FARMERS' UNION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 261, 28 July 1908, Page 3

FARMERS' UNION.

BRANCH FORMED AT PIRINOAi lAN OPTIMISTIC SPEECH: ( , .An important'meeting of farmers was hold at Pirinoa on the east sido of Wairarapa Lake on Saturday last, when representatives from all parts of the Lower Valley attended. Mr. J. C:' Fowler, provincial organiser, who had: convened the meeting, stated that he i. had mado a personal call on every farmer in the district, .with,the'result' that practically every one had. signified his intention of joining the Union. The speaker pointed out how ■ important ;;it' ;was that- all farmers should ■ consider.the; imperative need for, those on the . land to join hands 'at' the present time, when so ihany opposing forces were being brought to boar against them.; The four industrial .unions—sheep shearers', drovers: and shep- . hords', agricultural farm; labourers', : and dairy .factory' employees'—were making deimands which, in many cases were'quite' un- . workablo atid unreasonable, arid, if conceded, would place very serious conditions upon tho paramount industry of the Dominion. It ' was,;'therefofe, ilecessary ; that apart from any, political. aspect of the/ question farmers should adopt a, policy- of give' and 'take, in the common interest of "all. ; The Farmers' : Union did not in any way protest against tho : employees forming their own unions, but when unions ihave; been formed, or were to ; be ".formed;'-which embodied -in- their demands things which the experience of years of self- : sacrifice and expcnditure vof capital had proved to be unworkable and beyond reason, then 'the-Farmers' Union -was compelled,' in : ( the- protection -of 'the-farmers' interests, to "appbal: to . the men on the land to join' ; forces ■ '•'.in; an orgalnisatibn.whose platform, if carried out,y c'ouM.only resultrin good 'to; the -Do- . minion ! at ' large.' •' 1 So* long .as the farming industry ' was giving: satisfactory, returns, ,it I must ■mean' 'a'' continued and. • increasing mand for .'all'classes of •labour'.- For instance, if.-.it^-had^not -, been sfor- the fall in : tho price of wool, nothing ;would'~Kvd '.been beard/of "the''.meetings vof ;the in thp i 'citi'esj! , tho.,dev'erqpm.ont;-': of;'--:the: 'farm would' have' received: no: ; clieclc, openings., for labour .'would, hare' been, found,'in -many directions, ' the ; * spending-: power 'of-tho farmer '.would • not' have ibeenimpaired, arid in its'turn; would havo meant continued.'and. increasing ; activity, in/every* industry". ••: However, the corner. ''seemed. now.to have been turned,'wool'values.were slowly,;and perhaps surely,- advancing, "tho' piospMti :before the •dairy, farmer .were of : the brightest for .tho Doming. season, and there was no, need .to be' too pes'shnistio. : In conclusion',■' the' organiser ■said rthat, at. such! a critical: period; as ' that through which farmers were passing, it .was /most .unwise 'for labour unions , to ..' try to •'•blace- upon':* the shoulders' l of'the'industry, any. -. burdens; which'would 'tend to act as a'deterrent, and: he strongly .appealed to all -far- • ' mors": to join" tho Union. (Applause,) It was ;theh .moved, and carried unanimbusly,:—.''That a . branch''of ■ the 'New - Zea- :. land Farmers' . Union, •to consist"of the far-: mers in the : Kahoutara and Pirinoa; .districts ■ ■bo fqrmed,.,with headquarters at Pirinoa." The following gentlemen were .'elected * to ;form tho executive:—Messrs. J. O.'. Bidwill,' G.- Hume,".J. M'Master,' Eria :te Whaiti, ; Holmes . Warren, J. Gillies, T. Kennedy, and G.; Clarkson. ,;,. Mr<" Holmes - Warren was unanimously, -elected chairman; Mr. J • R Dra'nsfield:;secretary and treasurer- at a fixed, salary,. and ' part' commission ; on . manures, ' etc.', :obtained;. -'^by: .members 'through tho ' . : TJriipn//"• : J

Mr. J. O. B.idwjll expressed his gratification" at .the .establishment of the Pirinoa branch, and. said he was sure that-it would deal , of good, , and ; strongly ■ap-pealed-to all to pull together for the'good of all.' . .

The formation of the youngest branch of the•;TJnion,.'.in'-. the - Wellington- 'Province— , -.termination Vof "the sue- ■ SSV . , ' organisation of" tho. farmers in' the Wairarapa.lt. : is\cbnsidered that 7 the; Union has .now- beeni placed upon ia. basis "which'-'it has never occupied ■ hitherto. ■'An' excellent 'C- ? s t?'• /loading , positions: and showing an interest in the Union'which must be' conducive. of- benefit to. the farminc industry. .. .. ...... .; .. . • that the organisation of the Farmers' tAe -has;.been concluded, thfi Organising Corninittcej the chairman of whom is Captain Hewitt, "will probably decide to mstract. the organiser, to take up the work on the West Coast, commencing with 'the Pphangina district. • 'i, ; •