THE FARMERS' UNION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 733, 4 February 1910, Page 8

THE FARMERS' UNION.

.. LAND LAWS AND.'MEAT; . !By Telegraph-Special Correspondent.) Palmerston, February 3. A meeting of thoAYclling'ton Provincial •Executive ;ol the;VJ!nrmors-- Union was helcUat Palmerstonrthis afternoon. The presi<lent£(ilr. .J;.-G.' Wilson) occupied tlie ;chaii;i ■|;Tlie :other members prosent il-cro':—Messrs. W. J... ; Birch\-(Marton), H. Booth, (FeildingJ/.J. JI. McLennan (Waithn'a),' W.. Matheson (Eketaliima), H. A. Nivens (Tenui),;-D. P. Lynch (Paekaka,riki);":rind\ Captain. Hewitt:'' (Palmerston North). '• ■

A letter was received _ front' the Minister for Lands forwarding a'copy. of the Land Laws Amendment Bill, and pointing out that Clause 51 exempts exchanges of land for roads from the operation of Section 347 of tho Land Act. 1 ' : '

The Taranaki Executive forwarded' tho following motion That- as; the supposed freehold, provisions in the. Land Laws Amendment i-Bill do not meet, the principle for which the union has from the start been striving,-.this executive relios : on the pledges given by the members of tho House' and hopes that,, iho Bill will be'defeated, and that those members of. Parliament who pledged themselves to the. freehold bo written to that effect.

The Dominion secretary forwarded copies of tho report of a\ meeting of sheep-farmers, held at Gisbovne, to consider the- question of ■ the frozen meat industry. ■' 'V> ' Mr. Wilson reported haying attended the Meat Conference, lield". at Christchurch recently to consider'-'.this question, and thought that good work had been done. ■ :

A letter was received- - from Mr. M'Naught, of Dunedin, stating that ho' intended to open up classes i for technical wool instruction amongst tlio various branches of the union in. this province. Several members present ..expressed tlio opinion that the classes already instituted at: tlio technical schools in Palincrston, Feilding, and Wairarapa. were doing useful, work, and were averse to-.undertaking to guarantee financial assistance for tlip lectures proposed by Mr. M'Naught. ■ Tho executive's organiser -for tho provinco .ivrota,..that. l tho Main Trunk district would-,bo visited during this month! After transacting a large amount of routine business in connection with the farmers', defence committee;, tho meeting adjournd until early in March, when arrangements for the branches to hold their annual meetings ,and to fix a date of the annual conferenco to be .hold at Marton will bo made.

; The Fanners' Union Mutual Firo Insurance Association : was. reported as making good .progress, , and receiving much better support from' tho farmers since tho decision to accept larger risks had been, made, and tho-,reduction of the rates since January. 1 ylind been in force. The losses for the past year hail only .been.of-a drilling nature. .