FARMERS' UNION,

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 214, 3 June 1908, Page 7

FARMERS' UNION,

MEETING OF OTAGO PROVINCIAL >' .COUNCIL. . [BT TEI.BOKArit'.— r.KESS ASSOCIATION.J ' ( \ Bunedin, June 2. Tho' annual mooting of the Otago 'Provincial Council of,'the New Zealand: Farmers' Union was held hero .to-day. . Tho President' (.Mr. 11. Scott) roviewed. tho ovents of tho past year, and said tho'number of. members of > the Union was small as. compared with .the number "of farmers.: He said', it.; was . imperative' that farmers should combine, especially as the other side was doing so, otherwise* farmers would bo , left behind. ■ It was resolved that tho Chamber of Commerce; be requested ,ti> take up, the subject of payment, being made to farmers-for all sacks containing produco, and' a, deputation was appointed to. wait on .the Chamber. / . ' A motion was carried that the Provincial Conference be' requested to urge tho Mini-. I stcr to acccdo to tho request "of tho Otago brandies. to, have meetings of the Land Board held fortnightly. .A motion 'that in prosecutions by. the Stock Inspector under the llabbit or Stock Act, when the. defendant.'pleads guilty, no solicitor's fee bo allowed,' was referred as a remit to tho Provincial Council. ' Mr.'R. Spott wsis re-elected President, and Mr. G. H..Stewart.was re-elected Vice- ' President.: _ : Tho following resolutions were passed:— (1) That the time .has arrived when the Farmers'" Union should take up a defined political attitude, and that this resolution bo forwarded to tho Colonial Council. (2) That, the jiolicy, as defined by the Union from time, to time should be submitted to candidates in oach electorate, and farmers bo recommended to consider candidates' replies in exorcising their votes: ~ Itwas maintained that tho Union should deal niorc directly with candidates at election times than had hitherto boon tho case, 1 , so that tho i needs of the farmers might be ; brought under, the notico of tho .mombers for different districts. ' \ . A further motion carried was that the ■Government-be asked to prohibit tho salo and distribution of all grass-socd screenings which contained'used seeds. Complaint was inado tliat merchants .frequently sold seetl Ecrcenings to farmers, and theso wore distributed over the' country. •