FARMERS' UNION.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20551, 20 May 1932, Page 15

FARMERS' UNION.

NORTH CANTERBURY BRANCH.

PROVINCIAL CONFERENCE. r - The 31st annual conference of tli North Canterbury district branch of tli New Zealand Farmers' "Union was hel yesterday in the Chamb'er of Commerci when the president, Mr Colin Mclntosl presided. 3. The following districts wero repri 3. sentedtrp-Amberley, Culverden, Cus< J» West Eyreton, Darfield, Halket ) Hawarden-Waikari, Hororata, Kaiapo . Little River, Malvern, Cheviot, Moti ! » karara, Omihi, Oxford, Springston, Wa mairi, Cheviot, Banks Peninsula, an I Ellesmere. Election of Officers. :, The election of officers resulted :- '- President, Mr Colin Mcintosh; vic< ( presidents, Messrs J. R. Cullen and G C Warren; hon. treasurer, Mr J. I c Hall; delegates to the Dominion cor i fcrence, Messrs Colin Mcintosh, J. I Hall, and W. W. Mulholland; hon. Audi tor, Mr W. H. Nicholls; executive com mittee, Messrs F. G. Armstrong, R. G Bishop, A. Fisher, G. H. Hassall, D. J Hawke, «?. Dunlop, W. W. Mulholland R. T. McMillan, H. Oliver, H. G. Par ' rish, R. 8. Roper, H. W. Mcintosh, 1 Stevenson, T. Thompson, W. Smith, am W. L. Wright. It was decided that, the Dominioi Executive draw the attention of th« ■ Government to the fact that th< promised Commission to deal with thi .. important question of local governmen has not been appointed. I The two following remits were re ferred to the provincial executive fo investigation :-*- That farmers should be furnished by the Railway Department with weigh 1 certificates, showing the correct weigh of their produce consigned to mer _ chants. That the Forestry Department b< asked to reintroduce the practice oj selling young trees to farmers. The following remit was passed:— That the action taken by the Advis ory Committee in supporting the methoc of conferring preference on the farm ers in Great Britain and the oversea! Dominions by means of the quota sys tern bo approved. Marketing Investigation. Tho following remit was carriod unanimously«—That it is desirablo thai enquiries should be made by the Dominion Executive as to the result oi the various marketing Acts in Australia, especially tho Paterson Butter Marketing Scheme. To this remit was added the following note:—Under present conditions the prices received by farmers for their meat, wool,, and dairy produce sold locally aro governed by . export values which fluctuate regardless of tho cost of production; export values are based on prices in London, phis tho cost of shipping, insurance, commissions, etc., so the farmers' produce sold locally is charged with the cost of shipment to London when it never goes there 1 . The powers of the Meat and Dairy Export Board are restricted to exported produce, and consequently no assistance can be given by them in* obtaining fair prices for produce sold locally, a great deal of which is being sold at less than it costs to produce. Credit Restriction. Tho following romit was carried to ■go -forward to the Dominion- conference: In view of the unusually large amount on fixed deposit with Associated Banks and tho comparatively small amount available for loans for'business purposes, it is desirable that some explanation should bo requested and that the Dominion executive be asked to take tho matter Protest was mfi.de to be forwarded to the Government-through the Dominion office of tho Union against the action of the Government in' depriving the Highways Board of the proceeds of the patrol tax. A remit that some sort of organisation work in-North Canterbury for tho Union was was referred to the provincial executive, who will transfer the recommendation to the Dominion executive. "That the branch protests against the Transport Board granting licenses to buses competing against the trains'' was a remit passed and referred to the provincial executive, in order Uiat the matter wight be*" taken up with the Transport Board. The came from the Cheviot branch. A' remit from the Oxford branch that the conference favours the Government introducing amending legislation giving local 1 bodies the power to recover rates that have been unpaid for three years or over was carriod unanimously. * A vote of thanks to the Broadcasting Board for its service to farmers in the way of market reports and general information was carried. The Annual Report. The annual report, which was adopte'd, states: — During the year just ended some of the 'more important' matters discussed were fertiliser subsidy, foot-and-mouth disease, Australian imports, wheat and flour duties, smut in barley, cocksfoot certification, Transport Bill, electricity charges, Russian menace, wheat prices, Ottawa Conference, farming costs, interest reduction. The Exchange Pool. Possibly this question should be placed first in importance, because after careful study of the various opinions on &U8 question there appears to be little doubt that currency mismanagement is in a large measure, responsible for the other problems. llarly this year the Government issued export licensing regulations with the object of having first call on exporters' funds in London at a low controlled rate of exchange for the purpose of meeting the Government and local body interest payments due overseas. In conjunction with the Sheep-own-ers' Union, Meat Board, Dairy Board, and Chamber of Commerce, urgent representations were made to the Government to allow the exchange to swing free so that this Dominion would be enabled to obtain the true value-in-ex-change for its produce. The' Government, taking the short rather than the long viow, remained adamant; We understand that it is proposed next month to lift the restriction, but meantime a grave injustice has been done to primary producers. This is a question which the Union should continue to give its attention, for it is quite.apparent that the primary produce exporter is not getting a square deal in exchange value. Internal costs are loaded against him, and he pays these in New Zealand pounds while not receiving full exchange valuo in New Zealand pounds for his produce sold on a sterling basis. Indeed, tho position is so desperate through the present deflationary policy and the difficulty, if not impossibility, of getting down internal costs quickly that the proposal for deliberately raising tho exy change and deflating the currency seems the most urgent question of the

