YOUNG FARMERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 September 1940, Page 7

YOUNG FARMERS

CARTERTON CLUB. MONTHLY MEETING. (“Times-Age” Special.) The chairman, Mr A. Fisher, presided over a fair attendance at the monthly meeting of the Carterton Young Farmers’ Club. Several apologies for absence were received. A club field day is to be held on the property of Mr C. Swinn, Parkvale, on Thursday, September 12, in conjunction with the agricultural pupils of the Carterton District High School. Talks are to be given on a modern cow shed and the uses of Algerian oats. A debate with the Greytown Farmers’ Club is to be held in Carterton on October 8. This will be the semifinal of the Wairarapa Debating Contest. A special meeting will be held on Thursday, Septembei- 26, when Mr S. Freeman, Dominion Secretary, will give a lantern lecture. A debate with the Featherston Club will also be held during the month. One new member was proposed for membership. An interesting address on early Wairarapa was delivered by Mr D. McGregor, who, in the course of his remarks, said that the country in the district surrounding Carterton. then called "Three Mile Bush,” and Masterton in the eighties was covered by bush and scrub. Much of the land was considered absolutely povertystricken and useless. Now. artificial fertilisers, water-races and grasses such as subterranean clover, had altered it considerably. Communications with Wellington and throughout the district was difficult in the early days, and much of the travelling was done with the aid of the compass. Transport was carried out by means of bullock-drawn vehicle, and. needless to say, was very slow. In the early days Wairarapa grew a large amount of wheat and oats. Now, only about enough for our own consumption was grown. Rabbits were very plentiful in those days, and many bales of skins were sent, away each year from the district. Rabbits caused tile ruin of many of the early settlers. Mr Rooking Carter was responsible for tile introduction of the first rabbits, and for a while they were protected, and consequently soon got out of control. Much of the buying and selling in the olden days was done by means of barter, and for many years gold was the only legal tender. Rates of interest on loans was high, 8 or 10 per cent being the ruling figure. Consequently, it was very hard for men to start on a property of their own and make a success of it. The tracks opened up through the bush bj' the Government were only six feet wide. A few amusing anecdotes of early Wairarapa life were related by Mr McGregor and concluded a very interesting talk. A vole of thanks was accorded to Mr McGregor. Supper was subsequently provided.