YOUNG FARMERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 September 1939, Page 9

YOUNG FARMERS

POLICY OF FEDERATION IN WAR TIME DECISION TO CONTINUE ACTIVITIES, ASSISTING IN PRODUCTION. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLNGTON, This Day. The future policy of the New Zealand Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs in view of the trend of events arising out of the war was discussed at a meeting of the Dominion executive held in Wellington yesterday. Members were unanimous that the movement should continue to function and that, so far as restrictions and conditions would allow, its activities should be intensified.

This did not apply to field days and other such activities, which it was recognised would be difficult to carry on, but to the ordinary activity of the organisation and to the continuance of interest within the clubs themselves. It was realised that the country’s first duty was to assist in winning the war, and that the Y.F.C. movement could do more by continuing to operate than by going into recess. It was decided that the work of clubs should be diverted toward assisting in production, and it was stated that much could be done by the formation of emergency labour gangs or emergency committees for other purposes. District committees and councils should also carry on, and should not consider that their services were not essential, as the co-ordination of interest that accompanied their meetings was the foundation of the whole organisation. It was decided to appeal to all units of the organisation to see that interest in the movement was maintained and intensified, and to ask members to hold themselves in readiness to assist in the organisation of such emergency measures as could be successfully implemented by the movement.

The action of the Dominion president, Mr E. W. Barnett, in offering the whole of the resources of the movement to the Government was heartily endorsed by. the meeting. The federation has 207 clubs affiliated with a total membership of more than 5000.