FARMERS’ UNION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14978, 26 April 1909, Page 10

FARMERS’ UNION.

ASHBURTON BRANCH

The annual meeting of tho Ashburton branch of the New' Zealand Farmers’ Union was held on Saturday, Mr Charles Reid presiding. The balance-sheet showed a debut balance of £1 ss. In moving the adoption of the bal-ance-sheet Sir Reid said that lie deplored the lack of interest on. the part of the farmers in an institution essential to the welfare of tho farming community. It was generally recognised that tho Union was not in any way antagonistic to the labourers, and although tho farmers had had to defend themselves in the farm labourers’ dispute, he was pleased to say that the objections raised by the farmers to the labourers’ demands were not on the grounds that tho wages asked were too high, but that the labourers had no right to impose upon the farmers conditions which could not be accepted without great injury to themselves. The chief troublo was in regard to hours of labour. He, personally, desired to see tho standing of farm labourers recognised, but his own opinion was that a good man could make his own terms. Referring to the general election, lie said that the Union had had a good influence ■ upon the results. He was ol opinion that the valuations of land made by tho Valuation Department must recede before farmers could be placed upon a proper and equitable footing. Mr Reid concluded, by saying that he hoped to see farmers take a more active interest in the affairs of the Union and do their best for the good of the people as a whole. Tito aims and objects of the Union were the advancement of tho farmers, and it there was anything objectionable as to the name of the Onion it might bo as well to make a fresh start under a new name.

Mr J. C. N. Grigg seconded the motion for tho adoption of the balancesheet. He said that outside comments on the way New Zealand .had been spending money, privately and publicly, pointed to the fact that New Zealand had been spending at a tremendous rate, and it had been predicted that the dominion would sooner or later oomo to grief. He did not expect much as a result of this, hut he did think that the country needed to go slow for a few years, and if that were done it would scon get into a sound position again, for the producing power oi the country would always be the same. The principal work of the Union in the future would be to sec, as far ns possible, that taxation was fairly distributed and .tha t it did not fall too heavily oil any particular class. They would have to do their utmost to secure the return to Parliament of representatives who had the farming industry at heart, and after all, farming was the first industry in the whole dominion, and ought to receive first consideration. 11 they were to analyse tho last Parliament. they would find that there had been very few men in it who represented the farmers. This year, owing to tho greater activity of the farmers, tliero had been a great improvement in that respect. The mctioti was carried.

The election of officers resulted as follows:—Chairman, Mr F. Frampton; vice-chairman, Mr T. Maw-son; treasurer, Mr C. Reid : committee, Messrs G. Murdock, T. E. Uptcn, Y\ T . Oakley. It. Gilmour, T. Capon, IC. Benbov, A. S. Barman, S. S. Chapman, IV. T. Lill, W. Moses, G. W. Lead ley, James Bruce and W. Hording; delegates to conference, 'Messrs F. Frampton, T. Mawson and W. T. Lill; secretary, Mr J. B. Christian; auditor, Mr W. Pickles. It was decided to send the following remits to the Government:—“ That it be a recommendation to the Government that the old size of cornsaeks be unchanged”: “that the mortgage tax bo abolished in favour of an income tax.”