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Bush Advocate, Volume XIV, Issue 299, 20 March 1903, Page 2

We have receiver! an advance copy of a pamphlet issued by the Colonial Council of the Farmers' Union, m which some sound reasons are given why farmers should join the Union. '. The introductory notes refer to the formation of the Union and the necessity for farmers organising, after which the writer deals with a variety of subjects, all of which largely concern the producer and materially affect his interests. The opportunity is taken of emphasising the fact that the Union is not a political organisation, and does not support' any particular party, neither does it seek to meddle with politics unless its members are directly interested. Seeing, however, that farmers are large taxpayers, the opinion is held that the Union is justified m keeping a careful watch on borrowing, so that the money obtained m this way by the Government of the day may be sanctioned for reproductive works only, and spent wisely. Space is utilised m the pamphlet m order to show what the farmer gains by union. The writer says: — "First of all he (the farmer) is a great I commercial gainer. As a rule his income is small, sited it only comes m I once a year, and he has great difficulty m finding the best markets. If he has stock to sell, this is perhaps not such a difficult matter; he goes to a few j markets, watches his feed to see how long it will last, and then puts his stock intheaales at what he considers the most profitable time. If he miscalculates the number be can carry he ' suffers, but if his judgment is good he makes money. If he sells by auction he is fairly safe to get market value, j With other produce the method is not j quite so simple. Butter, of course,! fetches its highest price, for there is such a wonderful demand for first-class butter that tbere is great competition to secure it. To show, however, even m this trade — besides the eminent success of the co-operative factories — the beneficial effect of combination, we | have" only to look at the' National Dairy Association. Any single company ship- i ping its butter would find itself unequal to the task of influencing greater facilities or cheaper freights. But a ' combination of a number of companies, such as the Dairy Association affects, has a great power m coming to a satis- , factory conclusion. Fruitgrowers, again, j are at the mercy of agents or fruiterers j unless they are combined. Want of j combination means the lowest prices ! and the highest charges. Combination on the other hand results m higher prices and lowest charges. Properly organised the Union should be able to redress readily any commercial overcharge or imposition." | The necessity of effecting insurances at cheapest rates is touched upon, and it is maintained that if a combination of shipping companies, Banks, merchants or any body of men with whom farmers do business, takes place for the purpose of raising rates m any way, Or overcharging, the Union should be able to counteract this by its influence and i numbers. Combination must be met by : combination, if a fair adjustment of charges and rates is to h& arrived at. | Continuing, the writer says: — "The farmer, then, can be an enormous ga?ner by combination. A one per cent. I saving m placing his produce upon the market would amount m the aggregate to £200,000 per annum. Take again the I question of future prices. Tliene are of I course many factors m the constderatio« ■ of this difficult question, viz., the forecast of what the markets of each season will be. Stocks, demand, season, supply, etc., all explicate the question, but who is it, generality speaking, that gains by the rise of prices ? Kx>t generally the farmer. Of course, the farmermust as far as possible eliminate risks from his business. He has nothing but his produce to fall back upon, and if he makes a loss he cannot recoup it for a year, and possibly ho has pressing engagements which force him to sell, i But combination is possible even m this matter. A short time ago there was a very poor season for oats, light crops atid light demands, prices fell to lowest ebb as the season went on, and do one

knew exactly what was going on. It was thought that large quantities were being exported, yet the farmers could have no knowledge of this, and the Government statistics are generally a day behind the fair ! An estimate which appeared to come from authoritative sources at last was published m some papers, stating that the demand had increased, but that very large stocks were being held, more than could possibly be reqnired for any demand likely to arise. Many farmers who had been holding for a rise, on seeing this estimate, determined to sell, and for a time there were plenty of oats put on the market. Suddenly it was found that the market Was bare and up went the price of oats, just when most people had sold. Meanwhile the astute individuals who had been instrumental m getting the forecast of prices out, reaped the benefit. The statement had been fairly correct as to quantities,,etc, but it omitted to say that these stocks were being held mostly secondhand, and that these were awaiting shipment." Reference is made to the formation of the Farmers' National Co-operative Exchange m America last year, and the success of the movement. The Exchange was organised by the grain growers of America for the purpose of marketing crops. With its assiseance the farmers found themselves better able to choose the . time for marketing products, they obtained greater concessions from railways, »n<3 genially, saved some of their profits hitherto secured by middlemen between the farmers and the European consumers. The pamphlet contains other interesting reading matter, which we will refer to m a future issue.