FEDERATED FARMERS EXECUTIVE MEETING

Grey River Argus, 19 February 1949, Page 2

FEDERATED FARMERS EXECUTIVE MEETING

At a meeting of tne Executive of Federated Farmers at Greymouth yesterday, concern was expressed at the time taken to despatch stock by rail from the West Coast to Canterbury when replies were received from the'department stating that stock was usually conveyed, with limited stops, by the perishable goods train. Officers of the department are to be invited to discuss the subject at the annual conference in Hokitika.

The president, Mr W. H. Martin, reported that a proposal for the amalgamation of the Grey and Buller Power Boards did not meet with favour in Westport, and no further steps had been taken in the matter. The meeting resolved to thank the Westland Progress League for its efforts in the establishment of a test farm in Westland, although the secretavv, Mr J. Mulcare, said that the Federated Farmers had been sponsoring the proposal years before the League was formed. A report on the section of the Land Act dealing with the disposal of timber on Crown leasehold property was made by Mr P. J. O’Regan, and it was decided to write to the Minister of Lands, the Hon. C. F. Skinner, asking for an assurance that lessees would be sympathetically dealt with under the section, and that the Farmers’ Federation would be able to be present at sittings of the successor to the Land Board to make representations on behalf of farmers whose property was the subject of the board’s consideration.

The Dominion president Mr W. N. Perry, the secretary, Mr A. P. O’Shea, andJVlr Dawson, organiser, will visit the West Coast next month, arriving in Westport on Sunday, March 13, and Greymouth the following day. A meeting will be held in Greymouth in the evening.

On Thursday, March 17, a party of South Australian farmers will arrive in Reefton by bus from Nelson. They will spend that night in Greymouth, leaving the next day for the Glaciers. On the following Sunday they will travel to Westport by the coastal road, and leave the following day for Christchurch via Lewis Pass.