MID-CANTERBURY

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20038, 20 September 1930, Page 4

MID-CANTERBURY

ASHBURTON. MAGISTRATE'S COURT. Messrs R. Galbraith and W. H. Bundle, J.P.'s, presided over the sitting of the Magistrate's Court at Ashburton yesterday. Langtry Maginness was fined £l, with costs 10s, for failing to give way to traffic on his ;ht. Albert Robert Graham, an Australian, aged 18 years, appeared on remand charged with the theft of a bicycle valued at £lO, the property of Francis David Kesteven, at Christchurch on September 11th. A further remand was granted till next Friday.

Judgment for the plaintiffs by default was given in the following cases:— Pyne, Gould, Guinness, Ltd., v. H. Stephens, claim for £l3 13s, with costs £3 6s; Mail and Guardian Co., Ltd., v. E. Goss, claim for £2 10s, with costs £1 5s 6d_; Bishop and Co. v. R. E. Mably, claim for £1 10s lOd, with costs £1 5s 6d; Bishop and Co. v. J. J. Tait, claim for £2 lis lOd, with costs £1 5s 6d; Sim Wilson Motors v. E. J. M. Daniel, claim for £4 19s 3d, with costs £1 3b 6d; F. Wills v. R. Campbell, claim for. £3 16s 6d, with costs £1 19s. Farmers' Union. The monthly meeting of the MidCanterbury Provincial Executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union was held yesterday. Mr G. Tait presided. Mr T. D. Burnett, M.P., wrote in reply to the executive's letter regarding the removal of wheat duties, stating that he would fight to the last ditch foil protection of the wheat industry, on which Canterbury's rural standard of living depended more than ever. Several replies were received from ILinisters and members of Parliament to whom the executive had written regarding the failure of the Government to lease land at Lincoln College for experimental work. The Minister for Agriculture (Hon. A. J. Murdoch) wrote that the proposal which was under discussion was that his Department should take an area of the College farm for pure seed culture, and arrangements had been made under which the College woul' 1 carry out some preliminary cultivation work. In order that the pure seed work might be gone on with, it was essential that a considerable expenditure should be incurred for appliances and equipment Bind the erection of the necessary buildings, but owing to the fact that tho Government is compelled to exercise a sovere economy in all Departments, and to utilise its funds for essential services, the scheme had been temporarily postponed. Ab soon as finance was available he hoped to be able to authorise his Department to proceed with the original proposals. A circular letter was received from tho Board of Agriculture asking for the executive's views on the suggestion that tho embargo on the importation of stock from Great Britain should be lifted.

Mr G. A. Franks (Lauriston) said that there had recently been two outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in England, and ho did not think that the Government would consider the proposal. The president said it would not be safe to lift the l-estrictiuns for at least another twelve months. On the motion 1 of Messrs A. Horsey and G. A. Franks, it was decided to inform the Board of Agriculture that; the executive was not in favour of lifting tne embargo until there was no danger whatever of foot-and-mouth disease entering New Zealand with imported stock. The Minister for Industries and Commerce forwarded a statement of the cost of transport of produce from Ash-, burton to Auckland. It was decided to reply stating that the statement was not borne out by the experience of members of the Union. Mr J. R. Dalton said he noticed that motions had been forwarded direct to Ministers by various branches of the Union. This was a breach of etiquette as they should be sent through the executive, and would then carry more weight. The president said branches only sent objections direct in the case of emergency. Messrs G. Tait, G. H. B. Lill, A. P. Bruco, G. W. Lcadley, A. Horsey, and G. A. Franks were appointed a committee to Consider various replies which had been received from Ministers in connexion with remits which were carried at the last annual conference of the Dominion Farmers' Union. One guinea was voted to the Ashburton branch of the Workers' Educational Association.