OXFORD BRANCH.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13110, 8 May 1908, Page 8

OXFORD BRANCH.

Tho annual meeting of tho Oxford Branch of the Farmers' Union was held on April 24th, Mr H. T. Cooper in tho chair. The Treasurer rr»rl thebrl-ance-sheet. showing receipts £33 10s 3d, and expenditure £49 Iα Sd, leaving a credit balance of £4 8s 7d. The balance-sheet was adopted, being considered very satisfactory, except for unpaid subscriptions. The following officers were unanimously elected :— Chairman. Mr August slowers; vicechairman-, Mr Thomas Harle, jnr.: secretary and treasurer, Mr Jas. McCorlruick.; auditor** M.r P. Fisher; committee, Messrs H. T. Cooper, John O'Halloran, And. Baxter, Jas. Clarke, H. Smith. H. Inch, John McGrath, Wm. Wells jun., Dan McGrath. Jas. Brown, John Skurr senr., F. W. Engelbrectat, Jclm Crossj E. florman, Wm. Weld, F. Wotherspoon and H. Luors. Messrs August Meyers and H. T. Cooper wero elected delegates to Provincial Conference. It was unanimously resolved that tho subscription for the current year be 10s, and that committee meetings bo lield on the first Monday of each month.

Mr G. Herman presented a return of the threshing in the Oxford district as follows:—Oats. 33,5-39 bushels; wheat. Ul2o bushels; grass seed, 10.000 bushels, for which he was voted thanks.

The secretary was requested' To torward the Premier a letter of thanks for his action in supplying grass seed to burnt-out settlers.

Tho now Committeo of tho Oxford branch mot on May 4th, when there wero present: Messrs Cooper, Clarke, Smith, Skurr, iEngelbrecht. Thai. Harlo jnr., and John Cross. Mr Harle, vice-chairman, occupied tho chair. In regard to a letter from tho Stock Department on brands, in reply to tho secretary's letter, Mr Cooper said Jio Jiad interviewed Mr Cunningham, and the secretary waa requested to write tho Chief Inspector, Christchurch, to have a list of brands and earmarks of tho Oxford district placed in charge- of tho North Canterbury Co-op. Stores, Oxford. Tho following remits wero unanimously adopted for presentation to the Provincial Conference of May 28th and 29th:—(1). That in the opinion of this branch stops should bo taken by the New Zealand Farmers' Union throughout the Dominion at tho next election for Parliament to support such candidates only as will pledge themselves to particularly attend to tho interests of tho farming community, independent of party, as tho time has now arrived when tho farmers of New Zealand must take a firm stand in politics if they wish to safegard their industry; (2) that this branch considers that as strikes aro practically impossible on farms, tho farming industry should bo exempt from tho Arbitration Act; (3)that it bo a recommendation to tho Colonial Council to roako original demands on tho Government rather than oppose or obstruct measures that have become law; (4) that the Colonial Council recommend tho Government that steps bo taken to remedy tho many complaints made regarding the defectivo grading of numerous small seeds." Tho matter of defaulting subscribers referred from tho annual meeting was postponed to next meeting for the attendance of Mr O'Halloran.