FARMERS' UNION

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 50, 28 August 1922, Page 2

FARMERS' UNION

MEETING AT CARTEBTON,,

There were about forty farmer* present at a meeting of the Carterton branch'of the Farmers' Union on Friday afternoon, when the following motion was unanimously carried:—"That in, tbe- opinion of this meeting the Farmers' Union caters adequately for the needs of the dairy farmer, and We are not in favour of starting a Dairy Farmers' Union." :

Mr. D. Hebenton, secretory 6T tBl farmers' Union, introduced - tbs, subject by referring to an effort that -was bang made to estabKsh branchee of the Dairy Farmers' Union in Uric district. He Stated that the Farmers' Union catered ■as much for the dairy and agricultural ; faimers as for the sheep fanner. Mr. , Hebenton illustrated the need of a solid .and combined union by stating that at the recent Wellington Confcrenes the : fruit farmers had solicited the co-opera-tion., of the union to get some help tbey required from the Government. ' Mr. Kempton mentioned that si the Provincial Conferenp of the union' sudjects concerning the dairy fan»r easily predominated. It Was fatal to create a [split in the union. ■ Mr. J. Hodder said there jrae no room i for two unions. The Fanners' Union Was ' behind the dairy farmer. •' It- gave him cheap fire insurance, cheap lime, ami i cheap manure, and generally looked after his'interest«.' '

' Mr. C. L. Reynolds «aid he could not copcerve farmers making the blunder of. creating two weak unions. It was only through the agency of one big union that the farmer could get hi* grievances . redressed. It surprised him to hear of anyone coining forward to creaU a-split in the ranks. : Mr: C. Reid strongly atijtited, *h« meeting to support the resolution. . Tha Dairy Farmers' Union wag, he said; made ia the Auckland province1, where it was asked that the Farmers' Union create a. political party, and thereby sound its death-knell. This part of the Island would, he' thought, have' nothing to do with » political party, and it should also give the Dairy Farmer*' Union pfoject a, cold shoulder. The dairy fanners and sheep farmers were now working amicably together for their^ mutual benefit. He reminded the meet ing of the 1913 strike. The average farmer did not fully appreciate the benefit* to be derived, by. being members of the union.. He hoped the farmers would stick solidly to the Farmers'.Union. (Applause.)

Mr. E. Eagle said the chief fault with the Farmers' Union was that member* did not sufficiently interest theimelvet in it to take advantage of the scope the organisa.tion offered. One union wal quite sufficient lor all purposes. Mr. Domigan appealed for solidity. Thia could not be achieved by disintegrating an established organisation. The meeting, which was composed entirely of dairy farmers, carried the motion, amid applause. f