FARMER'S LNION.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXIX, Issue LXIX, 20 May 1915, Page 6

FARMER'S LNION.

TARANAKI PROVINCIAL'! EXECUTIVE. TARANAKI PROVINCIAL CONFERENCE. (From Our «own Reporter.) ' INGLEWOOD, May 20. The annual eonierence of the laranak» provincial district of the New Zealand Farmers' Union opened at Inglewood this mdrnino'. The delegates present are: Messrs A. Hunter, px'esiaent '(Hawera), S. Nonis (Eltham), A. Cleaver (Te iloti), A. Oohnstone (Auroa) C. J. McUuinness (Mangatoki) Ji. Orr (Ngaere), H. Hod^e (i Jatea), J. F. i;avidsou (Kaimata;, 0. M. Young (Otaka.ho) 4 ;M. F. Voullaife (Riverlea), K. Lambie (Opunake), J. Thomson I (Ngaere), E. Maxwell (Opunake), J&. iS. Huxton (Auroa), W. Pennmgton (Eltham), - J. Capper (Inglewood), A. juj. U asiier (Patea;, B. .Booker (Lowgarth), J.* Swmdlehurst (Eltham). A vote of sympathy was passed to Mr R. Dunn (Aurcja), who had met with a painful accident whilst stumping, and is now in the Mariaia Hospital.- : . -I."" v. •:' i ';•/■• ■.'■;• A

THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS

Mr Alex, tlimter, the president,;delivered trie ionovving adareas:—«ient.emen, —It again iaiis to my lot to* give an account to you; of my stewardship,, arid I must say to. begin with triat x have not beer, able outing fh© past year to satisfy myself as regards'attention, to "the activities of triel Unking. and regret that 1 did not adhere to my intention of a year ago to then retire from the presidency, an error Ivhave no mind to repeat; 1 have been absent from too many Executive meetings, to have done justice to the position; and when, from any cause, one's efficiency is impaired, it* is his duty to make room for one who wi.l give closer attention to the duties involved. My lapse has been. largely due to the pressure of work iri connection with

The Farmers' Co-operative Society, and I. suppose I may, on that score, claim your indulgence, for what a friend gets is never lost. The formation of this Society must, from our poirit of view as farmersj.be considered an event of no little importance, marking, as it does, a step forward in cooperation as regards our province. The Kood results, of co-operation on these lines in other parts of the Dominion, in Denmark, Holland, and onr own Mother Country,* show that success is possible; and if farmers take a live interest in their Society, such success will be assured. The' thanks of the farmers are due to Mr Buckeridge and those gentlemen associated with him in the work of organising the Society, a task which demanded dogged perseverance and the sacrifice of no little time.

Organisation.

During the year the Union had an opportunity to slioav its sympathy with the sufferei'9 in connection with the Huntly disaster., and rose to the occasion in a worthy manner, the fund being liberally contributed to. As regards organisation, we are no further ahead than we were a year ago, but it'is to be hoped that some step forward will be made in the near iuture. The Kaponga branch has been resuscitated, and it is a pleasure to us all to again welcome delegates from a branch which in the past lias supplied live, men, and which ,we. trust it will continue to do. Our thanks are due to Messrs Dunn and Sim, who showed their devotion to tha Union by attending, in the face of very severe weather, the meeting called for the purpose of re-forming the branch. ,

Agricultural Instruction

This occasion cannot be allowed to pass without some mention of the most excellent work being done by Mr Browne in connection with agricultural instruction in South Taranaki. He is an enthusiast, a man of ability and tremendous energy, who misses no oj> port-unity of increasing his knowledge and consequent usefulness by study, personal .experiment and investigation, and observation of the experience of others; and I consider that this Do minion offers no position in that line which he would not fill with credit. It is to the interest of the province and of the Dominion that such men receive every encouragement and assistance.

