FARMERS' UNION.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 11244, 9 April 1902, Page 5

FARMERS' UNION.

CONFERENCE AT TEMPLETON

A conference of farmers, called by the Templeton branch of the Fanners , Union, was held in the Templeton Library yesterday afternoon.. Farmers, were present from the locai township, and irom Sheffield, Harewood road, Lincoln, Brpndfields, Hornby. Yaldhurst, Rolleston, Weedons, Prebbleton, and Riccarton. Mr G. Witty, Chairman of the Templeton branch, presided. Apologies were received from Mr 0. A. C. Hardy, M.H.R., Mr 0. W. Russell. M.H.R., Mr A. J. Bell, and Mr. A. C. Archey. In his opening address, Mr Witty stated that two years ago there was scarcely a branch of the Farmers' Union in New Zealand, and only 12 months ago there was barely one in Canterbury. Now there were 530 branches throughout the colony, with a membership of 23,1)00. He did not know of any Union which had grown and j developed so quickly. It now formed the strongest organisation of the kind in the colony, and would be a tower of strength in support, or in opposition to, any party. But the Union did not wish to be an aggressive body. It only wanted to better the condition of its members. It had brought tho farmers of the colony together, and in benefiting them, it "would benefit the people of the whole colony, country people and townspeople alike. The Trades and Labour Council in Auckland had recently suggested prohibiting anything coming into the country, that could be manufactured here. The result of this would be to benefit a few people interested in the trades concerned, at the expense of all the country people. The Council was working in the direction of protection, and,, as country people, the members of the Union were naturally freetraders. He hud no sympathy with" heavy duties at all. The revenue received from the Customs should be for revenue purposes only, and not for protection. The Union was now beginning to be recognised as an important body, even by the politicians, and those who had "sat on" dtt at- first, were now glad to treat it with respect. Thais was the result of organisation. The Union must be united, not only in numbers, tut in feeling and sympathy, for the good of the community, and, foot of the individual. It was desirable that it should exist for the good of the people—that it should be a political body in some irespects, but without party. Before anything else, tide Union ahouid deal with our markets. There was the question of our frozen meat. The Argentine meat came out on top owiiig to urganisation and combination, while New' Zealand was undersold. The speaker quoted reports to show that tihe arrival of meat Erom tbe Argentiine was never interrupted. Moreover, they sent a quantity of meat into ths provinoes, while New Zealand sent it to London, and let the ■ igents scramble for it. It was certainly ■ leeirabJe that the coCony's meat should be . sold at fair prices, and as New Zealand ■ neat, and riot English. Also, the people < vanted to know what prices were being ibtained. Then there was much growling ' vith regard to the wool, but in this the 1 >eople had themselves to thcnk to a large J jxteat. We were selling wool here at ' kx a lb, and buying flannelette in -which ■ liere was no .wool, which was merely cot- 1 on, rubbed the wrong way with a brush. ! a farming community we should stiand : >y our own wool, and so help to consume >ur own produce. Another thing wanted ' ras equal taxation with the towns. Then, j t the exemption was to be lowered on ! and, it should be lowered also on income. { .ha farmers had been put upon, but after I U it was their own fault, because they had ever "kicked," The speaker thought also + tot in the district of Templeton for intance," land" should he obtained for the ]■ asual labourer, which he could improve c ?hen he -was- not employed at the freezing b rorfcs. If .the Government had fifty acres i ■i the oistiriob cut up, and ranted it at i: n amount which would just pay expenses c nemp.oyed workmen could live there' to a Ue:,t own benefit, and that of the> com- * iwaity. No one wae so"badly paid as the * <ew Zealand farmer, hist wife, and iiia * imiJy; Considering also tihe disabilities in- "* parable from living, far from the town reater concessions should be made to couonl X J&W 6 in to education. . He ;oul<l irke' to see scholarships given by the [moo.. Besides these matters of interest bere were those of the small birds nuimce, ratmg on unimprofvod value- and Jβ question of a State bank, Referring to , Jβ laet, mentioned, Mr Witty' asked what \ ouJd be the effect, if it ehould. come to 4 as ?'^" lt . wo , ul<i > l»e odd, Ml upon the " )tmtry people for security. The farmers ? aid the national debt at present, with their " ponteand would havß'tocootfeuedoXg * >. He gave all credit to Mr Ell and Mr I aurenaon for thd r ideas on the subject, I staicte, but they wane not applicable to * » fantow. The .speaker colluded \>j a yiting any motions or discussion from C used on to tine executive meeting, to be g jU.on the Tfch.May, and thj'to the 5 tad&y? renCC ' ****** the Slsfcand * i V^l^ 6 /' * he PwdAwt of the a or*h Canterbury district of the Farmers- * by. tie Chairmain be discussed in lt w order in ™hkh he had » oi tern.. . si

THE FROZEN MEAT QUESTION. The question of frozen meat was first discussed -Mr J. Harding, secretary of -the North Oanteifcury district of the Union, read to the meeting the suggestions made by Mr D Horn, d published ?n * SS C of ksfc **& regard to the adaption of an improved system for of the mea* on the London

i,* M , read *» extraa fc from a lc*fcer written -by the President of the Wβ". hasten fcxeeubive of the Union, and dealing with ,the same subject. The letter will come before rthe Executive of the North Canterbury section at the meeting on May

, Tie Ohannnan said that all present knew meat_was not getting fai r play a* Home. LVlr J. fctudhoOme, jun., had referred to the ma/tifcer a.fc *!he last meeting of the Exeowtive. He hoped that, if the Conference d:d nothing else, it -would endorse the resolution then moved to Mr Stud'holme. Mr D. Jones, of Weedons, also spoke on the master.

