Massey College

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 36, 12 February 1937, Page 12

Massey College

MEETING OF COUNCIL. Present at yesterday’s meeting of Massey College Council wero Messrs. A. Morton (in tbo chair), P. Levi, L. H. Collinson, A. E. Mansford, R. A. Candy, G. Grey Campbell, T. U. Wells and the principal, Prof. G. S. Peren. Apologies for absence were received from the chairman, Prof. T. A. Hunter, Messrs. O. Monrad, Norton Francis and H. B. Stuckey. Mr. E. A. Candy (Ngarua, Waitoa) was welcomed as a new member of the council as a Government representative. A resolution placing on record the council’s appreciation of the services of Mr. J. D. Hall, who had been a member of the council since 1929, was placed on the minute books. Mr. Hall retired at the end of 1936. Various committees were appointed for the ensuing year. The chairmanship was held over; vice-chairman, Mr. A. Morton; treasurer, Mr. P. Levi; standing committee, the whole council; farm committee, Messrs. H. D. Stuckey (convenor), A. Morton, E. A. Candy, O. Monrad, L. H. Collinson.

Mr. B. A. Eeynolds, of the vet. lab., Wallaceville, was appointed laboratory assistant in the veterinary department. He will take up his duties at the beginning of nest month.

It was decided to offer a short course in seeds and manures covering two weeks, during the second term vacation (end of July). The courso will be designed specially for the staffs of seeds and produce establishments.

A letter was received from the Minister of Education seeking the council’s views on the resolutions and recommendations of the Parliamentary Eecess Education Committee which reported in 1930 on educational reorganisation in New Zealand. A small committee was set up with authority to answer the questions affecting the college.

On the Farm. The report of the farm manager recorded that there had been a considerable demand for rams during this last month and sales of both studs and flocks would bo higher than anticipated. One pleasing feature of sales to date was that buyers had expressed appreciation of the quality of the stock put before them. Last year’s crop of lambs showed distinct promise, the Southdown lambs being a very even and well balanced lot with many lambs showing quality above the average. The imported ram had very definitely left his mark on his progeny. The herd testing returns are as follow: — November cows averaged 34.331b5. butterfat. December cows averaged Sl.Sllbs. butterfat. November highest cow G9.olbs. butterfat. December highest cow 76.01b5. butterfat. November total butterfat produced 3413.7, 1936; 3704.6, 1935. December total butterfat produced, 3210.7, 1936; 3627.0, 1935. The outstanding feature of the past two months was the atrocious weather. As a result of the amount of wind and rain farming operations had been made particularly difficult. It had been impossible to save much hay in good condition. The cultivation of root crops had been a heart-breaking business as it had been almost impossible to kill weeds. On both farms it had been necessary to engage temporary labour to compete with this problem. As an offset excellent strikes were obtained in all the paddocks of roots and given reasonable weather from now onwards one could look forward to very good crops. Naturally the growth of pasture had been rampant. Were it not for the fact that they wero able to borrow some two hundred head of bullocks from a local dealer, the pastures on both farms would have got completely out of control. The typo of feed had naturally been very soft which had increased the difficulty of fattening lambs and turning out stud rams for sale in good condition. Under the circumstances the fat lambs from the intensive rotational grazing experiment had done extraordinarily well. Purchasers had expressed their pleasure and surprise on this score. The weather and feed had been such that even the dairy cows had suffered and the yields of butterfat were down on the •ojrresponding period for last year.