NEW ZEALAND FARMERS' UNION.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 8095, 26 September 1904, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND FARMERS' UNION.

HAWERA BRANCH MEETING.

The monthly meeting of the Hawera branch of the New Zealand Farmers' Union was held on Saturday evening. The President (Mr J. Davidson) was in the chair, and Messrs J. Buchanan, Greaves, Houston, J. Hicks, Forbes, J. Baker, Spratt, T. A. Winks and A. Mills were also present.

A circular letter was read from the Minister in charge of the department, o{ Industries and Oommerpe, forwarding spt copies of the annual report which, was said to be of more than ordinary interest to farmers because oij containing a report by Mr Kinsella on the Argentine. The Fertilisers Act, a copy of which was received, was read. No discussion took place on the measure.

The President said that since their last meeting several things of importance had transpired, particularly the no-confidence motion. Ovej the ' matter he had suffered a nervous shock f^om which he did not think he would recover until after the next, general election. He had been led to thiAk that Mr Seddon was alfiiosl, infallible, arid that there was nothing under the sun, or over the sun ior that matter, that he could not accomplish. But he had' admitted that he could not oppose Mr Massey's amendment, so he got the men who went to Parliament pledged to the freehold out of the difficulty by a back door. If they had put the question fairly to the House the speaker believed that the Cabinet would have had to leave the Government benches. Many of those who had gone, to Parliament as freeholders had gone into the lobby with Mr Seddon, and had turned their backs on their platform pledges. Mr Major, now M.H.R., had subscribed to a lot, if, not to all the planks in the farmers' platform, but he also had gone. ov\ the back way. T,he time had hoyr come* when they must Ueei the Farmers' Union and the freehold before the t people of- the country. They 'wanted men in the House who would be f rue. to the faynerV interest*, As a class they had to pujb up with a lot, working 13, 14, 15 hours a. day and sometimes more. The payment was sometimes small, and the risks grtat, ang he thought thai in matters political they should' be careful as to. how they acted, goon 7 they would have the •insurance scheme \n working order, which would be another matter in which, the Union h%d, doqe/'gooq $>r its members, and the, country generally.' The question -of the quarantine ft>r blackleg had. been discuss--ed that afternoon at the meeting of the A. and P. Association's committee, and fy had been decided to' ask Mr Gilruth' to come up and give a lecture concerning the disease. The. quarantine was going to be a serious matter for their cattle under the age of eighteen months were ntt to be exported, from the district. That would mean* that i>rice» wonld fall, and tfwfr .oifcrw wxhrtdt .bare V> be knocked -nil. -Ahia:'Maa.v., <i«w.i. .•>■<. "■}■...<■;.<■ „,

Mr Baker asked, What good was the Royal Commission, about to be set up to enquire into the land question? Mr Davidson said it would make enquiries into all the conditions -of tenure and report to Parliament next session. He thought it an insult to members and the electors who put them there, to say that the present House could not deal with the question as well as a future Parliament. Mr Baker considered it did not matter , what the Commission reported. The people said they wanted the freehold and would have it. , Mr Duckworth referred to the fact that the branding districts bad been decreased in area. He believed there were now five districts between New Plymouth and Wanganui. Mr Davidson said the result was that several people were getting the same brands or earmarks. Mr Duckworth said it was unlikely that people would hive the same earmark and brand. I Mr Davidson replied that when riding > along he did not look for the brand but the earmark. Mr Greaves said the complaint was well founded. He had been told that a farmer in Toko had the same earmark as him- , self. I Mr Davidson said there should be only < two districts between Wanganui and New Plymouth. It was resolved that Mr Duckworth make enquires into the matter and bring it forward at the next meeting. A conversational discussion took place ' upon the quarantining of the district for ■ blackleg, and Mr Spratt wanted to know I who it was that had created tho scare about the disease. It was replied that tho scare had emanated from Hawke's Bay. Mr Winks thought the branch should take some action In the matter as it was a serious one for the district, and sooner or later the price of dairy stock would be affected. He moved, That this branch recommend the Provincial Executive to take steps to have the present restrictions concerning the quarantine for black- ■ leg amended so as to enable stock to be exported after having been declared free , from the disease by an inspector to be I appointed by the Government. I Mr Mills seconded the motion. Mr Duckworth thought the difficulty > • might bo got over by having a quarantine station near the boundary where the stock could be inoculated. The motion, upon being put, was carried ' unanimously. The meeting then terminated.