FARMERS' UNION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 200, 18 May 1908, Page 8

FARMERS' UNION.

MASTERTON ANNUAL MEETING. IMPORTANT QUESTIONS. FREEHOLD AND LABOUR MATTERS. (uy TELEGRAnr.—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) i Mas tor ton, May 17. vTho animal meeting of tlio Mastorton branch of tho New Zealand Farmers' Union was .held on Saturday afternoon, tho President, Mr. J. C. M'Killop, occupying the chair. Tho chairman, in a review of tho work of the branch for tho pa3t year, said that only a small amount of interest had been taken in tho work of the branch. It

was now proposed l to mergo into one body, tho Mastorton branch and several surrounding branches, with a membership of 125. It 1 was thus hoped that the meetings would be batter attended, and that more general good would bo accomplished. Ho dwelt upon tho influence for.nood that tho Union had exerted, both as resards industrial disputes and in- tho general advancement of farmers' interests.

Tho balance-sheet showed that the year J commenced with, a credit balance of ,£ll 16s. Bd. The receipts for tho year wore £32 155., J bringing tho total revenue up to £-14 lis. J Sd. Tho expenditure was £34 15s. 2d., leav- ' ins a credit balance of £9 3s. 2d. Tko mom- J bership for the year had been 46. j A DEFENCE ORGANISATION. . j Mr. J. C.- Fowler, provincial organiser, ', then gp.vc ah address. He said it was two . years sinco ho last addrossed the branch, j siuco when he had honed the branch would j have boon put on a better footing. Ho ( had found in his work that it was a most j difficult thing to get farmers to pull together to, work in their own interests. ,- On all sides lie was confronted with "organisations, well enough in themselves, but tho i objects of which made, it imnerativo for ] farmers to band together in'tfioir own in- i terest3. The Farmers' Union was a defence ( organisation, so when it wJis seen how in- i roads were being made by labour organisations into tho farmers' realm, it behoved them to rally round tho Union. Ho 'did i not ovorlook the fact that the A. and P. ] Associations throughout the colony', wcroi : doing grand work, but' these worked on ono ] piano and the Farmers' Union on another. Personally, he had found, on his .travels i through -the province, that farmors rarely '■ refusod to join the Union. Only two rc- ■ fusals had been met with in Masterton. Ho mentioned this to show that things were different with the Union from what thoy were formerly. Ho was sorry, however, to see some of the, branches had ceased to exist, •as the Union had done a-great, deal of good in many directions. . A NARROW VIEW. v ; Some farmors had' been guided by their pockots, and had asked, " What; do'wo get out of tho Union?" "What is the subscription?" and so .forth.But he thought this a narrow view to take, and desired to impress on them the necessity-*for supporting the-Union as' an organisation .which deserved' the support of every farmer. Ho had found among largo and small farmers considerable interest in tho Union,, yot ho was asked what it was doing that , so littlo was heard or read about it. . The/ reason was that among tho army of farmdrs soma' : could -not, and others would not, attend tho meetings, and in these eases tho visit of the .organiser invariably aroused fresh enthusiasm. Tho Union had of late been undergoing considerable change. - In Wellington, 'up to the present year, branches-had been left to work along aloiio, and at tho outset great interest was taken, and they ■were strong. They gradually weakened, however, and some had died. A NEW PLAN. ' Now the Executive is going to step in and work matters from its own point of view. Its policy was to inaugurate a system of distinct branches,,, which would embrace a much larger'area. -.Many farmers who 1 did' not attend branch meetings paid their subscriptions, and were content so long- as tho work was done, no matter by whom. The branch would be worked by an Executive drawn from all parts of tho district, with licad-quarters-at Mastorton, and the general members would only bo called together once,a year. It was said that in Ashburton and other parts this method had been • successfully followed. When it was found that interest in small branches was waning, lie had been around tho district _ and drawn up a list .of names of. farmers willing to act on tho Executive, names of whom ho read. Touching on,the Land Bill, ho said the Union could take to itself credit , for influencing Parliament at the'last election. It had sent lecturers throughout .the country at great expense, and the object was not yot fully, obtained. Thore was a third plank, still in tho Union's "platform. Ho had been in closo touch with thousands of farmers, and could count on his hand those who had said thoy did not wish for freehold tenure. At Pongaroa, land first leased in perpetuity to tho early settlers was and when placed on the market the optional system was applied, and applicants were allowed to take it up on much-better terms all round. ' EDUCATION. Ho referred to tho advancement made in agricultural and technical education in country, schools, tho teachers and scholars, in } many ,of the school gardens ho had visited being of a high standard. , Tho president of tho Union (Mr. J. G.aWilson) had been particularly fervent in tho Union's. WTTrk. Regarding tho shearers' dispute, somo farmers had expressed dissatisfaction becauso differential rates had -not been made for machine shearing and blade shearing. Ho himself thought that tho Farmers' Union representatives at tho conferences were men of such a stamp that they felt satisfied that the, decision arrived ,it by them had-goo's 1 grounds. Tho speaker compared also tho important advantages gained,-such as the .' demands of the shearers for a rate of 255., that agreed upon being £1. Claims for preference and for of learners had also been dropped. More important still was that tho agreement did not apply to a' farmer's son, sotting up a precedent which could bd pointed to when the demands of other farm hands' unions were made. Tho. dairy farmer particularly, would benefit' by this precedent, as, if ho were compelled to pay standard wages, butter could not bo made at anywhere near the present cost.

FORMATION OF UNIONS. Tho Farmers' Union would, daring tho coining session,'if possible, endeavour to introduce amending legislation to ' mako the Act so that only when a reasonable number of workers formed a. union, instead of soven, as at present, a dispute could, be: filed. Tho Union would also strive to prevent proposed amendments to tho .Workers' Compensation for Accidents Act and Employers' Liability Act, as under such legislation farmers could not get insured. Farmers' fire ' insurance, Sir. JTowler contended, was such that no company in Now Zealand was as good an investment for farmers. In Hawkc's Bay last year there had been 110 loss, and now they had reduced tho rate>to ss. He also .referred to tho removal of tho sheep tax, and predicted that in future more 1 concessions would be brought about by the constant agitation of tho. Union. Ho resumed his scat amid loud applause. Mr. B. M'Kenzio moved—" That a district Union bp formed in placo of the present branch.This was carried unanimously. Tho following officers .wero electedf—President, Mr. W. J. Welch; vice-president, Mr. R. D. M'Kcnssic; auditor, Mr. W. M. Colo (re-elected); secretary, Mr. G. R. Syltcs; delegate to provincial conference, Mr. E. J. Roso; executive committee, Messrs. G. Shaw, W. Percy, D. M'GSopor. jim., W. L. Ben. Rayner, AV. J. Wclch, R. D. M'Kenzio, G. Bruce, R. F. Bcctham, A. Gray, D. Formari, E. W. I'ayton, and W. Perry. Tho annual subscription was fixed at 10s., tho samo ns last year. It was dccided to send the following results: — (1) "That tho branch recommends the repeal of the Arbitration and-Conciliation Act so far as the farming community is concerned." (2) "That inspection of farmers' machinery and plant shall bo subject to inspection caiiiugji«&c. durit&tho.slack season*"-