FARMERS’ UNION

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 230, 27 August 1938, Page 16

FARMERS’ UNION

SOUTHERN HAWKE’S BAY EXECUTIVE. An interesting insight into the activities of the Dominion executive of the Farmers’ Union was given by Mr L. Hammond, a member of the executive, to the Southern Hawke’s Bay provincial executive. \ It was felt by the executive, said Mr Hammond, that the system of farming research should be thoroughly overhauled. In the past it had been working up blind alleys. They maintained that it should be free of political control and regulated by a council of farmers. It was absurd, he added, that so little was being done towards research in comparison with other countries when practically our whole existence was at stake. It was recommended that a council of agricultural research be set up with an independent secretariat and constituted in accordance with Mr Hammond’s report presented to the conference. Animal research institutes were suggested for Canterbury and Massey Agricultural Colleges and the Wallaceville laboratory would be maintained if necessary. No research would be undertaken by the Department of Agriculture, whose function should be regulatory. Mr Hammond said the department and also the Department of Industrial Research had done wonderful work, but it was useless having two departments doing the same work. Representations were to be made to the Government on behalf of the Farmers Union and the Royal Agricultural Society. Mr Hammond said that a statement was to be issued by the executive concerning the Government’s social security scheme, and also regarding land settlement, concerning which further representations were to he made. The Government was to be asked to reduce the activities of the Public Works Department during the summer months. The .executive was urging that a national organisation he established to combat noxious weeds. The Government, said Mr Hammond, was to .be asked to control Crown, Native and abandoned land; the counties might then take over the control of the rest. Mr Hammond strongly advocated county control and cited Rangitikei as an example of its success. Concluding, Mr Hammond stated that Mr Mulholland would not make his usual spring tour until after the election, as anything lie said might be construed as political bias.