FARMERS' UNION.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18205, 16 October 1924, Page 3

FARMERS' UNION.

MEETING OF EXECUTIVE.; A meeting of the executive of the North Canterbury Farmers' Union was held yesterday. Present: Messrs J. D. Hall (chairman), R.. T. McMillan, W. W. Mulholland, D. J. Doak, F. A. Wagner, E. G. Wells, J. P. Cullen. W. Bailey, H. Oliver, H. G. Parish, A. M. Carpenter, ,L Henley, D. Bates, W. Leech, H. E. Peryman, J. E. Horrell, E. A. Payne, C. A. Wo mall, and H. May. A letter was received from the Dominion secretary stating that sheepowners generally were not perturbed at the possibility of a shearers' strike. Irresponsible "efforts, stated tho letter, wero being made •by unregistered parties, but there was no. dispute. Members'from tho various districts, in discussing the subject of tho letter, stated that shearing operations appealed to lie progressing as usual, and from what they could gather there was no dispute. It was decided to take no action with regard to the letter. Fowl Wheat. A letter was,received from the Cust (West Eyreton) branch, urging that tho executive should protest to the Government against tho removal of the duty on fowl wheat after November 30th 'next, to February 28th, 3925. Mr Mulholland explained that the lifting of the duty applied only to for.l wheat, which might be imported from Australia under permit. It had been given out that tho removal of the duty was in place of tho Government importing wheat. It should have no effect on the farmers' 1 next season's wheat, but the effect it would havo was to create a feeling in the minds of wheatgrowers that the position in regard to wheat was unstable. It was very unwise on the Government's part to do anything to foster such .in impression. It seejned a very fair inference for any wheatgrower to draw that they could not depend for a moment upon the Government continuing the duty. As far as he could see, it was only a concession to the poultrymen. The executive would bo quite right in entering a protest. Unless the Government was careful the market might easily be flooded. Other speakers exprrased the opinion that the Government's action was only the thin edge of ths wedge, and that the duty would be permaaent-ly -removed unless action were taken by the growers. The president sugg;<sted that all the branches should protest against the removal of the duty, and should send their protests direct to th*> Government. Ho strongly condemned tho removal of tho dutv, stating that it would have more far-reaching effects than they could foresee. In his opinion the branches should tell the Government plainly that the removal of the duty would" materially decrease the production of wheat. A resolution that the executive enter a protest, was carried unanimously. Herd-Testing. Mr Hall read a circular drawn up by the Dairy Committee of the branch, m which the need for milkers of cows to test the animala rogularlv. was stressed. He nrcred the desirabilitv of all cowowners joining a herd-testing association. What thev had to do was to im-

press on cow-owners that it was not ; ust to themselves, not just to Canterbury, and not just *vo their children to neglect to weed out the robber-cows in their herds. He could not' believe that the cow-owners in Cauterbury wished to go on losing £1,000,000 annually. The speaker moved that the Dairy Committee- be authorised to have the circular printed and distributed to all suppliers of milk, to factories, and to members of the Union. Mr Mulholland stated that the difficulty w;as to convinco cow-owners that they should get tho same return from their children's labour as from adult workers. The .average farmer looked upon tho milk side of his farming as a side-line. Farmers must be taught that: milking was a payable business and not something to bo treated as a side-line. Other speakers pointed out' various discrepancies in actual milk tests and suggested that until some uniformity was arrived at in "testing, farmers would not seriously consider testing. Mr A. M. Carpenter expressed the opinion that the apathetic ■•'attitude-'of farmers was largely due to the fact that it was impossible' to get- labour which would, take an interest in cows. ; Mr Mulholland pointed out with reference to discrepancies in testing, that there was always* possibility of error. Bottles might get mixed and changes in temperature might <affect the results of the testing. . , ! The president's motion which authorised' printing and distributing, the circular, was carried, and the report adopted.