WOMEN’S LAND ARMY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 May 1940, Page 8

WOMEN’S LAND ARMY

“OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE.”

TRIBUTE TO NEW ZEALANDER. The New Zealand girl, Miss Margaret Selby, of Greendale, Canterbury, who was described to the Queen as “an outstanding example of what a Land Army volunteer should be,” is working on a 1200-acre farm at Thetford, in Norfolk, states the London correspondent of an exchange. Miss Selby is well acquainted with farm life, as she is a farmer’s daughter. The W.L.A. authorities were so impressed with her that they decided she required no training and pronounced her as qualified “without wasting time.” The Queen talked to Miss Selby when she took tea with 100 Land Army girls from all parts of Britain. The New Zealander was presented by the Dowager Lady Suffield. Miss Selby began her work in Norfolk last October, and was placed in charge of 30 calves which have since been increased to 60. They are the “grandcalves” of a Shorthorn bull which was sold for £2700 and was champion in 1939 at the Sydney Royal Show. The farm carries about 200 cattle and 500 sheep, and a good deal of cropping is done. There are about 30 permanent workers and 20 extra hands are called in during the beeting season.

Miss Selby notices a great many contrasts with New Zealand conditions. “The farm hands,” she says, “all live at the local village and not on the farm. They work from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m. in winter and until 4.30 p.m. in summer. They get a half-day on Saturday and are paid overtime. A few, such as cowmen and yardmen, work longer, but the hours are nothing in comparison with those in New Zealand.

“All animals have to be housed in winter, which makes a great deal of extra labour. They are bedded down on fresh straw daily, but I don’t think this system can be as healthy as that in New Zealand, where the stock is always in the open. “Nothing is wasted on an English farm, and even wheat straw, which is often despised at home, is used for chaff. Many say it is better than any other. All the animals are given a great quantity' of crushed oats, straw chaff, and beet pulp as well as ensilage, and hay, and many prepared foods are used, such as cotton cake, linseed cake and flaked wheatmeal. The grass is not so good as it is in New Zealand, which has more sunshine.”