(Mr EPardiag jthougJit lihe difficulty was not "tihat mere were (too many consignees, but tthalb *he meat passed ■ through too many channels, wiuch were not closely enough bonnected. Mr G. Jameson had suggested concentrating the trade !by erects ing a (building in London, in a central position, on behalf of the CommonweaJith, New Zealand, -and Canada It would he connected 'by rail with the docks, and would he at once a market for colonial produce of aT. kinds, and a store for frozen meait, ibutter, ttc. >fr Harding saw a good deal of danger in tb« scheme, (however,* and doribted whetlrer the imAe ivould pass into the new nrarkfits. New Zea'iand lamb made a profit, an London of something like cent, per cent. At present he did not s«e •how to avoid that. *■ There were about four salesmen who 'had possession of the present market, and our meat had to be

passed itfbroirgfo it. The' Qbairma-n w<as opposed to conbination with other colonies in the master.

After some further discussion, Mr Leadley moved—"Tfeat this meeting of members of the Farmers' Union heart&y endorses fhe suggestion of Mr J. Studholme, jun., at the last meeting of the North Canterbury Executive, regarding the unsajtisfatfrory mature of tie preswnt system of disposing of N ens- Zealand frozen meat

in London; and, TLiifther, ttha* we are of opinion that the representatives of the New Zealand frozen meat companies be invited to meet .the ■Colonia' Conference in Wellington, and discuss the whole question, and, if possible, formulate a better scheme." Mr G. Mangin seconded the.'resolution, wihWls twos agreed to unanimously.'

THE WOOL QTJESmON. ! ©n the wool question a motion was passed, after some dtsaussion, recosnanendine all fanners to lisa woollen goods, thus making a market for themselves, instead of using flannelette, in w3iich there was no S° ™. ■ B thousands of peoitfe the Chairman stated, who did not know what flannelette ypsa. .

A PREFERENTIAL TARIFF.

Some discussion took place on the mat ter of * .preferential tariif. Mr Leadtay said that the question would undoubtedly come ibefore the Colonial Conference. The fact ifb&t the Premier had given notice to introduce it was all the more reason why tihe present Conference shouCd let its feeling on tihe question be known. Phe fallowing resolution, proposed by tMr Harding, and seconded by Mr Jones, was tpassed wiiihont dissent:—"ThaJfc this Conference asks the Provincial Conference •to take into consideration tho question of a reoiprocial tariff, end suggests thalt tJiev be asked to support the action which Mr Seddon proposes to take in I/ondon. Mr Lead'ev moved, aud Mr I). Jones seconded—"TW this meeting leums with pleasure that the Right fHon. R. J. Sedj don ihap given notice to move at the forthcoming Conference of Premiers in Lon- ! don, for a preferential tariff wilihin the British JEhnpire, and is strongly of opinion tfhwt such a disorimrnating tariff is urcently needed to enable colonial farmers to successfully compete whih foreign producers." A motion was a'so passed asking the North Canterbury Conference to request the Government to forward to the various branches of the .New Zealand Farmers' Union copies of all Bills affecting fanners' interests. LANDS FOR WORKMEN. The Chairman's suggestion with regard to the setting apart of lands for workmen when not in regular employment was next considered. Mr Harding thought that something should be done to assist farmers in giving their men cottage accommodation. Hβ favoured Mr Witty's scheme, and considered that if it were carried out much good would result.

Air J. Prebbte was opposed to the suggestion, on the ground that the working man did not generally improve his property, unless he was a" freeholder. Mr Leadlev suggested that the working men at the "Freezing Works be asked t<> come and hear the discussion on the point next meeting. Mr A. BeD moved—"That this conference is of opinion that it would be desirable to invite county workmen to meet a committee of the Templeton branch'of the Union, and discuss the whole question of land for occupation by themselves." The motion was seconded and carried.

THE SMALL BIRDS NUISANCE. The small birds nuisance was also discussed.

The chairman stated that the capital value of the Selwvn County was £14,000,000, and there was. land tinder cultivation amounting to 457,046 acres. Tho average loss owing-to birds was about 5s per acre per annum. On the area mentioned this would 1 amount to £114,261 10s, which was being lost yearly in the county. Yet at the recent conference on the subject, out of 14 farmers present, 13 had voted against the levying of a rate at l-16th of a penny in the £, which wouid mean that on property valued at £20. the rate would be valued at £100 61d, at £1000 «;, 2£d, at £20,000 £5 4s 2d, on £100,000 - £26 0s 10d,vnnd on the whole county of £14,000,000 £3645.16s 8d. 4 Mr D. Jones moved that the 'resolution thrown out at the conference refer red 1 to be endorsed. This .states—"That it-be a recommendation to the Sehvyh County Council that a special rate be levied of l-16th of a .penny inthe£i on all the! rateable property in the county, for the purpose of destroying", small- under the Small Birds Nuisance Act, 1891. Such moneys to be collected by the local bodies concerned, and paid to the County Council, and kept as a special fund to re-imburse the local bodies witnin the county for all moneys expended by them in th& destruotion' of small birds during -the winter months."

The resolution was seconded, andi agreed to.

The programme of sports whidh, wae to have taken place during the afternoon, -was considerably interfered with by the "weather, but several races were run. T«a was laid in the schoolroom, where a social was held in the evening. Mr. G. Witty took tie chair, and there was a crowded attendance. Speeches were given by the Rev. Mr Haslam, Mr W. Pannett, Mr C. Benjamin Mr- G., Leadley,.Mr G. R. Blakemore, Mr Hardline, and Mr D. Jones. The eociel was followed by "a dance.