N.Z. FARMERS’ UNION.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 26 April 1928, Page 12

N.Z. FARMERS’ UNION.

WHAKER.OA ACTIVITIES. STRONG BRANCH FORMED. In pursuance of the plan of campaign arranged by the oraniser (Mr B. Gillies') acting in conjunction with Mr E. K. Cameron (secretary to toie executive), ai meeting. wa,s caked with the object of I’3-forming a branch at Whareroa, This was held on Tuesday evening, Mr \Y. H. Reynolds being voted to the chair, and presiding, over an attendance of about twenty-five residents of the. district.

Mir Cameron, addressing XrTie meeting, ■said that there had been a revival of activity in . the farmers’ interests and a live movement since Mr Gilles came on the scene. There was, he .said, plenty of room, for a strong branch, active and flourishing, in tlu? Whaire10a area. It was easy to get a branch when things were flourishing, but actually the need was greater in bad times. The drift of population to the cities was incioasing, and by this means the Jittter got more and more representation, and it was essential for the farmers to get together, for it was certain that if the faimers ispobe with one •voice the politicians would listen to them. There was a farmers’ organisation in Weli’ington, and each member was a man of importance, and of weight -n the Dominion. Referring to the marts of the farmers’ oragni-sation, he said the branch dealt first with individual farmers’ problems; the bigger going to. the provincial executive and the largest problems' of all to the Dominion executive, in Wellington . He emphasised the good work done by members of the executive, who, without free, incurred much 'expenditure on behalf of the faremns. The. heads of the Dominion executives .were, he said, in con-' stunt touch with Parliament, and scrutinised all legislation dealing with farmers’ interests. Their quarterly circulars' would show the wide range of legislation affecting farmers, with which the central executive dealt. Such matters- as a revision of tariff saved farmors a great deal.

A motion was then carried unanimously that a branch, of the Farmers’ Union bo formed to lie known uis the Whareroa branch. The mover was Mi Reynolds and the seconder, Air G. A. Murphy. 1 The foundation members totalled 35, includin'" the fending mien of the district. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The election of officers resulted: —President, Mr W. H. Reynolds; vice-presi-dents., Mr G. W. Lu-scombe and Mr B. Smith : executive, Messrs L. Price, L. Pinny, F. G. Hawthorn, G. Tozer, Wells. A. Langdon. W. Nicholas, A. Thom tin son and J. Ball-antine. Mr Cameron said it wa,s good to see onch an active branch formed, and members would get much good from their deliberations. He hoped some of •the members would attend the conference to he held at Hawera on May 17. Remits had to h? in bv May 2, and if they would .send in all they had these worn,cl be put through. Mr H. Hodge, provincial president, who came specially for the meeting, congratulated the members on forming their branch, and said lie hoped they would all take a live 'interest in the work and so carry on a good work. He honed they would send, delegates to strengthen the Provincial and through that the Dominion Executive. He i :r.'«ed them to institute local competitions —root-growing,, lucerne, ensilage, or calf-rearing—and they would,find this would stimulate the interest wonderfully. In addition .social meetings, at which debates wen? held, would make and sustain interest. Some branches had gone, out, but he hoped they would all be le-foimed and so help the big sdvme.

M.r Gillies thanked Mr Reynold® for giving liian assistance for four days in canvassing, and urged the need, of the .branches. which were the roots of the tree, stating 'that it was up to all to do their part in making a 'success of the union. Every member, he added, was welcomed at Executive meetings and conferenc es. They" would find thi3 -executive a very live, body., aucr he cou:d affirm that the South Taranaki Executive was one of the “livest" .or them

•V I if. was lie said, an education tc attend the Dominion Conference, for it comprised many of the best of the fanners’ representatives, aim the weight or that executive could be best realised when he told them that Mr Coat.es had opened the first meeting, .-end had arranged for a Minister to attend when any business concerning a special department wais under review. It. had been said by the Prim© Minister that if the union represented- 75 per 1 cent oi the farmers all that they put forward would receive most earnest eonsidera. tion, and this proved the need of the union. The quarterly circulars served to keep members in touch with the union’s executive. It was appalling, he sia’id, to see the apathy of farmer® on matters? concerning toovnselves, and it must Ik? lea i-sed that whether a. farmer was or was not a member, he got the benefits. North and South hsiiand farmers were beginning to realise that • they could get what they desired if they worked together. One of the gneiates»t benefitisi they had received was the Rural Credits Act, the result of persistent agitation of him union, although the politicians fought the fanners, and it was 1 only the persistency »f the president. Mr W; .7. Poison, that •secured •success in this direction. He urged the need of making .the work of t he branches interesting, and this could best be done by holding competitions. He found that where these obtained the branches were flourishing. At Auroa theie were 80 members, and at El than CO. At thp latter branch a suggestion was made that the Bull Club, to prevent ’ good bulys going to the. works, should l>o adonted. He said that the question of produce from the. South. Island was under consideration, and lie lipped scon to ho able to announce a big reduction in price® to North Island farmers. He. hoped all members would come 'to the meetings and help the leadens by giving support- to thp union. In conclusioi.. he referred to the formation of the women’s division, which, was backing up the men’s in a remark-

able way. and lie found the little social mqdtiing.x after the business had been done were most popular and helped to bring tairmens together. Mi C. Freyberg, distract supervisor for the Rama'. Credit Association, then ■gave a clear exposition of -the working of the rural credits association on lines already published. He stressed the need to- distinguish between the rural advances scheme, long terms on land only, and the rural intermediate credits, on chattel, securities and stock also, backed, if necessary, by the land. There were already a numner formed of the latter institution—-Waikato three, Wairarapa, two, Hawke’s Bay, Feildiing, North. Taranaki, South Taranaki and Wanganui one each. He said' that unless loans wjare made to pound people they would not get the confidence of the investing public to take up bonds. In regardi to business. generally done with farmers, he maintained that, if soundly administered, the scheme would help at farmers, for actually advances were being made at 6)- per cenit. where up to. 10 per cent used to be secured. The whole of the farmers were vitally interested. In reply to Mr Benton, Mr Freyberg explained that to giv? the scheme a start, men took up shares who were not secured bv farmers wen? repaid, the shares they took up could .be transferred, so long a® the number of members in the association did not fall below twenty. Tin? associations were not profit-earning bodies, and while the central hoard lent money to them at fi per cent.. the associations lent at 6) per cent. per cent, being to cover expenses and a like amount ns a reserve. There was a provision for association® to pay a dividend when in a sound position, up to 7 per cent, bwt profits fm- sent? years had to go to re serve. In reply to further questions, Mr Freyberg said a man must be in a fairly sound position in order to get a loan, hut the man who Was very much, tied up, and whom no one could help much, would receive a - benefit, because tile operations woui’d have the effect of keeping interest- rates down. He added that two millions would go a fairly long way in helping the farmers, and would help also indirectly all round. -In togard to stock, lie reminded them that iio farmer could expect am. advance ol 80 per cent, on his own valuation. Loans would he made on stock for five years, with a. provision for repayment, and naturally it would be easier to advance at the'beginning than at the end of a season. Terms of repayment depended somewhat on a. man’s circumstances, but in all cases interest would be charged on daily balances, so that the borrower would get- the benefit of any inpayments made. He said in coni Vb-n that lie had booklets and other information which he would be glad to distribute to' anyone interested. Mr Cameron reminded members of the first statutory meeting of the- South Taranaki Association on- May 1 at Hawera. when all would be welcome. A he art-v vote of thanks to alii the speakers, to the Press and to the chairman concluded a capital meeting.