FARMERS’ UNION

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 138, 10 May 1930, Page 5

FARMERS’ UNION

PROVINCIAL EXECUTIVE. ANNUAL MEETING. (Special to “Standard.”) FEILDING May 9. The annual meeting of tno Wellington Central Provincial Farmers’ Union was held to-day, Mr K. AV. Dalrymple (Bulls) presiding. Also present were Messrs A. Campbell, L. Hammond, R. D. McLean, AA 7 . L. Grioe, G. Watt, J. Cornfoot, D. L. Younger, Howard, D. Scott, G. L. Marshall, J. B. Bradley. A number of apologies for absence were received. REPORT FOR PAST YEAR. The annual report was as under: “The executive haa pleasure in submitting this report, following a year in which the province has continued to display a prominent interest in affaire effecting the welfare of the farmer. In viewing the activities of the union it is well to remember that farmers generally owe a great deal to the leaders for their gratuitous services' and it is a matter for congratulation that we have in our ranks so many worthy public spirited settlers, ever ready to champion the cause of the man on the land. The amount of work they do, together with the success which attends their efforts, is too often overlooked by those who nave so far failed to recognise the obvious advantages which membership of the union offers. No apology is necessary for once more emphasising that, while all other sections of the community are efficiently organised for their mutual benefit, the farmers are far from being as one, notwithstanding the very great improvement which has been effected in the membership in recent, years. AA 7 e have yet to reach that stage in our organisation where farmers will count union membership as essential to their welfare —perhaps the economic position of the primary producers to-day will prove to be a medium for advancing this very desirable object. The order system is now firmly established and working satisfactorily. The collection of the orders has been placed upon a sound basis and as far as the union is concerned no effort is spared to secure regular and prompt payment. Delays are not the fault of the union. The executive, in conjunction with the Feilding A. and P. Association, entertained the party of British farmers who visited Feilding on March 5. Our thanks are due to the ladies of the AA T omen’s Division of the union for their generous help and to all farmers who provided cars to take the visitors sight-seeing. The Inter-Provincial Conference will be held at AVangunui on May 22nd and 23rd and it is hoped that all members of the executive will make a point of being present.” In speaking to the report, the chairman remarked that the membership of the union remained about the same as in previous years. The report covered the work done during the year, showing briefly that the executive had been alive to the interests of the union. Mr Dalrymple then moved the adoption of the report. In seconding the motion, Mr Campbell congratulated the executive on the financial position shown, particularly in view of the heavy commitments the union had had during the year. Mr Campbell referred briefly to the visit of the British farmers to Feilding and thought the executive had done its duty in associating itself in the entertaining of the party whilst it was in Feilding. The report was adopted. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The following officers were elected: President, Mr K. AV. Dalrymple (reelected;; vice-presidents, Messrs AA. L. Grice, L. Hammond and D. Scott; executive, Messrs J. H. Mason, D. L. lounger, G. AYatt, J. B. Bradley, A. Kidd, J. Thomasen (Feilding); Messrs A. Marshall, G. L. Marshall, Gray, Howard, Dudding, Fitzherbert (Martou); Messrs Logan McLean, R. Hogg, L. Lambert, D. bimpson (Huntervilie); Messrs. A. Fannin, AV. it. Anderson, A. AV. Bignell (Tailiape). The election of the AVaimarino, Ohakuno and Mangaweka representatives was left to the respective branches. Messrs. D. Scott and G. L .Marshall were elected delegates to the annual conference of the New Zealand banners’ Union. The meeting then eat as an executive committee, Mr Dalrymple presiding. TELEPHONES FOR STOCK INSPECTORS. Mr Grice brought up the question of a telephone for the stock inspector s house, the position being at present that if the inspector was required, and was not at his office, he could not be communicated with. alio procedure at present was that his neighbour had to be rung up and asked to give the inspector a message when he came home, but this could not be done indefinitely. Mr Soott stated that the same predicament prevailed at Taihape and without further discussion it was decided to ask the Stock Department to -metal telephones in the inspectors houses. EXECUTIVE ACTIVITIES. Mr L. Hammond gave a resume of the business done at the last meeting of the Dominion executive, at which lie represented the province. In regard to the matter of broadcasting political leaders’ speeches, Mr Hammond said that the executive was in favour of this, but the Minister opposed it. The Minister was sympathetic towards the proposal that the control of noxious weeds should be placed in the hands of district boards and stated his intention of going into the matter. Concerning the representations that the removal of sheep by motor truck by night be prohibited unless the driver of the truck had a police permit, some of the executive did not like the idea of the matter being in the hands of the police, but the Minister agreed to prepare legislation which would insist on a permit being required. It had been unanimously agreed that arrangements should be made to extend the local wool selling season to meet the heavy carryover resulting from the slump in prices and to enter a protest against the attitude of buyers when they refused to attend the AA T ellington sale on account of- the withdrawals. Mr Hammond added that the executive was continuing its investigations into the matter of placing the marketing of wool on a footing comparable with that of meat and butter. MAINTENANCE OF HIGHAA 7 AYS. Mr Marshall said that some relief should be granted for the maintenance of main highways; He was pleased to notice that the Minister of Public AY 7 orks_ had expressed himself as sympathetic towards the suggestion that settlers should be granted relief from rates used to maintain through roads which carried almost entirely foreign traffic. TRe speaker reminded the meeting that England had realised the position in which the farmer was placed by the call for perfect highways by

