YOUNG FARMERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 February 1939, Page 9 (Supplement)

YOUNG FARMERS

GROWTH IN THE WAIRARAPA ANO ELSEWHERE CLUBS CONSOLIDATING POSITION IMPORTANCE TO PRIMARY INDUSTRY. NO'Organisation has shown more substantial growth in a short period than the Young Farmers’ Club movement in New Zealand. Founded early in 1933, the clubs found favour throughout the country, and today the movement boasts about 170 clubs, with a total membership of about 5000 young farmers. It is of interest to note that the Wairarapa district, in which the first clubs were started in 1934, is the oldest organised area in the North Island. There are now eleven clubs in the district, with a membership of upwards of 300.

Referring to the position of the clubs in the Wairarapa, Mr N. Lamont, district secretary, said they were now consolidating their position, and were becoming an integral part in the farming life of the community. Members were taking a more serious interest in the affairs of the clubs and were showing more initiative and ability to conduct their affairs in an efficient manner. Many members were no longer passive listeners, but took an active part in debating the affairs of their club. Some result of the increased confidence that had been gained in the conduct of Young Farmers’ Clubs was apparent in the greater part that was being taken by Wairarapa YoungFarmers in the affairs of the Farmers’ Union, and A. and P. Association. In this connection, the same things was happening all over New Zealand, and there was no question that the potential value of the movement to the farming community and to the country generally was immense. Members of clubs in the Wairarapa had extended a considerable degree of hospitality to visiting parties of Young Farmers from other districts of New Zealand, and in this direction the work of the clubs probably exceeded that of any other organisation in the district. The thanks of the movement were due to farming organisations and stud breeders for the facilities they had provided to enable these visiting parties to inspect various properties, and other places of general interest, in the district.

GAINING KNOWLEDGE IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. NEED IN FARMING PRACTICE. In a review of the scope of the movement, Mr S. Freeman, organising secretary, states: —It is impossible to stress unduly the importance of agricultural education and its need in farming practice in New Zealand. We see here and there farmers who are turning recently acquired knowledge to good account by increasing the carrying capacities of their holdings, producing better and more wool than their neighbours, fattening more stock, producing more butterfat and so on. On the other hand, a large majority of farmers are content to carry on, using age-old methods, often scorning to take advantage of the results of scientific research and in many cases barely paying their way. In some cases the farmer finds it difficult to adopt himself to fresh ideas and so keep himself abreast-of the times. If it is possible to get the young man on the land sufficiently interested to join up with and support these Young Farmers’ Clubs, there is the opportunity and there is the place where all the latest agricultural knowledge and practice can be successfully disseminated. Seed sown in this manner will yield an abundant harvest, for it will fall on fertile and well-tilled soil. The younger mind is receptive and knowledge and practice will be absorbed through the Young Farmers’ Clubs more successfully than by any other means. A POTENTIAL POWER. Youth movements, states Mr Freeman, are to the fore throughout the whole world at the present juncture

and citizens of the British Empire are to be congratulated on the fact that their youth is organising, not in a militarist spirit, but with the peaceful object of strengthening and improving our national resources per medium of their complex heritage—-the soil. Where the clubs are firmly established they are playing their part in influencing the lives of the younger members of the rural community. Activities are directed mainly toward agricultural education, but the social and cultural sides are not being neglected. Kindred farming organisations are realising the potential power of the Young Farmers' Club movement to stimulate development in rural activities. It is a national obligation to ensure that the country youth of the Dominion is given every opportunity to equip itself with the necessary knowledge and confidence to carry out its life's work. It is certain that by organising these youngpeople and directing their thoughts and activities along sound and progressive lines, the future of farming in New Zealand can be made more attractive and remunerative. Young Farmers’ Club members will, by their training, initiative and appreciation of rural and other problems, eventually take their places as leaders of a country, the well-being and future of which is so largely dependent on the land. VALUABLE LINK. Nothing yet undertaken shows greater promise than the Young Farmers Club movement as a means of linking up the scientific and advisory services (ft the Department of Agriculture with the operations of the farming industry throughout New Zealand. The activities of the clubs, Mr Freeman points out, are directed broadly to making better farmers and better citizens of its members and to promoting a deeper interest in the well-being of farming generally. Club members are taking alert and enlightened interest in both farming and community affairs. Through their organisation they are securing a liberal training by which they and the country generally will continue to benefit. They are being brought, at an impressionable age, into intimate touch with the various aids to farming improvement that modern science and progress has to offer. Characters are being moulded and developed and through the actual running and management of their clubs and the variety of activities, both educational and social, connected with them, originality, independence and confidence are becoming engendered.

MORE SCHOLARSHIPS WANTED. Two scholarships are open to members of Young Farmers’ Clubs in the South Island. The Lincoln College Old Boys’ Scholarship is open to any member of an affiliated Young Farmers’ Club in the South Island while the New Zealand Refrigerating Co’s Scholarship applies to members of clubs situated in certain counties near Dunedin. The former scholarship is valued at 25 guineas, which is half the fee for a first year diploma student at Canterbury Agricultural College and is tenable for one year while the latter is valued at 50 guineas, being the whole fee for the same course. So far there are no scholarships for members of Young Farmers’ Clubs in the North Island, but it is hoped before long that they will be forthcoming on lines similar to those in the South Island.

