The Star. Delivered every evening by 5 o'clock in Hawera, Manaia, Normanby, Okaiawa, Eltham, Mangatoki, Kaponga, Awatuna, Opunake, Otakeho, Manutahi, Alton, Hurleyville, Patea, Waverley. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1916. IN THE INTEREST OF AGRICULTURE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXI, Issue LXXI, 22 February 1916, Page 4

The Star. Delivered every evening by 5 o'clock in Hawera, Manaia, Normanby, Okaiawa, Eltham, Mangatoki, Kaponga, Awatuna, Opunake, Otakeho, Manutahi, Alton, Hurleyville, Patea, Waverley. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1916. IN THE INTEREST OF AGRICULTURE.

The New Zealand Farmers' Union has done good service not only directly on behalf of farmers themselves, but indirectly for the whole community. Probably it will continue to do this, but perhaps with more comprehensiveness in the future than it has in the past. The conditions brought about by the present war are likely to lead to spacious developments in many industrial spheres, including that of agricultural production, in which, though there have been many advantageous advances on co-operative lines, there i& still ample room for further development favorable to the industry, through the establishment of mor«s stable, more partner-like relations between employers and workers. Much has already ( been done in this connection in the United States, especially under the auspices of the Order of the Patrons of Husbandry. Until about thirty-five years ago this order had a somewhat troubled career. Founded in 1867, at a time when the idea of organisation among farmers was in the air, it very soon afterwards began to attract an enormous amount of attention and rapidly achieved a wide popularity. In the year 1874 it was at the height of its prosperity. It was at that time an organisation with more than 20,000 local branches or "subordinate" Granges, and a total membership of about three-quarters of a million. Unfortunately—and here there is probably a lesson for all such institutions wherever they may be—an attempt was made to use the order to gain political ends and at the same time the State Granges launched out into wide schemes of . The co-operative schemes failed almost without exception, and the order, in addition, was discredited by its connection with the anti-railway legislation of the period. As a result the fortunes of the Granges declined very rapidly between 1875 and 1880". Since then the order has been conducted on sounder lines, and it has confined itself chiefly to, schemes of rural betterment. Before everything else it is now a social and educational organisation. A great many of the local Granges throughout the States have built their own headquarters, where the members meet for both business and pleasure. Women take part in all proceedings on a footing of perfect equality with men. In the meetings of local associations business is first disposed of, and then the members usually either listen to a short lecture upon some topic of interest to farmers, organise a debate upon one of the questions of the day, or enjoy a programme of music and singing. The ideal of constant self-instruc-tion and improvement is held high within the order. The subordinate" Granges establish libraries and organise reading circles. The order can always be counted upon to support any scheme for the promotion of education, and has, in fact, done much to improve the teaching in country schools and extend the facilities for higher technical instruction, especially in agriculture. Latterly, the order has again been turning its attention to co-opera-tion, but so far it has practically confined its efforts to disseminating information and urging upon the farmers the need for a serious" study of the whole question. Warned by the fate of the ill-advised schemes of co-opera-tion in the seventies, the order is at present moving very carefully and hesitatingly towards new schemes. It should be useful to New Zealand farmers to know what is thus being done in the United States of America. In the Old Country, too, many pertinent questions are now being asked in connection with agriculture, especially in €he matter of practicable methods for improving the relationships between employers and workers. "What (it is asked in the ultimate interest of the farmers) do we do for oai people a^ a people? Do we aid the poor by making life easier for them by co-operative credit, co-operative production and distribution? What amusement or recreation do we provide for our people after the day's labor? Have we libraries, recreation rooms, sports and social meetings? Has the brotherly feeling of men and women for each other urged them to build village halls? Can the laborer through' local organisation get the necessaries of life cheaply? Can he get money cheaply to enable him to cultivate his acre or half-acre plot ? Do the big farmers lend their aid to the small farmers, uniting purchases with theirs to enable all to benefit by

the economy? Do they form associations for sale so that the man with but little produce can dispose of it as well as the big farmer?" By way of reply, it is said by those who ask the question that "all these things would be done in a brotherly-hearted community. If they are not done, then people are isolated and suspicious of each other and show each other sour

faces, and they leave their community." The subject has ere this been discussed in New Zealand, and the circumstances brought about by the war are likely to lead to its further discussion, in which no doubt the Farmers' Union will take part in an enlightened and progressive spirit.