N.Z. FARMERS' UNION.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume 38, Issue 9638, 16 April 1908, Page 4

N.Z. FARMERS' UNION.

MANIOTOTO JIKAN'Cir. • »- ■' Tlio annual meeting was h«ld 'on Saturday at lfiinfurly. There wero prcsrtifc—Messrs Ci Inder (chairman), It. Scott (secretary), Stepcns, W. Hall, jun, Lobb, James Hore, John Kearv ney, J, Forrester, W, Mawhinney, Muthias. , -

'Minutes. Tho Secretary read the minutes of tlio last annual meeting, The Chairman said that Mr Scott and ho had he in appointed to revise tl»0 subscription list. It had altered the subscriptions considerably. Tho wife or family of some members held pi'opertyy which they could not consider in fixing the fee. Several present expressed tho opinion that tho feo should be based on the whole property. wero then confirmed on the motion of Messrs Forrester and .Lobb. ' •

Balance-sheet. The balance sheet was as follows :

Tudor said the total membership wus 77. had paid up and 20 wcro in arrears. Tlio balance sheet showed a credit of £4l 15s 1 Id. Xle had to apologise for the. absence of the auditor, 1 Mr Logan. Resuming, Mr Inrler said tlioy. could' bo well satisfied willi their fi tinnoinTfid^ltion. Last year 49 members hud paid up against D 1 this year.llo moved tho adoption of the balati'cc-sl:oct. Mr Scott seconded the motion, which was carried. ' OlHco bcarm.

, 1 was re-elected president. In returning thanks lie said it was often u3kcd 'what the union, was doing. Their labours had hud a vefy great deal to do with rcodifyin" the legislation placed on the Statute iJoolc, Tho Land iJill passed last year- was not just what they would like, but what would it have been only for "their offorls. They had got tho .sheep tax romuved. J he Provincial Executive

had brought under the notice "of ■ the, wool brokers in London—in fact, it had communicated with the Agent-general, to get the tnre of £3 on wool removed— A repiy had been received to the effect that they could not pre their way to accede to tho request. He understood thi?t this matter was £75,000 per nn num to the Australian Colonics. In the matter of insurance, he reminded mem bers that the reduced rates rhi-\ now had werft only given when tli* union's j action compelled the 'insurant*' ring ! to do so They could . i'nMir.; a man for 7s Gel, but thn cost would ba 15s only for that. The shearers' dispute in Wellington had been satisfactorily settled, Tlwy had to pay a slight increase in shearing rates, but tho real point of dispute—who was going to be boss of the shed—was settled satisfactorily to the em ploycrs, Only for the settlement ar rived at the disputo would have efftc ted Otago. 'The union wished to pre vent any legislation detrimental to landholders. . - j IMr Lobb asked if anyone could now take advantage of -the ' insurance ur rangement with the union. Mr Soott replied that any nvmber could get the benefit for the.unexpired balance of live years agreed upon.' Mr Mathiaswas elected vice-presi dent } Mr Logan auditor (re-elected); and tho committee as follows : essrs Weir, J. M'Leod, Grepr, W. Mawhin ney, Forrester, J. Lobb, J. iVl'Lean, L) Nicolsoi), W, Hall, jtw., E. Williamson ; delegate to the Provincial .'•'xocutive, the president; secretary, Mr. R. Scott (re-elected). Correspondence. The, Hon. the Minister of Lands wrote in reply to the request for fortnightly instead of monthly meetings of the Land Board, that after consideration lie could not see .his way to svccede to the request at present. Mr Scott moved—That' it be a remit from this branch to-the local council to request it to take steps to prevail on the Minister of Lands to accede to the request of the Otago branches to 'have.meetings of the Land Board held fortnightly. Speaking to the motion Mr Scott said the only reason he knew of for the refusal was the little extra expense that the change would entail. Members of the board were allowed 10s a day and travelling expenses of Gd a mile one way. If members' gave their time for the country's good surely tho extra expense was nothing.-. A few years ago the meetings were held weekly, while now that tho business 1 a 1 so greatly increased they were only held monthly. The motion was seconded by Mr Mathias and carried. ■ ' The Secretary of the Colonial Executive wrote for some statistical infor ui'ation re membership.—On the. motion.

