FARMERS CONFER

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 192, 27 May 1938, Page 6

FARMERS CONFER

GROWING OF WHEAT. NEED FOR LARGER SOWINGS. THE UNION AND POLITICS. PRINCIPLES BEFORE PARTY. ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT. Til his presidential address to the Mid-Canterbury conference of the Farmers’ Union, held to-day, Mr L. 0. Oakley referred to the loss the Union had sustained by the death of Air George Tait, of Lowcliffe, a former president, and a keen and valued member of the executive. He detailed the activities of the executive during the year, including the subjects of corn-sacks, lime, tariffs and organisation, and the enrolment of members. In a retrospect of the last season, Ali; Oakley said: The farmers in , AlidCanterbury must look back on the past season with rather mixed feelings. From the pastoralist’s point of view, the season has been most unfavourable; wool values have declined to the extent of front thirty to fifty per cent, or more, the decline in value over the Dominion amounting to approximately £7,000,000. A dry, early summer was nof? conducive to good root crops and this commodity will be in short supply for winter and early spring feeding; but to counteiact this, a very wet autumn has encouraged great growth in green feed. Mr Oakley continued: Alortality in sheep, especially hoggets and lambs, is a matter of the gravest concern to all those engaged in the sheep industry, and it appears to me the real reason of this heavy mortality is the result of the last, few summers contributing less sunshine and abnormally moist conditions to our pasture land. This executing much appreciates the action of the Department of Agriculture in stationing an officer in Ashburton to collect data- for further research in dealing with the trouble. , Meat on London Market. From a fattening point of view, the past season has probably been one of the worst on record, and although the price per pound has been quite good, our prices for lambs have been from four to six shillings lower than last year. This is accounted for by the humid conditions, internal parasitic troubles and.a general lack of fattening qualities in our pastures, resulting in light and second-quality land. However, we must not he disheartened by our difficulties in the past, but let us strive further to produce the article required on the London market. The premium New Zealand has always secured in the United Kingdom over that obtained by other mutton and lamb exporting countries is due to quality, and every endeavour must he made to see that this premium is maintained or increased. Under such conditions of increased competition in respect to quality, our relative superiority would tend to disappear unless further efforts are made, and it cannot be stressed too much that we must maintain that essential factor at all costs. Wheat Growing. The president expressed sympathy with farmers in the north who sustained losses through facial eczema and also with the sufferers through floods or drought. “Canterbury has been termed Ihe Granary of Now Zealand,’ and wheat growing looms large in the agricultural activities of Mid-Canterbury,” said Air Oakley. “Afore or less on account of weather conditions, the usual amount of autumn wheat was not sown, hut early in the spring our acreage was increased, largely as the lesult of a tour of the Minister of Industries and Commerce, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, who inspected our wheat growing areas, and on seeing personally the position and difficulty in connection with the ' industry, increased the price of wheat by 6d per bushel. Our thanks are due to the Alinister for his consideration, and also his promise to review the position again il costs necessitate a further increase. The yield in Alid-Canterhury was fairly satisfactory, more so indeed than many other localities.

Machinery on Farms. “I would like to plifce on record, the appreciation of our Executive and farmers generally, to Mr Buchanan, of Ashburton, who lent a moisture content plant, and also to the Wheat Committee who stationed an officer in Ashburton to carry out moisture tests for the wheat growers around Ashburton. 1 would urge farmers to grow as far as possible the wheat we require in New Zealand, and thereby show our appreciation of what has been done to help the industry. As regards the price paid for Cross Seven this year, I an quite in sympathy with those farmers who grew it expecting to get 2d more than Tuscan price, and I would recommend, that in case of any further alterations in price, the matter be made more public, and right at the commencement of the grain growing season.” “During the last few years, a considerable change has taken place in regard to the machinery used on the farm. In Mid-Canterbury especially, teams of horses are fast disappearing, and their place is being taken by tractors. Some of our legislators attribute this fact as an indication of the prosperity of the farmers. By no stretch of oiir imagination can this lie considered so, and I think a truer definition of this transition would be that it merely indicates the difficulties under which the farmer has to conduct his operations. Conditions 'tinder which farm labourers work have never been

so. attractive as they , are to-day, and the farmer is forced to expend much money on modern machinery to endeavour to keep his workers on the "farm.. Even so, we cannot check the drift of farm workers to Public Works and other Government employment where wages are larger and hours are shorter.

