SHANNON FARMERS UNION.

Shannon News, 8 February 1924, Page 3

SHANNON FARMERS UNION.

! A meeting of th(3 above Union was held in the Council Chambers on Monday evening when there was a fair attendance of members, Mr. R. Tippler presiding. Correspondence. A reply was received to enquiry re capitation to the effect that the amount payable to the Provincial Executive is 15s per member, which amount includes the Dominion levy. The clerk of the Horowhenua County Council Avrote in to the Union's letter complaining of the condition of th'c by-roads in the Tokomaru riding to the effect that the matter would receive attention at an early date. The same body also wrote noting the opposition to a poll being taken over the Tokomaru riding re the proposed KoputaroaBuekloy road extension. —Received. As this was the only correspondence to deal with, the remainder of the evening was devoted to a discussion with Mr. W. J. McCulloch, Instructor of Agriculture, on matters of local agricultural interest.

Mr. McCulloch, who for the past 41 years has been manager of the Central Development Farm at Weraroa, and who has now been appointed Instructor of Agriculture for this district with headquarters at Palmerston North, said he had not come to the meeting that night to give an address on any particular subject, but to discuss with _ the members matters relating to agricultural interests in the district,- and to give any information he could, but he hoped at a further date to address them. In dealing with field competitions Mr. McCulloch said that in Taranaki they had become quite an important feature, especially the lucerne growing competitions, which were most interesting, not only from the Department's point ,of view, but from the farmers' practical point, as each farmer was able to benefit" by the others'* experience. During a competition the different farms were visited and the crops freely criticised, of course in the proper spirit, and' as a result the farmers are taught the best means of obtaining a good crop, the competitions proving most educational. The same applied to the root competitions. In the same province at the schools the boys and girls of the sth and 6th standards were being encouraged by their teachers and the Farmers' Union to learn the principles of agriculture, the children being taught the reasons for treatment and this had been the means of giving interest to the children in agricultural matters. He strongly advocated competitions being taken up in this district.

Mr. McCulloch then answered several questions relating to different crops, dealing at length with the use of manures. As a means of making the Union's meetings more interesting the speaker advocates an interchange of of ideas among members. In conclusion Mr. McCulloch said that owing to the accommodation at Weraroa being taken for use by the emigrant boys, the farm school this year will be held at the Penrose estate, Wairarapa, sometime in May. On the motion of Mr. Tippler a hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mr. McCulloch. ■