moment. . Such a" policy was suggested in tho report of the economists, but so far no steps have been taken to give effect to it. Unemployment has been considered from all angles, and suggestions have been put forward with a view to helping the Unemployment Board in its difficult task. It would have been so easy to drift into the dole and to have a large number en plotting the system, while the morale of the whole would bo undermined.. Our leaders, however, have chosen tho difficult way, and should have tho assistance of all rightthinking people in their endeavour to see that no one wants, whilo at the same time ensuring,that those capable of doing so render some service for the relief afforded. A very serious feature of this sorry business, and one which will have the most far-reaching effect on the manhood of our Dominion, is tho present hopelessness of tho outlook for our splendid boys with physique and ability second to none, eager to get to grips with some job of work in order to prove themselves, and denied on every hand. .Youth must not be too frequently 1 discouraged or the healthy urge to do something useful may, by lack of expression, become a danger to both the individual and the State. Those employers' arid educational and social institutions which are doing their utmost to maintain the boys' interest and tide them over are deserving of the warmest thanks of the whole community- ~ Relief of Distress. , Throughout last winter appeals were put out to our branches for produce, etc., for the relief of distress in this City, and a very fine response was received, several districts organising collections of produce at intervals right through the most trying period. It is quite apparent "that in spite of the efforts which have been made t,o «ope with the problem, conditions will be very bad this winter. Wo are confident, however, notwithstanding that the action of certain of those in authority in fhig City tends to alienate sympathy, there is produce in the country which will be willingly spared if the giving is made easy by organised collection.

Chamber of Commerce. We are pleased to acknowledge the assistance of the Chamber of Commerce during the past year in various matters of mutual concern, chief of which was the exchange question. Mr R. T. McMillan continues to represent us on that body.-

Women's Division. The Women's Division is making steady progress. Of the women it can be truly said that whatever they find to do they do with all their might, and their energy should be an inspiration and incentive to us. Those of our branches which have a branch of the division associated with them have found that it is a source of strength. We thank the Division, for its co-Opera-tion, which is much appreciated.

Farm Accounting. The report > upon farm accounting would not bo complete without mention of a matter which is of special interest to farmers. We refer to farm accounting. Dr. I. W. Weston, of Lincoln College, has devised, with the assistance he acknowledges in tho publications, two simplified systems of keeping farm accounts, either of which should prove of great assistance to farmers. This is only another instance of the good work the College is doing and of the keen-, ness of its staff to initiate any movement which will help primary producer to make good. Although the ability to keep, books accurately does not signify that a man can farm successfully, the keeping of accounts and records develops' system and the faculty of analysis both of which aro nocessary adjuncts to a wellran farm, apart altogether from the fact that it is nocessary to have records to complete an income tax return or to furnish a reliable statement to a banker when arranging an overdraft. :Wo recommend the practice and pur secretary is prepared to assist in building up n service should sufficient support be forthcoming.*