PART OF AGRICULTURAL CLUBS. It should be understood that the Young Farmers’ Club movement does’ not conflict with the New Zealand Boys’ and Girls’ Agricultural Clubs movement.' The agricultural clubs are in operation throughout the primary schools in New Zealand and their activities consist mainly of crop-growing and stock-rearing competitions. They have proved of definite value in the direction of creating an agricultural “bias” by giving school children a more direct interest in farming operations. Unfortunately, when school days are over, in many cases interest wanes and the value of the work is submerged to the ordinary humdrum routine that characterises so much of our farm life. The New Zealand Young Farmers’ Clubs definitely fill the gap that previously existed between schoolleaving age and the arrival at manhood's estate. Membership of New Zealand clubs is open to young men between the ages of 14 and 30 who are definitely interested in farming pursuits. The honour of organising the

first Young Farmers’ Club in New Zealand belongs to Mr J. E. Davies, of the Department of Agriculture, who had previously considerable experience of the movement in England and Wales. With the approval and assistance of Mr R. B. Tennant, then Fields Superintendent of the Department at Dunedin, and now Director of the Fields Division, Mr Davies formed three clubs at Palmerston South, Dunback and Five Forks, in the early part of 1933. DISTRICT CLUBS MEMBERSHIP OF ABOUT 300. MR S. FREEMAN’S NOTABLE WORK. The first Young Farmers’ Club in the Wairarapa-Bush district was formed at Ballance. Pahiatua, in ,1934, quickly followed by the formation of the Masterton Club in. the same year. These clubs were closely watched for some months and as interest developed and success appeared assured, further clubs were formed in 1935, largely as the results of the untiring efforts of Mr S. Freeman, of the Department of Agriculture. In 1935 clubs were formed in Carterton, Featherston, Greytown. Martinborcugh, Eketahuna and Mangatainoka. and in 1936 two more were launched, at Tinui and Pongaroa, and in 1938, one at Alfredton, bringing the total in the Wairarapa-Bush district to eleven, with a membership of about 300.

DISTRICT COMMITTEE FORMED.

In September, 1935, it was considered advisable to link up these clubs and a District Committee was formed with representation from individual clubs. Mr G. H. Perry, of Masterton, was elected chairman of the committee and proved a tower of strength to the organisation. Since its formation the committee has been of great value, encouraging inter-club visits, arranging combined field days and generally creating a bond of common interest. Individual clubs in the Wairarapa are flourishing, Masterton having a membership of about 80. The district is to be congratulated on the fact that it has, more or less, pioneered the movement in the North Island. The members of Wairarapa club's have shown considerable enthusiasm and keenness. Regular monthly meetings are held throughout the year and almost every club holds a least one field day every year. Question evenings and open debates are now regular features, and the clubs are developing on sound and useful lines.

FIELD DAYS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES.

A very successful combined field day of Wairarapa clubs was held in March, 1935, by the Provincial Council. Club members met at the Plant Research Station. Palmerston North, and spent ■a very interesting and instructive day. the party consisted of about 180 members and friends. Keenness was displayed not only by the number present, but also by the distance travelled by some of the members; those from Martinborough travelled over 100 miles. Other combined field days were organised with equal success, including a visit to the Wallaccville Laboratory. In June. 1936. a most successful Young Farmers’ Week was held at the Solway Showgrounds, members being present from various Wairarapa clubs and many other North Island clubs. Last year the first international stock judging contest to be.held in New Zealand took place in the Wairarapa, a party of English Young Farmers being present. A tour of the North Island was undertaken by a Wairarapa party, and several visiting parties came to the district. A Wairarapa debating contest was instituted last year, and this and stock judging competitions are now standard activities in the district. CLUB ENTERPRISE. As honorary secretary of the Wairarapa Provincial Council. Mr Freeman, before his appointment as Dominion Organising Secretary, had the opportunity cf attending many meetings of the various clubs and was fully convinced of the direct value of the movement to individual members. In every club he noticed that members were becoming more alert, taking a greater interest in club work and incidentally in their own work on the farm. This applied equally whether they were farmers’ sons or lads employed on farms. Their outlook was becoming broader and, what was also of importance, a spirit of comradeship was developing and there was a tendency among members to share their interests. Before long it should be possible for clubs to arrange debates between one club and another on topics ol vital importance to farmers generally. Already some clubs have had discussions on the incidence of hydatid disease in stock and human beings. One club had gone so far as to pledge its members to take all precautions necessary to prevent the spread of hydatid disease, thereby rendering a service not only to the

farming community, but from a health standpoint to the people of the Dominion as a whole.

REORGANISATION scheme.

A scheme of reorganisation was brought into effect in 193 G. by which every opportunity is afforded for the consolidation of the movement throughout the whole of the Dominion. Mr Freeman, who had considerable ex-, perience of Young Farmers' work in the Wairarapa, where he set the movement on its feet throughout the district with marked success, as detailed above, was appointed Organising Secretary. The movement is also fortunate in being able to call on the field staff of the Fields Division of the Department of Agriculture, members of which will, as far as possible, assist the clubs in their districts and act as hon secretaries to their district committees. In this way the officers attend to the actual work of local organisation. This will enable close coordination to be maintained throughout the Dominion and with the co-opera-tion cf the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, A. and P. Societies and other kindred farming'organisations the future success and expansion of the movement should be assured. The growth of the movement necessitated the formation of four provincial councils, two in each Island, in place of the old Island councils. In the Wairarapa Mr N. Lamont, who succeeded Mr Freeman at the Masterton office of the Agricultural Department, has taken up .he duties of honorary secretary of the Wairarapa District Committee. Mr G. H. Perry is patron of the Wairarapa District Committee, Mr W. James, president, and Mr Don McGregor vice-president, and these, together with the following, form an executive committee, Messrs J. H. Bremner, H. M. Boddington, G. Blatchford, E. Bellis, S. Fisher, S. Mills. H. Bennett, F. D. Shaw, W. F. McLaren, James Andrew, R. A. Burke, H. C. Pearce, J. M. James, N. Martin, r' liigley, C. .1. Hamblyn and N. Lamont (secretary).