“A serious aspect of farming with tractors and other modern harvesting machinery, is that huge sums of money have to ho sent out of this country to pay for the machinery and fuel, whereas with) the older methods, the horses were bred in New Zealand and the feed or motive power was grown and sold on our farms. Supply of Fuel in Emergency. “Another serious problem which will have to be considered in the near future, is making provisions for a. substantial supply of fuel to be kept in this country in case of national emergency. We are dependent on overseas for the supply of fuel to provide the power whereby we can produce our goods, and the state of our farming if this supply were suddenly cut off, would mean chaos and ruin to the fanning community of Af id-Can terburv. “In most cases, a change over to the old horse power would he almost impossible, at short notice. Politics and Criticism. “Quito a lot of criticism is levelled at the Farmers’ Union on its attitude toward politics. While the Farmers' Union has always main tinned a, nonparty political attitude, it has always been intensely political and has been closely connected with the various proposals that have come before Parliament from time to time. It is impossible as a Farmers’ Union to refrain from criticising much of our present day legislation because our principles and platform are in so many cases directly opposed to the planks of the present Government, and we would be failing in our duty if we allowed legislation to be passed without criticising what we considered not in the best interests of the farmers, and quite lecently this was brought to our notice when our Dominion president was placing the New Zealand Farmers Union’s views of the financing of the National Health Superannuation. Scheme. ~ “We read in the papers that tne Prime Alinister said ‘Dbn’t ask us to face up to orthodox methods because we are going to kick oyer the traces. We are not going to be harnessed, to the old orthodox methods.’ And our Minister of Finance described the Farmers’ Union case as ont> of Propaganda. from, start to finish.

National Health Scheme “It is interesting to know, that at the lakt annual Dominion Conference cif the Farmers’ Union, the following resolution was passed: — ‘The Farmers Union strongly supports a National Health Insurance Scheme financed by compulsory direct contributions levied on»wages, salaries or personal income on a flat rate in the pound, benefits to be available without any limitation or income or in any other way, the total cost of hospital finance to be a charge on the fund.’ A further resolution was also passed: —‘That the Farmers’ Union also supports a National Provident Fund similarly financed to; provide for all pensions and allowances except pensions for public services. These resolutions go to prove that the Farmers’ Union did not oppose a National Health Insurance Scheme but they did oppose much of what had been proposed in the scheme now under the course of construction. “The Union’s only means of safeguarding our farming interests is to endeavour to do so .through its adherence to one of its foremost planks, namely, the New Zealand Farmers Union places principles before party, and supports no' political organisation hut it reserves the right to criticise the legislation of any political: party. “In summing up, I would urge farmers to remain staunch and loyal to the Unknp and take great interest in all its activities always remembering that the Union is what they themselves make it. Our main problem is coping with rising costs, and in giving the Union your support, von strengthen its hand in the fight it is always prepared to put up in your interests.” Air Oakley concluded by thanking members of the Executive for their supovt during the year, the secretary, and the newspapers.

BUSINESS OF CONFERENCE. GOOD FINANCIAL POSITION. WELCOME TO THE VISITORS. The annual conference of the MidCanterbury Provincial District of the Farmers’ Union was held to-day, the president (Mr L. 0. Oakley) presiding over a fully representative attendance of delegates. Messrs W. Buchan (president), and C. Lief and A. J. .utivey (vice-presi-dents) of the South Canterbury Provincial Executive, were welcomed by tlio president, A .welcome was also extended to Mr Ivan Barker, organiser of the group. The financial statement showed that the year bad started with a credit balance of £BB Is 4d and ended with a credit of £ll2 3s 2d.

On the receipts side the levies from the County branches amounted to £134 15s, and the Dominion Executive levies to £304 19s 9d . Expenditure for levies'to the County branches was £llO 10s Oil, and to the Dominion Executive £SO os.

In moving the adoption of the bal-ance-sheet the president made reference to the very happy state of the finances.

The president moved that the MidCanterbury Provincial Executive of the Women’s Division be congratulated for the good work it had done in the past year. The hiotion was seconded by Mr C. C. \\’inn, and carried with acclamation. A letter was recosived from the Christchurch District Office of the New Zealand Police thanking the Union for the assistance it had given in the recent sheep-stealing eases. The Minister for Public TTorks (Hon. 11. Semple) wrote stating that the fullest consideration would he given to the question of the proposed overhead bridge at Chertsey. The Dominion Secretary of the New

Zealand Farmers’ Union (Mr A. P. O’iSliea) wrote gskfng the opinion of the executive on the report prepared by Mr W. W. Mulholland (Dominion President) on the National Health and Insurance scheme. It was decided to write a letter of congratulation to Mr Mulholland for his comprehensive report. It was decided that a report on the control of noxious weeds from the Dominion Secretary be circulated to the various branches.. It was decided to send a letter of congratulation to the group delegate, Mr P. J. O’Regan (Westland), who recently retired from the position of representative on the Dominion Executive. Election of Officers. The election of officers resulted as follows: —President, Mr C. C. Winn (nominated by Mr L. O. Oakley); senior vice-president, Mr C. A. Campion ; junior vice-president, Mr T. V. Wilkinson; secretary, Mr W. H. Amos; treasurer, Mr F. Frampton ; auditor, Mr J. W. Bowden : standing committee, Messrs L. O. Oaklov, R. Oakley. S. H. hill, and L. L. Aitken; delegates to group meeting, president, senior vice-president, junior vice-president, and Mr L, O. Oaldev (reserve delegate. Mr S. H. hill) i delegates to Dominion Conference, president, past-president, and secretary; representative on the Chamber of Commerce,. Mr V> . RHammond; reporter, Mr R. Dunkley.