FARMERS AND UNIONISM.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1429, 2 May 1912, Page 8

FARMERS AND UNIONISM.

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Tho familiar note about tho lack of interest taken by farmers in union affairs was struck at the annunl meeting of the Hnvera branch of the New Zealand I'armera' Union. The executive in its annual report stated I hat it is a matter for re..ret that tho farmers of the district do not support and take more interest m tho work of tho union. The report continues Hint the union is doing good . work HiroiHmut the Dominion no oiie.can deny, a uit is often appealed to ior advico on filiations that interest tho farming ooiniiiiuiilv, and now that we harp rraohed this stage, it Iwhovts us 1.0 stand togfther and strengthen n"r union so that Fany important r l n r tio,^.ouldan.o affecting onr interests. \\n » I Mien be ■prepnral to meet them and adjudicate as :'wo think necessary. ' . - Tn reviewing Hie venr s work, Die pro? - ,1« SkV sorry that .the brimch had not mud..a better shovnng. lhere was he '••aid. soim-lhiiis Jsickinil • in Uie spirit of tho union throughout New /ealand, and ho did not know exactly ho Si forit. Jf tho mare formal si-nti-ment in tho union were deleted and a moro social fceliiiK substituted, there light be a chance, of boUer success It tt-as certain that much lueh. knowledge could be gained from purely mtonnal discussions on subjects of interest to ho farmers and relating to the arm. Such ! i'casions from men who had gained their experience first hand would be ot I Dimenso advantage to fanners and lo he I community at large. They all kneir (hat th. nrosnoritr of the iarui depended, for fcffi bA to' fertility of ti* «»iL

This would prove a good subject for discussion. 'It was only a (|iiesfion of time j when competitim would so raise Ihe value of. land (iml dairy stoelc a<; to npw*«itatn n.. doiiblo cam-ins enpacitv of nil their lint laud, Tlu-ifforo it was certain (hut ill time thy plough would bo substituted V the top-dressing drill. Properly topdressed laud would furnish a we.-illli of ideal feed, no inattor what Iho sea-on, every year. It was patent that Ihe union was not supported as it should he, and if liis suggestions "'ere carried nut the declining interest in tho union might lie revived. Ife hoped that (here would ho a revival of interest in tho union. Mr. G. 11. liuckeridge, who is to undertake tho duties of organiser for tho union for the- Tnranaki province, remarked that the farming interests were the paramount interests throughout the .vholo of New Zealaud. It was deplorable to see. the small amount of interest farmers took in their own affairs. They had a hujjo business to run, and it was for the farmers to sec that that business was run in the same systematic way as was the production of their leading products, ilo I would be, shortly giving addresses in tho various centres, his idea being to make tho union an organisation for the uplifting of the farmers throughout the province and the Dominion. Ho was attendin" the meetings of branches to pick up hints that would assist him in tackling the organisation in a thorough manner.