YOUNG FARMERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 July 1922, Page 6

YOUNG FARMERS.

BOYS’ AND GIRLS' CLUB. THE ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the North Taranaki Boys’ and Girls’ Club was held at New Plymouth on Saturday. Present: Messrs. A. E. Washer (in the chair), A. Turnbull, F. Mills, G. H. Buckeridge, W. Hall, J. A. Kurth, R. Syme, H. G. Johnson. W. B. Grant, J. Allen, P. R. Spurr. Hamilton, H. A. Stfatford and A. T. Moore.

The chairman, in the course of a ver- ( bal report on the last year’s work, said j congratulations on the results achieved t were due to the Taranaki Farmers’ , Union, the body that promoted the j scheme and for showing what had been done in South Taranaki and widening 1 the sphere of the work to the north. The ’ present lines of teaching the young to have a love for the soil was a move in * the right direction, especially as the 1 towns were getting overcrowded. Deal- ( ing with last year’s results the chair- 1 man said that of 200 plots applied for 1 110 had been weighed out. The big I discrepancy in the weighing out was f accounted foj by the 'blight in carrots, 1 especially in the Vogeltown and 1 Frankley districts. The mangolds av- ’ eraged 41A tons to the acre, the heavi- j est crop being 110 ions 11 cwt. to the 1 acraf a very creditable result. Fifty lots of carrots were weighed out, these averaging over 30 tons to the acre, the heaviest crop being 54 tons 3 cwt. to the acre. Thanks were due to the agricultural instructors, Messrs. Deem. Glasson. Johnson and Syme for the work they had put in. and to the supervisors and teachers, without whose cooperation the work of the clubs could ; not have been carried on. A resolution, passed at the meeting F of the executive on July 1, was then placed before the meeting for considers- i tion. It read as follows: —“That it 'be! a recommendation to the general meet-1 ing of the Boys’ and Girls' Agricultural Clubs, northern division, that if the Fanners’ Union is willing to carry on the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs for next season. the management and finance be left in the hands of the Farmers’ Un-on.” The resolution of the executive was formally moved and seconded but aroused considerable discussion. Mr. Mills explained that though the Farmers’ Union did not meet till this week he thought they would be willing to carry I on the scheme for the coming year, /at | he mad? it clear that the union would i not undertake to bear the whole finani cial burden. As far as raising funds ; was concerned the speaker suggested f that entertainments could be held for the purpose as had bee’/ done in his district—Taka ora. Several members were of the opinion that the North Taranaki branch should form an association of their own to conduct their own competitions, and Mr. Moore moved in this direction, the amendment being seconded by Mr. Allen. Mr. Buckeridge considered that if uniformity of action was to be arrived at the Farmers’ Union, which had /.orted the scheme, should have control. He j thought that, by means of the clubs, the boys and girl- were being taught agriculture ten years in advance of what had been the case before. The farmers should lie interested and put their efforts behind the Farmers’ Union and help them to carry on the work started by the union and which was .beneficial to the country as a whole. If this were done there need be no fear as to the financial side of the question.

Before putting the amendment the j chairman said he was in a difficult ; position as he was vice-president of the j Farmers’ Union and associated with the ' Taranaki Agricultural Society. The ■ union had started the movement and why should it be taken from them? If the -amendment were carried the chairman said he would have nothing to do with the movement. Mr. Mills said he did not want any- ’ one to vote for the amendment out of : courtesy to the Farmers’ Union. If it i was considered that the union had not 1 carried out the movement satisfac-: torily. or if it was felt that the union j had hampered or restricted it, he plead-, ed that any faults of the union should : be made clear.

Mr. Hall said the question seemed to be whether the Farmers’ Union or the Agricultural Society should take control. He admitted that credit was due to the union for the work they had done but their membership was not very slrong in North Taranaki, whilst the Agricultural Society was the strongest organised body of farmers at this end of the province. Mr. Sims asked why the Farmers’ Union should be broken away from? Had they not conducted the clubs satisfactorily ? The amendment w.-.c Ust on a show of hands, by 7to 5, p.~. ' notion was then put and carried. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The following officers were elected: Chairman, Mr. A. E. Washer; executive. Messrs. J. A. Kurth, A. J. Luxton and I the chairman (representing the Tara- ] naki Farmers’ Union), Messrs. W. B. Grant. A. Turnbull and J. H. Allen (Taranaki Agricultural Society), Messrs. W. Hall and A. P. Lister (poultry division), Messrs. H. A. Stratford. A V. Sims and A. E. Read (teachers), Messrs. J. W. Deem and A. J. Glasson (Agricultural Dept.), Messrs R. Syme and H. C. Johnson (Education Board agricultural officials); secretary, Mr. A. V. Sims. The chairman intimated that the idea of having the poultry division represented on the executive was to promot'e a scheme for poultry-raising amongst the town children in connection with the boys’ and girls’ clubs. GENERAL. The advisability of inaugurating a calf-rearing competition was mentioned by the chairman, and it was agreed that such a competition should be run in the northern division during the coming year. • The Poultry Society will be asked to formulate a scheme whereby the town children could be provided with a poultry competition in connection with the club scheme. Mr. Sims thought the root competitions should be restricted to boys and the calf-rearing competitions to the girls. Some divergence of opinion ensued in the discussion of the question. ; Mr. Johnson making a plea in favor of the oompetitiocs being open to both

boys and girls, as it created a sense of rivalry and fitted the girl for underV ’ - ing the management of a farm if e occasion should arise, and gave her an intelligent interest, in her position as a farmer’s wife, in the conduct of the farm. It would coat her nothing to carry the knowledge. Others present stressed the fact that in some districts the girls had won the competitions. Messrs. Hall, Lister and Johnson were appointed to draw up a scheme for a poultry competition and lay the plan 1 before" the next meeting of the executive. Mr. Stratford, on behalf of the teachers, expressed thanks to all those responsible for the conduct of the Boys’ and Girls’ Club last year. A vote of thanks was accorded them. CALF-REARING COMPETITION. A meeting of the executive was held subsequently when the conditions for the calf-rearing competitions for next season were discussed, it being resolved that there be two groups—viz., (a) small. Jersey and Ayrshire; (b) large, | Friesian and Shorthorn. The calves entered are to be gr£.de heifers born between July 20 and September 1. Branding is to be done between September T and 14 under the supervision of the supervisors, a special brand being provided by the executive. Competitors are to be advised to use not more than on.' patent food, if possible, and to keep record of the kinds and quantities of all foods used. Jud gin? will take place in December on ndition, cost and record. Entries close September 1. Before the meeting concluded a hearty vote of thanks to Messrs. Mills and Buckeridge for coming so far to attend the meeting was carried by acclamation.