FARMERS' UNION.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 103, 4 May 1907, Page 5

FARMERS' UNION.

The annual meeting of Feilding branch was held yesterday afternoon. There were about 20 members present. Mr W. G. Pearce presiding. In the annual report read by the Chairman, regret was expressed that only 105 members out of 145 had paid their subscriptions. The balance-sheet, it was stated, showed a credit of £14 13s 7d. Farmers were to be congratulated on the very prosperous year just past. The high price obtained for all kinds of farm produce had put into circulation a large amount of mongy, which had had a stimulating effect on trade generally. The only drawback of note was the dry spell experienced in the South. . Good rains, however, had now fallen there and the outlook was encouraging. From a political standpoint things were not so promising. The advent of the Land Bill last session caused a good deal of interest among land users, but the prompt action taken by Feilding and neighbouring branches in organising a mass meeting to protest against it, with similar action throughout the colony, had the effect of frustrating the passing of that measure in • the form first proposed. As it was intended to introduce a Land Bill next session it behoved farmers to rally around the Union so as to bring the weight of their influence to bear in support of those members of Parliament who represented the interest of the farmers, and to do everything in their power to retain the optional tenure. It would be advisable to revise the subscription schedule this year. It was suggested that the branch take into consideration the amalgamation of the branches in the district so as to provide for the payment of a secretary to collest subscriptions and attend to other matters in the interest of farmers. Referring to the visit of the members to Moumahaki, the chairman expressed the opinion that considering the difierence in the nature of the soil treated, the experiments were not of much behefit to land users in this district. If the Agricultural Department would appoint some qualified person to carry out such experiments in this district, the benefit would be |greater than the work done at Monmahaki. In this district the question of drainage should precede consideration of manuring. From Nikau to Kairanga the soil was so different from that at Moumahaki, that nothing could be learned by the farmers in this region from the experiments referred to. The balance-sheet having been read, this and the report were adopted. The following were elected a committee: —Messrs Mayo, Booth, Wheeler, McFarland, Weston, Thompson, Reid, Blundell, Pearce, Anderson, Shortall, Selby, Koberstein, Murray, Langley, Atkinson, Wilson, Merrick, Pharazyn, and Fitzherbert. Mr W. G. Pearce was re-elected chairman, and Messrs W. G. Pearce and F. Thompson delegates to Provincial Conference. It was resolved that the celebration of formation of the branch take the form of a dinner, at which the wives and friends of members could attend. After a couple of the leaders of the movement had spoken the room to be cleared for a dance. The following were proposed as remits to the conference to be held at the end of this month :— That Government be asked to give Crown tenants the right to elect one member to the Land Board in each district. That Government be asked to arrange for at least the annual inspection of all dairy herds, and that two-thirds of the full value be allowed as compensation for dairy stock condemned That a test of one dairy herd in each dairy district be taken by Government as an object lesson to dairy farmers in showing the advantage of weeding out poor animals. That the Conference be asked to draw up a uniform scale of subscriptions for the whole province.