N.Z. FARMERS’ UNION.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 24 June 1925, Page 6

N.Z. FARMERS’ UNION.

SOCIAL AT MANGATOKA

The .second .annual araolie concert ol the Mangaitoki branch of the JN.’O Farmers' Union was held at tn Mangaitoki Hail last night and proved in every way >a s-uwess. lliero was « large attendance, the avaivabe .Seating accommodation being occupied, and tiio proceedings, were marked by an enthusiasm and spirit at oaanarade.ro that promised well for functions ol the same .nature in the future. Mr W 33. Carter, president ot tne branch, was in the ckair, and_ he. wu* supported by Mr. W. J. PCsm,, the New Zealand president, Mi. Hawken, M.P... for Egmont, Mr J. Deem of the Agmcultural .IJepa tment. After welcoming these gentlemen, the chairman read agologie* ™ non-attendance from ibir 'T ■ 1 • cross, Mr. A. J. Glasson Mr &• Stubbs (Hiawera manager foi the i\.Zi. Doan and Mercantile Co., Ltd.). The loyal toast having been honmued, the chairman proposed the toast. the “N.Z. Fanners’ Unron coupled with the mime of Mr It . J ?‘tted He said that it was to be legietted that .farmers, unlike other o*gai ‘ - tions, had not as united a body £ could be wished, and that the J terests of the fanner Were left laigeU to a comparatively .small number of members, whereas they should possess the strongest and most united toodj •• the Dominion. Mr Poison expressed hi.a pleasure at being able to be present, m amusincr vein he referred to. the proposed fusion between Reform and Liberal panties, and hoped that one of the. iesuLfcs would Ibe an Agricultural Bill, for the producers of the country soieiy needed the assistance such a Bill could give them, He hoped sincerely that this Bill would soon be on the Statute Book of the Dominion. Referring to agricultural .banking, Mr. Poison refuted attacks which had recently been made on the .subject as the ie " suit of correspondence m the' Wanganui press, in which ail anonymous correspondent had stated that, as an agricultural bank had failed in Denmark, so it was bortnd to fail in New Zealand. He had got. the Danish Consul-General to cable to Denmark, and the reply cam© back that no agriccultuinai bank had failed, hut a joint .shock bank, not a co-operative enibeipri.se. Another remarkable .statement had, he said, been made by a large newspaper in the United States recanting its condemnation of the agricultural banking system of the States, the federal farm loan system, and instead actually warmly eulogising it. These instances, he said, proved how easily people'were prejudiced by such articles. There were indications all over the world of the .success of such institutions, and lie hoped no one would allow themselves .bo form an opinion until they haul heard the other side of the question. Ho hoped that farmers would not cease their efforts until they were thoroughly organised. The membership of the union was growing rapidly and interest was. increasing. The need of having the views of the producers of the Dominion put before the members of the House could not' be too strongly stressed; also the need of letting members know that the producers were strongly behind them in all matters pertaining to the best interests of the Dominion. All flanneiis .should .see to it that they were members of their organisation. “The Dairy Industry” was proposed by Mr. G. E. AlcGuinness, who 'emphasised the great growth of the industry until, it was the most important in the Dominion.

In replying, Air. A. V. Me<s®a.na sketched the wonderful development in the industry since the advent of the Babcock tester, which had revolutionised -all previous ideas of d-airying. The industry was now on a splendid footing ami bad outstripped wool, but it was absolutely necessary to ally -science with fanning, for without the aid of science they would “sink in no time.” “The Agricultural Dep art-in net” w'as proposed by Air. J. P. Marx, who- referred to- the many benefits conferred on the industry by the department such as grading of butter and cheese, and many other schemes by which the industry had been assisted land developed. He said -they must look to science to help them still more and to keep their .produce in the very front rank in -the world.

