SECRETARY RESIGNS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 66, 17 March 1916, Page 6

SECRETARY RESIGNS.

FARMERS' UNION AFFAIRS.

COMPUCATIONS OF TRADING. MR SCHMITT ADVOCATES SEPARATION. After a connection of five years with the New Zealand Farmers' Union in Auckland, Mr A. Schmitt tendered hw reeignaiion at a meeting of the executive yesterday as organising eeeretary of the union and as a director of the trading association, which has sprung up side by side 'With the older organisation. He remains honorary treasurer of the union, and by virtue of that position holds a seat on the privincial directorate of the union. It may be mentioned that when Mr Schmitt became organising secretary of the union the membership was approximately 150. To-day it is between 4,000 and 5,000. The trading association is of ■comparatively recent growth. In its earlier stages Mr Schmitt also looked after that concern, but recently a separate manager was appointed. The organising eecretary informed the executive of the union yesterday that unless they were prepared to separate the office of the Farmers' Union from that- of the trading association, and increase hi 3 salary to an extent which would justify hint in devoting the whole of his time to ite affairs, he felt that it was necessary for him to supplement his income by outside work, w"hich would .possibly clash iiwith the operations of the tradim; association.

At the same time Mr Schmitt warned 'his fellow executive officers of the wisdom of carrying on the work of the union apart from the trading association. Some of them had expressed the opinion that his usefulness as organising secretary would be valuelese without he entered heart and soul into the trading j affairs also. As far as the latter concern went, he agreed absolutely with the principles with -which it had been started. iHe thought that every member of the Farmers' Union should belong to it, for if trade benefits -were to be obtained they would be a Jever in sustaining interest in the union. He believed that under present conditions their influence with Parliament and Press was affected.

With respect to the Farmers' Union. Mr Schmitt expressed the conviction that it would be necessary to decentralise and to place an organising secretary in charge of each area, with a soib-executive, subsidiary to'the provincial executive. With proper facilities for canvassing he was confident that 00 per cent of the farmers could be got into the union.

Many of the members present were eulogistic .in their references to the work of the 'provincial secretary, but, on the other lhand, some thought that it was not in the best interests of the union that he should not be giving its affaire his. undivided attention. In finally deciding to resign, Mr Schmitt wis-hed the union every success, and said that he intended to remain an. active member and help to carry out the many sdhemee that he had formulated.