FARMERS’ UNION.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 1 November 1928, Page 9

FARMERS’ UNION.

SOUTH TARIANAKI EXECUTIVE

MONTHLY MEETING. At the ordinary meeting of the South Taranaki Executive of the Farmers’ Union to-day there were present: Messrs E. J. Betts (chairman), A. J, Sulzberger, J. A. Pettigrew, J. Crocker H. Thrush, F. Area, A. D. Johnson A. L. Jennings, W. El. Carter, D. M. Cameron, A. O. Ricketts, H. Wells, W. E. Carter, L. F. Bell W. T. Seed, and E. K. Cameron (provincial secretary).

FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE. The need for the most stringent precautions. was urgently stressed at the meeting as the outcome of correspondence on- the subject from the Department of Agriculture. It was agreed that there was need to keep the matter actively before the Department. The Minister of Agriculture wrote to state that importation from countries where foot and mouth disease was rife was already prohibited - In regard to packing materials, he stated that the regulation providing for distraction of packing had been rescinded and that the .use of such materials in importing goods fr.om Europe was prohibited, while, in the case of | goods from Great Britain, materials might be used if sterilised under approved supervision. The regulation was more drastic than those of the United States and Canada which' allowed the

use of sterilised packing from the Continent. The regulation on this subject was being rigidly enforced and in several instances importers had been compelled to re-export goods packed contrary to the provisions. He added that it was difficult to see in what direction more drastic precautions could be take.n. The chairman said there was undoubtedly laxity in packing and all needed to be burnt. It was specified that that all packing had to be sterilised tinder expert supervision.

Mr Cocker instanced the case •• of a farmer in England whose cattle were affected. After a spell of twelce months he bought fresh cattle and these took the disease.

Mr D. M. Cameron said that basic slag from Belgium in bags might easily cause infection.

Mr Jennings said these bags were always thoroughly sterilised. The chairman said this might be so, but it was up to us to take every precaution.

Mr Cocker agreed, and said that it was difficult so far away to tell if sterilising was effectively done. He advocated drastic- treatment of every form of packing used. It was .agreed to recommend that the use of hay straw or chaff packing be absolutely prohibited in connection with the import of 'goods to this Dominion, and that rigid supervision in •packing of all such goods imported be strictly enforced. MATRICULATION EXAMINATION. Mr Cocker referred to the question of the matriculation examination, and said there was used for a candidate wishing to gp' in for a farming course, to nave the option ,of ~ taking agricultural science instead of a language. He mid it was advisable to alter the syb labus in this respect. A student with a bias towards agriculture did not need! a language and was often not able to learn one. He said he considered foreign languages were not needed, for one co.uld always get a translation of a foreign work. Bursaries for agricuiV tural subjects were less than, for academic, £.40, as compared with £6O. It was a. temptation to parents to turn to qcademio subjects so as to obtain the higher bursary. He was moving to get something more simple for ' farmer candidates. At .present such candidates would waste a lot of time.. .Considering that 07 per cent, of our national income came from the land. Agriculture could not be fostered too much, nor could too many people be put on the hand. Mr D. M. Cameron maintained tihat ( because Latin words were so. often used, a language was necessary. “Education needs to be more practical,” said Mr. Cocker. “At present it is too much in the air.” Mr. Cameron said it was necessary to have a language for a science subject, and people of all nations understood these Latin terms. Mr. Cocker said that at present every boy or girl had to learn a language for matriculation, and this should not he the case.

Mr. Aroa said his opinion was that for higher education a language was necessary.. It \va : s. very useful and never came amiss. It was agreed l to send a remit to the Dominion executive to the effect that in the case of a student taking matriculation as an .entrance to an agricultural college a. language be optional, and agricultural science an additional optional subject in the syllabus.

ORDKRS^N'-COL'NCtrL. The Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates), writing on the subject of a protest against legislation by order-in-council, to the Dominion executive, said that the benefits of incorporating in statutes only a statement of the main principles of legislation were obvious and had been universally accepted as the most satisfactory method of legislation. It was the practice to lay important orders-in-council on the table of the House, and . there were various statutes providing for this. This course enabled the orders-in-council and regulations to be subjected to scrutiny and control by Parliament. It was the practice also, to submit the regulations to the parties affected by them, who could make representations to the Minister in charge of the Department administering them, and if their representations appeared justified the difficulty could be remedied without the delay incident to passing an amending Act. This practice enabled more detailed and careful consideration to be given to regulations than would be possible if regulations were included as part of the statute. Mr. Cocker said that in his opinion it was nothing but “eyewash” and most unsatisfactory. Mr. Carter said he considered that heads of departments had too much power and' Ministers left too much to them, whereas the Government should do more'

It was decided to forward a remit to the Dominion executive to the effect that the executive is not satisfied with the reply of the Prime Minister, and further protests against the system of legislation by order-in-council as being wrong in theory, principle, and practice.