WOMEN’S DIVISION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 July 1940, Page 7

WOMEN’S DIVISION

TINUI BRANCH. MORE PRODUCTION DRIVE. (“Times-Age” Special.) A meeting of the’Tinui branch of the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union was held at Tinui on Wednesday evening. There was a large and representative attendance. Mrs James Andrew was in the chair, with Mrs C. Hay as secretary. The business before the meeting was to discuss ways of increasing the egg production of the district. The two speakers were Mrs K. Groves, the president of the Provincial Council and Mrs Peter Andrew, of Langdale. Mrs Groves outlined the importance of sending every available egg to Britain in the coming season. Britain urgently required 36,000,000 eggs, and the women of the district should assist in every possible way. She suggested that every woman should make an effort to double her usual number of hens, and that they should place orders for pullets with the local poultry men within the next ten days. The Masterton poultry farmers were willing to co-operate provided they knew very soon how many pullets would be required. She also suggested that the first week in every month should be regarded as an eggless week, and every egg laid during that week should be available for export. If people would start to preserve eggs now, they would be able to use these later on, and so release the new laid eggs. Mrs Peter Andrew then gave a most instructive talk on the care of hens. Mrs Andrew has had considerable experience of poultry farming in England, and she said she was willing to help anyone who needed any advice on the subject. One thing of importance to all she mentioned-—the correct amount of air space required by each hen in the fowl house, provided they had a run out each day. Each hen required 10 cubic feet, so that by measuring up and multiplying the length, breadth and height of the sheds, and then dividing by 10, the exact number could be ascertained.

After the discussion on fowls ended, the president asked Mrs Groves if she would give the meeting a short talk on the subject of drink amongst young people. Mrs Groves explained that she did not speak as the provincial president of the Women’s Division, but in a purely private capacity. She gave the meeting some outstanding instances of the bad effect of drink on young girls at dances, and she wondered what the solution to the problem was. A short discussion followed. Hearty votes of thanks were accorded to Mrs Groves and Mrs Peter Andrew. .The meeting was brought to a close with the serving of supper.