SOUTHLAND PROVINCIAL CONFERENCE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIII, Issue 8851, 30 May 1914, Page 7

SOUTHLAND PROVINCIAL CONFERENCE.

(Per Press Association.) INVERGARGILL, May 29. The 13th annual Southland Provincial 'Conference of the Farmers'. Union opened this morning. -t The''President' (Mr'"W".'Tord), in. his address, referred to the strike as the greatest industrial upheaval in the Dominion, and, taking into consideration the fact that the ports were for a time held up, the results were highly satisfactory. They must recognise the fact that it was owing to the organisation of the Farmers' Union, the Dairy Association, and to certain of the employers' associations that things were re-adjusted to enable the business of ■the country to proceed on normal lines: Southland had little trouble through the strike, though it felt it indirectly. Grain returns were diminishing as a result of the progress of science in the matter of locomotion and the substitution of petrol for oats,'ivhich was a serious problem. The Farmers' Union | was now regarded as a power to be | reckoned with.' Mr Ford referred to' the cost of living, the money market, land, values and settlement, and exports, and concluded by appealing to all farmers for encouragement and support. Mr Ford was re-elected president, Messrs Jo^in McQueen, T. "W. Foster and J. Smaile, vice-presidents. Amongst the remits carried was that the Government continue the system of importing farm labourers and domestics. • '■■■ '-