FARMERS' UNION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9743, 7 March 1914, Page 5

FARMERS' UNION.

MONTHLY MEETING

T-ie monthly meeting of the Farmers' I 111011 r.'jis held this morning. Present; Messrs J. W'ingaP (chairman). J. A. Mc 1.-eavey, L. R. Brvant. H. J. A. Ikrlx-r R. (.ardner. W. 1-lauie, J. lialsilli,- and Gix-on-liow. PROPOSED RESERVE FORCE. Mes-rs R. S. Abraham and S. T. Hunt waited upon the meting with reference to a propusal t 0 form in the Wellington pro viiicv a ojui.try reserve force f r the pro t'Ction of farmers' infnsts 111 cas<- <.f

.-tribes and the iiKe, I tiey asked if the ( .'Jon -.v<jii:d take the matter up and give it ite-ir suptH rt.

I meeting generally was in sympathy with the proposal, which is similar to that adopted m ;ic- Auckland province. The eliai; man «t;ited thar he failed to see how

'he forniation of such a body of men could Uo any harm. Ih ,k farmer was thoroughly in cariKsi, and did not rin to allow am thing like what had happened reotntlv to occar agai/rt

Mr Mauie coru-idi red that the establishing >f such a fore w.-, u id embitter one si<le against another. Drilling, etc.. would be an ir. r i';iti >n r-> their oppoin-nte. Mr t.nrdner tiiought thai matter needed a great d»-al of consideration.

Mr Maulo remindful the meeting that at recent strike the ai-peai for social con had IxK-ri nxpoiuh-d to exceivlingh web. arid there w<-re- e\i-n men to spare. The chairman said the time had arriv<-d when the producer, in order to j.rotert hinihis interest®, and his country, would ha\e to lu- more aggn'ssive. Ho also (V)inpared the jiositi.jii of the farmer to that of t i.->ter t wiiere a for< - e had been established to prot'X't it«i in--' r'--»-t«.

Mr Ma 1 lie considered tiiat an aggressive policy '\ould do no good. Mr Barber stated that the fact that a torce v. ready to ls> called out would act as a deterrent oti the other side. It was i'maily Cie;ded to send as a remit to the Provincial < ' inference a recommendation for the establishment of such a corps.

OTHER MATTERS. The I n 1011 gave, its whole-hearted support to the propo-al originating from the eontVrenc** of delegates from A. and P. Associations, Chambers of Commerce, with the Picmi 'r. that local committees should be set up to arrange for exhibits for the Panama Exhibit ion.

lh'- annual meeting of the branch was ixed for April 4th.

I: was intimated that this year's Provincial ' o:;ferenco would be held at Wauganui 011 Mav 26th.