of Messrs Hall and Mat bias the letter was receive! and the secretary author ke:l to suj p'y the information. A circular was received from the General Manager of Railways drawing attention to the, regulation re size of grain sacks—viz, that on and after Ist February, 1999, the weight of sacks of wheat, oats and barley must n^t"exceed 2001bs (exclusive of weight of sack), otherwise four times the ordinary freight would be charged. J\lr Scott said he thought 'the 44in sack turned in would be the best. Mr Mackenzie, the chairman of the com mitteo on the question, assured him "that they would stack to 25 tiers high. That size bag was one of much general utility. Mr Forrester thought it would be awkward for mills to hive to weigh each sack. Af or some further discussion, Mr Lobb moved—That this 'branch sup I port the 'l'l-in sack, as suggested by (lie I executive, for grain. ft]r Lobb' also t referred to the increased railage Unit would follow on the use of smaller sacks for flour.—The motion >.vas seconded by Air Hall arid carried. Mr Scott explained that tho whole trouble had arisen through the cumber some nature of the 48in sacks (titn-mii med) used in Canterbury. - General. . A draft of revised rules, as prepared by the Colonial Council, was rear! .<i (l ,y approved or. • _ The Chaiiman referred to the oppor aunit.y soon to be given to Crown ten nnts to get a representative ,o i Land Boards. M r Logan had been ap proached and consented to stand, .tin i (Mr T rider) thought it won It! be unwise | for (Jrow ti tenants in C«nfcrsl to bring fi rw .r. I a second man, ti.? it only diminish tivi ch.u-e': <,f He undeivto. d t'n; re w >uld b.- *■», candidates,'and'iu'.wnd w-Mh-r' .hotiid try to get unt oj- ,h ir own hu>;ji»T in,

A brief indefinite discus-sion-folic.wed. £■ Mr Stephens said that lately s«vctj,i farmers had been fined for. negl ctin™ bo d.estroy rabbits. They ploa<!p<l guilty., and in addition to bejng finnd had to pay a lawyer's fee. He did not .think it was fuir that they should pay a lawyer's fee when they'pleaded guilt v. Mr Mathias fhought that it was especially hard when (several such cases were heard in,one dr.y and each had to pay the £1 Is. Mr (Stephens moved—That thn dele gate be instructed to bring tho matter before the Provincial Executive, and try and get the fee discontinued in charges of. lousy sheep and under the llabbit Act, when h plea of guilty is entered, I he motion wa.s seconded

by Mr Hore and carried. Mr Mathias moved—That they vote the usual bonus of £G to the secretary. —Seconded by Mr Lobb and carried. Both gentlemen referred in coinpli inent'ary .terms to Mr Scott's work.

Mr Scott'in"returning thanks said i he though the work should be carried on by a younger man, There were plenty on the plain capable of doing it. n He felt it it. burden sometimes, al • though it was ; a labour of lbve. . Fanners in Otago did not understand t the work of the union, but they ttould : wake up some day to find that the ; other fellow had his foot on the | farmers' neck. The union was not for j offensive purposes, but for defending themselves. * j

In reply to Mr Mathias, Mr Scott said nothing as yet. had becu done to wards increasing the contribution to the Provincial Executive. That body would move in the matter at the June meeting. Mr LobbsaicThe thought the mem bers'fee should be a uniform one of 10s. One or two agreed with that.

Mr Mathias returned thanks for his election as vice presment, and Mr Lobb moved a vote of thanks to the chair and to the secretary.

; Receipts. fit subscriptions for year 1007-8 £20 8 G a« do 1000 7 ... G 4 O u do lOOo-U O 5 O 1 do 1004-5 ... ,,, 10 0 1 do 1003-4 4 0 Overpaid subscriptions ... 12 0 JJulunco ill liund 1st April, 1007 40 84 4 O O 4 i ' • ' ■ ■ . k £74 i 4 . ' ■ . JSxpenclUiiro. Way.lcvies to provincial.treasurer .1000 7 £3 18 0 llonus to secretary ,,, (i O 0 Augusfc'levits to provincial treasurer 1007-8' ... 7 10 O Printing and rtdvcrtiaiiig 1 17 11 Slumps, tolegi'iuu:).and at'itiouery 2 O 0 Dulrtnoo ill bank Ufc 21 0 11 April, IfJOS ijmo o 0 Dulanco in In.ml lat .April, 100S ... ;?> is 02 18 5 * r.i'ibiliiicH, 474 4 4 To Provf tfats U1 ie< ics for 1D07-; J • atl'5s • . £(-. . 3 0 Do. 13 do. J000 7 ' c 0 Do. fi do. 1005-0 ... ' . 1 9 0 ' fto. 1 do, 1904-5 ... 5 o I'«. 1 do, 1003-4 nt 3<s 3 0 Overpaid subscriptions, P Men ... 8ei l fc ' J 8 0(l, M Mutlicsoa lis i 12 0 Chronicle account,., 7 0 Xll o 0 ■ ,," . ■ 20 lumbers in iirrctir, amount owlo^ 1 G Receipts for year £49 0 4 lixpumlituru "Jl hit • XI8 14 S lUliiMco ;j|/3/08 £u2 J8 ■o utuuiliLi'jn 11 <1 G X'jf 10 11,