FARMERS' UNION

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 124, 27 May 1913, Page 2

FARMERS' UNION

WELLINGTON DISTRICT ANNUAL MEETING REVIEW OF THE YEAR'S WORK. \SY TELEGRAPH.)(From Our Special Reporter.) MASTERTON. This Day. The annual conference of the Welling- | ton Provincial l)istricfc of the New Zealand Farmers' Union opened here to» day. Mr. J. G. Wilson presided, and there is a full attendance of delegates. THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS In his presidential address Sir. J. Ct. Wilson said that the past year had bfen a most prosperous oijp for farmers in the Wellington province. Wool brought the highest prices for many .wars. Lambs, too, fetched higher prices on the average than usual. In dome cases the iape was not quite a success owing to a few months' dry weather in the spring; but on the whole, farmers have been able to fatten most of their lambs, despite the strike, which occurred during the busy season. There will, however, not be quite so many exported • as last year. Bullock fattening is almost a thing of the past, as most of the fattening paddocks are now being devoted to dairying, but prices have also been good in this line. THE DAIRYING INDUSTRY. Dairy farmers in the Wellington province have had a good 4 season— much better than some other districts in the North of Auckland, where they have had a, set back owing to the drought; bat in Wellington the season has been a lengthy one and prices, though not quite up to the level of lfest year (except in the < case of those who sold in the I Dominion) had been very remunerative. i COW TESTING. | There is, he continued, still far too i little attention paid to summer and 1 winter feeding amongst farmers, and with all allowance for the present stage of development there is yet much to be done in this direction. Cow testing associations have, in the more progressive districts, made a good stait. and considerable impiovementi had been made in herds by systematic weighing of milk and testing each cow. He ilso stated that pasteurising of skim milk was not carried out as much as it should be. EXPORT OF DAIRY PRODUCE, After a reference to the introduction of new breeding strains Mr. Wilson said it was significant that the value of dairy produce exported had reached such a high total, nearly four millions, exceeding frozen meat for the first time by over half a million, although the number of sheep still remained about the same. "It means that as land becomes settled and brought into use we shall be able to still further increase the output of dairy produce, because the land which still remains to be improved is mostly in districts which are eminently suited for dairying, having an ample rainfall." CO-OPERATION. The companies started by the Farmers' Union had successful years. The Distributing Company would shortly be paying a dividend, and the Mutual Fire Insurance wa6 doing very well. The only serious drawback farmers have had this lasb season was the slaughtermen's strike. 'Happily that seemed now to be over, though there had been a recurrence of it at Timaru. It was a season which from the backwardness of the rape crops made it easy for most of the farmers to hold their lambs; the result was that a salutary lesson had been taught to those who lead labour in these matters, that there comes a time when it is better to make some locs than submit to extortion. "Labour," he continued, "is so militant, that the effect on the community is not considered at all, and however unpleasant it may be to make a stand, some combined effort must be made if the trade of the Dominion is to, continue, and the production of the land be increased. Any attempt at conciliation is too often regarded as an evidehce of weakness." THE FUTURE. Mr. Wilson dealt with the land question on lines reported elsewhere, and then spoke hopefully of the future. There was, he said, no reason to expect a rapid fall in the price of wool. The stocks at Home were light, all the world over there seemed to be a lessening number of sheep, and apparently the U.S.A. was going to take our wool free. "The result will," he said, "no doubt be that instead of the Americans buying the light-in-grease expensive wools, which always went up to 10 or 15 per cent, when they were buying, they will be able to buy the Tougher, heavier lots, including locks and pieces, which hitherto the tariff has barred them from doing. If they require more wool they will, of course, put prices up. If on the other hand the tariff is lowered in 'piece goods,' which seems likely, the wool will be manufactured in Great Britain and exported. In any case, whatever 1 change in values takes place, it is fairly certain it will be in our favour." Mr. Wilson concluded with a graceful tribute to Sir Walter Buchanan.