■ Mr. Deem, replying, strongly urged fcli© necessity of an active co-operation of the farmer with the department, and to learn the lessons of close attention to pastures, to crops, and in factories taught by the officers of the department. He said he was convinced the fields division was. the most important of all, for it taught farmers to look after their land aiul stock and to feed them both liberally, realising that unless they put in feed they could not expect to. get results. The department, through it®, instructors, strove to teach them to grow smaller and better crops, and so have less under the plough, and to leave more land for pastures. He stressed the fact that grass was the first line; of action for farmers, and was absolutely essential for. them, and consequently more consistent top-dressing was required. This was realised strongly by the Tiaranaki farmers, for he had found, thlat Taranaki had obtained ten thousand tons of manure more than the, whole of the rest of the Dominion put together. Through the closing of Mouniahaki the department hiad about £I4OO per annum, to. devote to the encouragement of good fanning, | and he urged fanners to see that these funds were .strictly husbanded. The Parliament of New Zealand was proposed by, Mr A. Y. Mossaua, who paid a tribute to the great men who iuul sat in Parliament, for the many progressive measures they had put through, and for the fact that the Parliament of the Dominion was freer from corruption or political pulls than perhaps , any other country, and that members were actuated in the main to do what was best for a 1!. Coming to his own district, he ,sair] that none was better served than whs Egmont bv Mr O. Hawken. The member for Egmont said he was always pleased to meet gatherings of farmers, and referred also eulogi.stically to the good work of the local bodies. On these bodiecs, lie said, sat men of the highest calibre and ideals, who were carrying through big schemes such as hydro-electric works, and who never betrayed the trust reposed in them He was glad to' say that the government of the Dominion was carried on by men possessing. the like ideals. He. referred to the unique place taken in the world by the British Parliament ns the “mother of Parliaments,” setting an example to .all other countries. He remarked on the fact that the Eng'jish people alone had no written constitution. and that this pa me to them by custom and inheritance. He said that people were as a rule as well governed as they desired or were capable of being governed. Parliamentarians were popularly supposed to “keep an ear to the ground” to hear what the people were asking; but as a fact, in New

Zealand many of the movements that were in the mind of her legislators were so far in advance of the times that they had to put them aside vi>eeauso the people were not ready for them. He expressed himself as strongly in favour of the agricultural hank, but that finance was . the rock on which they .stuck. If cheap money con'd be secured the bank, could he founded at once. . Oilier toasts honoured were: tham County Council,’’ proposed by Mr Sulzberger and responded to by Mr \\ • R Carter: “Sports anil Pastimes, Mr C. A. Pease and Air Fearon; Ihe Visitors.” Mr Parker and Mr P. C. Tre week ; “Donors of Trophies, Mr H, Tlirush and Messrs Barnard, Ihomas, Fearon and G. Hesse 11 : “The Ladies, Mr MeA'.in'iie and Mr T. Hall ; The Press,” AD Gifford and Mr fkige ; “The Chairman” and “The Performers.” PRESENTATION OF PRIZES.

At the conclusion of the evening, the prizes won at the competitions were presented by .Mr J. TV. Deem, who expressed his pleasure and appreciation of the work of the competitors. The list was as follows : , Mangolds.—C. Brock 1 and 2 (G. i.. Wi'kinson’s special and 20s) ; A. E. Baker 3 (Newton King’s special and 10s). / Swedes. —TV'. Lambie 1 (Hodder and Tolley’s .special); H. Clark 2 (C. A. Wilkinson’s special) ; C. TV. Carlson 3 (10s). Soft Turnips.—C. Brock 1. (Newton King’s snecial) ; TV. Lambie 2 (20s) ; G. T. Burke 3 (10s). Carrots. —C. Brock 1 (Farmers’ Coop. -specia l ) : H. Clark 2 (20s); C. T. Nichols 3 (10s). Lucerne. —Mature: C. Brock (Fanners’ Co-op. special), and TV. E. Carter, 'Farmers’ Co-op. special), tie, 1 ; J. D. Sulzberger 3 (10s). Second year: A. J. Prestidgc (N.Z.L. and M. Co.’s special) 1; J. A. Carlson (Newton King’s specia l ) 2; A. E. Baker (Newton King’s special! 3. During the evening a capital musical programme was given, the contributors being Messrs Silver, Carson, Des Forges, A. C. Pease junr., McQuin, G. Hessell (songs) and A. A. Piper (recitation). The items were all much enjoyed. The singing of the National Anthem by all present concluded one of the most interesting and suc-sessf ill gath* ©rings ever held in Man gat run.