the motorist, and bad introduced derating. He did not suggest that this should be done in New Zealand, but felt that by an increased petrol tax, which few, if any, would object to, rates for reading purposes could bo reduced, and the additional revenue from the petrol tax used to replace the • reduction in rates. Mr Campbell said it would be a dangerous step to suggest derating, and he feared that if this were done other forms of undesirablo taxation would be introduced to meet the deficit. Mr Marshall moved that the Dominion executive bo urged to arrango for a deputation "to wait on the Counties’ Conference to recommend strongly that the petrol tax be increased and the additional amount raised bo used to give relief to settlers in rates collected for the maintenance of main highways. He desired the motion to go forward to the provincial conference as a remit. Mr Howard seconded the motion, which was carried. RAISING LOCAL LOANS. Referring to the raising of loans, Mr Marshall said that local bodies could borrow money from the Main Highways Board without the sanction of the ratepayers, and in his opinion this was undemocratic, unfair and savoured of the principles of the Soviet. Ho moved that the principle of money being borrowed without the sanction of the ratepayers is undemocratic and might lead to hardship. The motion was seconded by Mr D. Scott. The chairman said that there were certain safeguards concerning local body borrowing without tlio approval of the ratepayers. In the case of bridge requirements it was necessary to advertise the intention to raise the loan and any ratepayer had the right to object and that objection would be heard by the Local Bodies’ Loan Board. As regards reading loans, these had to have the approval of the Main Highways Board, which went very closely into the matter and generally insisted on short dated loans, which would be paid off within a period of ten years. The motion was carried. GENERAL. In regard to a letter from Mr W. D. Lvsnar, together with a report concerning the question of meat export control, a committee consisting of Messrs Dalrymple, Hammond and Marshall was set up to investigate the matter and report to the executive. The Director of Forestry wrote stating that he could not repiy to the executive’s request for information concerning the worth of planting the sand dunes at Tangimoana as it was a Government policy matter on which ho could not comment. —It was decided to write to the Minister in charge of the department for the information. The subject of share hawking was introduced by the chairman who expressed the opinion that farmers might well support the protest of the sharebrokers against the exploitation of the public on wild cat schemes. AATiat was desired was an amendment of tire Companies Act prohibiting share hawking. Shares should not be sold until they boro the stamp of the stock exchange which would indicate to the public that the shares had been recognised by the stock exchange as genuine.—It was agreed to request the Dominion executive to take the matter up with the AA 7 ellington Stock Exchange with a view to having the Companies Act amended in the direction desired. Mr Dalrymple also commented on a newspaper article dealing with the effect of the Arbitration Act on individual industry. Mr Dalrymple felt that efforts should be directed towards getting back to the system of paying by results. The Arbitration Act had had the effect of placing all men engaged in industry on the same footing quite irrespective of their ability. The loafer claimed and received under the Act the same wage as the worker, while the worker, notwithstanding his enterprise and energy, was kept on the same footing as the loafer. Those working under the Act were beginning to realise the truth of the foiegoing—that the bad workers were brought up to the same wage level as the good workers. It was an important matter and he hoped that members of the executive would take an early opportunity of stressing the need for getting back to the system of paying by results.