FARMERS' UNION.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18070, 12 May 1924, Page 5

FARMERS' UNION.

.J RANGIORA BRANCH. The annual meeting of the Rangiora branch of tho Farmers' Union was held on Friday, Mr A. M. Carpenter pre--siding. Amongst those present were» the Hon. I>. !Buddo M.P., and Mr TV. T. Esson. *

The president said the past year had been in m«ny respects a memorable, one. The serious flood of May last, was only equalled by the one : which occurred fifty years ago. To many farmers their loss of stock and produce •was a financial calamity though fortunately the district escaped without loss of human life. Tlie past season had by no means been a favourable one to the 'wheat-grower. The flood prevented much autumn sowing on heavy wheat-growing land, and the late spring sown wheat could not mature and yield on account of the fierce nor'-westers. Sfo serious was the position that it was decided to call a conference of growers* to which the Minister of Agriculture was invited. In February the conference met, the Minister attending, and it. was resolved to nsk for a fixed price of Gs, 6s 3d, and 6s 6d for this season's wheat. A Wheatgrowers' Association, having for itte object the selling of wheat at its y ahi o , instead of accepting the prices offered, was under consideration. Considering the lengthy operation and risk attending the growing of wheat, with the high cost'-oTproduction,, some susi scheme was necessary. The had been most disastrous for oats. , Low prices prevailed and this was ... due principally to speculators flooding the market with Australian pressed chaff . The potato grower had been hard 1 hit haying lost much of his last season's crop through the flood, and this season the yields were very disappointing in many cases. Several meetings haO been hold and deputations sent to Ministers regarding Australian imports. Growers appeared to suffer a great injustice. Australia could exploit our i market in our lean season: when we had a Surplus there was no opportunity of getting on to the Australian' market. - The/outstanding, event 'in the dairying industry had been the passing of the Dairy Control Bill. Dairying was a very good friend to the Dominion, • and returned last season a total of £18,000,000 for butter and cheese alone. For such an important industry, such a measure as the Dairy Control Bill must be in it s best interests. The bacon -industry in the district was improfit-: able. America sent nearly £30,000,000 ; worth of bacon and lard to England; annually. The export >of bacon'therefore was a feasible proposition, and we, must endeavour to obtain a share of that market and supply it; Poultry and egg production was an asset to dairying whicli must not .be overlooked' and in this respect it was good to note that a jnarket had been secured for the: Dominion's surplus eggs for the , next ; three vears. The position in regard to' lamb had been most encouraging during the past year. Prices have. been ; very satisfactory, and. had been' no trouble at the freezing works to cause any inconvenience. South America was seriously challenging > "New Zealand's position on the British market. In 1920 16 par cent, of the mutton and lamb exported to Britain came from South' America, but in 1923 ,it. rose to 38 per cent. Wool had been a :tno'st valuable product this year to'all con- ; cerned. and had assisted the finance ofi both tlie-producer and the. Dominion considerably. At several meetings held to discuss methods to . encourage . the -growing of wheat, one of Tihe chief difficulties seeilied to bo the cost of thresh-, ing. The price for threshing next son's grain should bfe fixed now, end /it had Wn publicly stated by ■ millownefs that thrashing chafgfs. were too /high. There was a ditteren-Je on some mills of Id per bushel in the charge for threshing wheat. Taxation was an important matter to farmers, more so because the average farmer did not understand it. The Farmers Union had taken up~the matter in th'e interests of /its members; The , New . Zealand farmer was the most heairily taxed in the world. The values of land were higher and the rat© of terest much, greater than in England with the market at' the door. Only by \ being high up in production per head, could we go, on. We have had ' a land tax, a mortgage tax and an in-come-tax. The last valuation of land . for taxation purposes was made when produce was much higher than The land of the average-fafcmer should bo revalued on the basis of the' price of produce with coft of production. The opening of tunnel hadopened immense opportunities for tr<i||e with -the West Coast,- which the. branoh was taking advantage of.- ■ The secretary,-'Mr JR. Newell', m his report/stated that the roll number was 126,' an increase of 1(52 for the year. The credit balance of £43 was better than last year, and £29 10s was still to come in. After paying /the Centre levy, the branch would be in a good ■ financial position, which would, with a little energy, be maintained. Witlr regard to the Exhibition, £L*> had -been collected and- spent. l-bis year special arrangements • had foeeii made to'meet the farmers' m'ents, and after some trouble he had been able to offer covers to farmers at a much lower cost than , had been paid during the last few years. The coal business had been-carried on. since starting with no profit to the Union, but members would-have an opportun-, ity of considering the branch's trading schemes! • \ '•\ -■ The balance-Sheet showed thb receipts to havte beeix £99 18s 3d and the expenditure £56.13s 6d, leaving a credit balance of £4B 4s 9d. There were outstanding sulpcriptions amounting to £29 10s. ' - . ■ ' : The report and: balance-sheet were adopted. ' . , v ~ ■ The following', officers were elected'. — President, Mr A. M. Carpenter; vicepresident, Mr J.t. Dickhoff; secretary and treasurer, Mi! R. Newell; executive committee, W. Smith 'T (Fernside), T. Hanna . J. W. Foster, W. Stalker, C. Mehrt\ens, It. Peach, G. Skinner, J. J. Matthews, J. Brosnahan and F. J. Dixon: delegates to conference, the president, vicepresident- and secretary. An honorarium of ;€lO was voted to the secretary. A The following remit was passed to be sent to the annual conference of the Farmers' Union to be seld in Christcliurcli next month: —"Tbat rural lands be revalued for taxation." ' The chairman, Mr A. ill. Carpenter, said the Farmers' Union '.was here because it voiced the intt\rests of the farmer. The Farmers' Union of to-day had changed very much fiom what it was a tew years ago. The ofganisation was or as the Americans said, it was delivering tile goods. Ninety per cent, of the whajit-faxmers supported the Union ia .their agitation for a payable price for wheat, and they had been listened to by the fjoyernJ ment. . . j In • addressing non-member j, the '/ chairman urged them to join. «the Union. It w;as out to lielp tm\m, to take suggestions to act, and, to give information. Short addresses were, given by the Hon. D. Buddo, M.P., and Mr W. i | Esswi, : manager of the oi operative Association. ! Amongst the various matters men- ! tioned for "discussion at their next meeting was the Farmers' Mutual lasurance scheme. " , . I. The secretary (Mr B. Newell) was congratulated upon the energy he had j put Into the work of the Union, assists I ing to make it the most successful j branch in the South Island. An hoa- ' orarium of £lO was voted to him