Legislation,

Among measures passed by our Legislature during the last few years are quite a number which this Union has steadily advocated. It has only been through hammering a"way that we have succeeded in having these proposals caivried into effect, and the" results should encourage us to persist with others —among them the Stallions Bill, which this Union and the A. and P. Societies have almost unanimously been: demanding for many years. In many: cases the delay has not been altogether! a bad thing, for it has resulted in proposals being viewed and criticised from every standpoint, and when the Provincial and Dominion Conferences have pulled a measure to pieces two or three times, if the Union still advocates it, the Government of the day. whatever it may be, will not lightly throw it aside. Ido not intend to recount the list of these attainments, but would draw the attention of delegates to some of them which are set forth inside the back cover of the Farmers' Union Advocate, which I hope you all take and read. It is a paper well worthy your attention, the subscription is very moderate, and Mr Sim will be only too pleased to take the names of any who do not already subscribe but are willing to help the Union in this way. Sir J. G. "Wilson. Our worthy Dominion President has, in recognition of his* good work in connection with matters pgricultural and pastoral —the maiji industries of this country—had conferred upon him the Order of Knighthood, upon which the Union as a body, I feel sure, sincerely congratulates him; Sir James Wilson has also been called to fill the position of first president of the Board of Agriculture, a position to which he will add dignity, and in which his wide knowledge should have the scope it merits. Mutual Insurance Association. For, I understand, the first time in the history of the Union, apart from conference times, the Dominion Executive met in February last at AVcllington, when I had the honor of being present. The meeting was well attended, and dealt with many matters of interest, the result of which has already been conveyed to the Provincial Executive. It will not be out of place here to urge delegates to do all in their power to keep before farmers the duty as well as the advantages of support-ing the Farmers' Mutual Insurance Association. It does not receive the support it deserves. Why every farmer who is free to do so does not insure with the Mutual I cannot understand. Owing to the advocacy of the Union power has been granted to the Mutuals to extend their opera-

farmers will * show their .^loyalty ''byK making it a mtx^asS' ' The War. " . | And lastly-1 come to the 'togiej which, almost to 'the exclusion of all | others, .absorbs the attention of/not' only we. Britons" and our "Allies/,but,of * practically the whole worsd—-and^es-pecially of the Prussians, "When-war broke out in August last industries, and commerce were somewhat dislocat- I ed by such,a rude jplt.- This, however, was only for a snort' time, and the Dominion and the Empire quickly settled down aud adjusted themselves to : the position, anjr evidences of pan'c' quickly disappearing. The Farmers' union was, particularly in the early stages of the trouble, enabled^ on account of its organisation, to materially assist the Government in the despatch of the Expeditionary Forces. Men, money, horses, fodder 3 meat and other • foodstuffs were provided without stint. On short notice farmers with agricultural land rushed in extra crops to food, and how necessary this I was has only become really apparent \as the shortage of cereals has been revealed. The devastation so ruthlessly carried out by the invaders of plucky little Belgium left a starving, homeless, and outraged people , New Zealanders have again risen to the occasion, and given of .^oney^ \ food, and clothing, and will continue j to. do so. And we must not forget* that Servra'and Poland are in much > the; same straits as Belgium, Servia ! being from a hygienic point of view,] in, 'a deplorable •condition. It is con- i sidered by many that there will be | local distress as ", time' goes on, and after a discussion by the executive j Mr' Thomson, bur ; worthy. ex-treasurer, sptthe; ball^rolHng by^^ nlfeking'a vdonJi-; tion; and this-has bSen fclloyred by'Mr ! Mills arid others; while the Otakeho branch? has taken the matter up, arid the other day sent,in a cheque" The drought has hit the Dominion, or a great part of it, pretty hard, though oiir position as a whole is not so bad as Australia's.. However, Hawke's Bay, Wairarapa, parts of Auckland, Canterbury, and Marlborough have had a' very bad time of, it, and'the shortage of shipping space h*is made the position worse; Taranaki has less causa to complain than most parts, and the exceptional prices brought about by the war, combined with a shortage of cereals arid beef supplies, has made the income of. the Dominion very large indeed. It is therefore our duty ami privilege to assist to the utmost limit, and I do not doubt for a' i moment that the farming community ; will do its share. The wastage in men at the front is very heavy, and we must face the position and keen the ranks closed up, "each stepping where j his comrade stood." Our Empire has, j with practically one accord, "sunk all minor differences and buckled to the task with a determination to uphold the right, and a firm conviction of the justice of our cause. We all hone and pray for peace, but only peace with honor. The calmness of 'true neace. is only consistent with strength'in. one form or another, and should riot be confused with the stillness which is' only stagnation, or the acquiescence which but betokens the sDirit of the slave. We cannot but be nroud of ifche clean record of the allied'troops, arid that in the face of barbarities which almost baffle the imagination. When we went to school we despised those who did not "play the game," and now that we have grown older we cannot descend to the level set by those directing the efforts of our foes. The hour of trial .has revealed ' a strength of character in the people of the allied nations which our enemies believed did riot exist, and this same strength of character will be the greatest facior, I think, in the overthrow., which I ,<?<J not doubt, of the cult of blood and irony Tim care exercised in the selection of our own New Zealand troops, is only a^reeognition by our military- leaders of tKe importance of this factor,, and has been justified, I think you will all admit, by tne undying glorious record they are now establishing.