. Mr H. J. Lancaster presided and tendered apologies for absence from the Minister of Agriculture (Hon. W. Lee Martin), the Director-General of Agriculture (Mr A. H. Cockayne), the Dominion secretary of the Fanners’ Union (Mr P. j. O’Shea) and Mr C. J. Hamblyn, of the local office of the Agricultural Department. A welcome to those present was voiced by Mr B. Chrystall, who took the opportunity to thank all those responsible for the happy termination of a very ambitious scheme. There had been a wonderful response, he said, and the assistance of the breed societies had contributed in no small measure to the success. Many difficulties had to be overcome, but these had been surmounted.

Mr Lancaster gave a brief outline of the growth of the club movement and paid a tribute to the interest and co-operation of Manawatu residents both when the Agricultural Week and the national stock judging competitions were held, towards the end of last year. These two events, he added, had brought at least 800 visitors to the city, and over £7OO had been spent. “The club movement has swept New Zealand and there aro now over 4000 members of Young Farmers’ Clubs,” Mr Lancaster added. “The movement has a very strong hold in the Manawatu district, as is evidenced by the fact that there are 17 clubs here, and we were well represented at the national judging competition although, as will be seen by the number of entries from all over New Zealand (a total of 203), the interest in this competition was very widespread. Two of the section winners come from our own Manawatu district and two from the Wairarapa district.”

PERSONNEL OF PARTY. The members proceeding to Australia were attired in blue blazers with a prominent monogram in mellow, “Y.F.C.” The members, whom Mr Lancaster described as ambassadors, are as follow:—Messrs C. M. Whatman, leader (Waimate), H. McKenzie (Carterton), A. Fisher (Carterton), A. Viles (Apiti) and A. Cowan (Apiti). Mr Lancaster wished them every success and a happy time in Australia, and he concluded by thanking his committee for their work for the success of the scheme. He paid a special tribute to the enthusiasm of Mr O. J. Galpin, of the Department of Agriculture. Mr W. F. McLaren (Dominion president) said that a pleasing feature of the scheme was that most of the money had been found by the clubs and the members. They were grateful, however, for Government assistance and he took the opportunity to publicly express appreciation for the.grant of £SOO towards the movement from the Government. “The Minister of Agriculture realises,” added Mr McLaren, "that these young men will be the life-blood of the farming industry in the days to come.” The speaker concluded by thanking the Farmers’ Union and the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union for tlieir co-operation, and made special reference to the splendid work of Mr S. Freeman (organising secretary) and Mr Galpin. He wished the touring members a pleasant and profitable trip. Mr J. Hodgens, M.P., said that the salvation of New Zealand depended upon a true and proper outlook on the part of the young people, and in that connection the Young Farmers’ Movement was doing a wonderful service. He assured those present that the Minister was keenly behind the movement, because ho realised its farreaching value.

TROPHIES PRESENTED. Air Hodgens then presented the special trophies won in connection with the judging at the Royal Show, as follow : —Romney Marsh Sheep Breeders’ Association Cup: A. Fisher (Carterton). Jersey Breeders’ Association Challenge Cup: H. McKenzie (Carterton). Clydesdale Horse Society’s trophy: A. Viles (Apiti). New Zealand Pig Breeders’ Association Challenge Cup: jA. Cowan (Apiti). Mr Hodgens congratulated the winners and expressed the hope that from their trip to Australia they w'ould bring back much of value. Air L. J. Wild (principal of the Feilding Agricultural High School and president of the Royal Agricultural Society) added words of congratulation. He mentioned, amid applause, that the two Apiti members of the team had l>een pupils of his school. Alessrs R. D. Knight (representing the Clydesdale Horse Society) and Tv. S. Glendinning (representing the Pig Breeders’ Association) spoke on behalf of the breed societies, stating that no movement was worthy of more encouragement and support than the Young Farmers’ Clubs. They wished the team a very profitable tour. The organising secretary (Air Freeman) gave details of the tour, which embodied a visit of three weeks to South Australia and three weeks to New South Wales, culminating with a week at the Sydney Royal Show. The New Zealanders would be joined on the trip by a team of young farmers from Great Britain, and would be looked after by the Junior Farmers' Club organisation of Australia. Air J. H. Bremner (president of the North Island provincial council) said that the young men of to-day had a wonderful opportunity to learn, and it was gratifying to see the young farmers so eager to grasp that opportunity. New Zealand was a wonderful country, and its reputation stood high throughout the world ; the team for Australia had a duty to enhance that reputation, he added. Air Bremner particularly thanked the Alinister for his sympathy and enthusiasm.

Mr A. W. Hudson, of Massey Agricultural College, endorsed the tributes of the previous speakers. Jle said that what appealed to him most was the self-reliance of the movement, which had grown to be a big organisation, practically “under its own steam.” That spirit of self-lielp was to be commended, he declared. Mr A. E. Mansford (the Mayor) observed that it required no stretch of imagination--to realise the benefits that would accrue from the trip to Australia. “These young men,” he said, “are going to look, listen, ask and learn, and they will return, and pass their knowledge on.” It be-

hoved every citizen to get behind a movement which was to mean so much to the primary industries of the country, the speaker added. Mr H. J. McLeavey (president of the Manawatu provincial executive of the Farmers’ Union) ofFered his congratulations. Tt was easy to start any movement, but. too often, enthusiasm waned, he said. The Young Farmers’ Club, howpver, had come to stay: they had the enthusiasm and the abilitv to carry on. The members of the team brieflv replied and the gathering concluded with the National Anthem.