N.Z. FARMERS’ UNION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIII, Issue 124, 27 May 1919, Page 5

N.Z. FARMERS’ UNION

NELSON PROVINCIAL CONFER- " ENCE. ■••■-•. '; v v EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL The eighteenth animal Nekam - - f*9’ vinciai Conference of the Farmer'* Lem . _ was held at the Institute this aftepaocfc. Mr. F. Whitwell, President, wa« chair, and there were also present the 'ollowing members of the Exfecut.ye.t7- ;; v. Messrs G. L. Mead, Vice-President j W- - D. Harkness, Secretary and Treasure? i W. Thorn, B. M. Field, K. B. GoodaU, Geo. Dodson. A. Wilkinson, J. G. Page, .1. J. Wells. , ‘ .Messrs' G. Winter and E. W. Oisb» ■ were excused. • ’’

The V*snch delegates were :—Dovedale, Mr.' F. Turner; Stanley Brooik, Mr. A. K. Forsyth; Mhtariki, Mr. ;W, Holl; Korere-Motupiko, Mr. B, Ring; Waixnca, Mir j. Hagen and Mr. R. Haycock j Wukapuaka, Mr. A. W. Playfe. PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS.

The President, in opening the proceedings, said he migeed some old faces, but was glad to welcome some; nfft delegates ; He continued.ir~ ’ ' V “The event of supreme j importance io the past year came in November last, when Germany asked for an armistice and the thunder of guns; the' slaughter and cjE’trpction. ceased 'a# fa? 48 -<?9 r Alies and' ourseves were Then followed a toppling of _ thio.npa and scurrying of kings and priqoelingp. such as has never before been-'seen fp the world’s history.

“Russia’s hug mass had lain for com® time in a state of disintegration,' with indusHa! and other activities paralysed, and internal strife everywhere. The peoples of Middle Europe are divided into factions, contending for power, .and in Germany the Prussian element is still unsubdued. Industrial and pd; litichl unrc|t are pervading all the communities of the Aryan peoples. Such conditions are fraught with possibilities which cannot be gauged by the previous experience of the race, and at:any momcrrrTve may be, indeed, are npw, . face to face with problems "which. will require immense 'courage, - , unbounded tact and patience, keen insight, and ready sympathy, and a wide. (mutual understanding in ths efforts tp fibivp th'-m.

“To me it seems that it will not be a work for individuals, but for the organising efforts of the whole Tace, ami that there must be co-operation everywhere and in all activities whatsoever. All organised bodies will have to *3raw into membesrhip every individual serv-’ ■! Ed by them, and be themselves co-or-dinated and joined together by common interests, so that by their means : , men may find it possible* to obtain satisfaction for all ,heaHhv and WH mate desires and aerations, > with, the least waste of effort. The primary means'to these ends are embodied,in 00-ovuiration, and it is be' noted that." during the last few years thert has been a remarkable growth of email societies for commercial purposes and a tipdency everywhere to link un the - smaller societies larger ones. Thesfe tendencies have* been much' rnpra -pyident 'in the collecting and distfibutiSg agencies than in those for production* • if we except the case of dairy" ftoth ducts, - - “There has also been gpaafc. qeyelffi- ~ ment in class organisations for the , pose .'of obtaining terms more a&C&ifr- - able to ’their members or fqr s protectipn ... against the aggression of coPnat® bodies, and, in. the minds ,pf „a. . .«\ there, is the dawn ,of a. hope tbat ; whole of. these, instead ojf, ,as at sent, .wasting their energies ’.... strength and straggles for power |uaa supremacy, may come to work for the common good,. each npding ,4y« performing its function, in the , animal organism, organs perform theire’ maintenance of the,, whole, eacn autj> maticplly drawing its share of |]ie ,copjmon in direct proportiotP tip the work done by it. ' * .. rise and growth of efficient fflf- -;,y ganizalions for educational. and otysT * purposes, and last, but not least, ,fgjf altruistic objects, may als(| pow .<bg hoped for, and I may be pardoned f$T thinkng that they will in the future satisfy the people’s needs, far better than r the present. State agencies and with less cost \o the community. If these hopes are realised’ the reform and adoption of the regulating or gOJernmlintal agencies will follow," & rather the gradual limitation and ctmsequofrit increase of efficiency in . the performance of their functions will on piri passu with the developments" ' . outlined above. Government will then become obsolete and'it will, be possible to have an elective exeipitive.~ The. Millenium will here then, you say, and we cannot Wait.Jfor that. Well; some hopeful spirits.think we are,’ or soon will be, approaching such a state, and, in any. cape,- I »a» in 11 £rave doubt whether the great mass of people will be able to think or vote oilier / thari~sn party lines for i genera* tion or two yet. Coming now to the work <jl,. the. Union, as far as this district Aa.-jCon;. oemed, the year has been, ly uneventful— partly because fanhera have been of necessity tied tp, worked their farms, and partly becauae .of. « feeling that it is as yet for reforms or for the. prosecution <» any public works. A movement' has been made to participate .in. technical education, patriculariy with regard ,tP tho handling and classing pf wdfpl, apjp here we find that if we are to hays, p voice in the organising of classes .fo» agricultural instruction' W e paustour hands in our pockets and contribute to the funds for these purposes, ■ The Cawthron Trust 'is not as vet . very much in, evidence and though ‘I, think we cannot blame _ the Trustees and their advisers for going cautiously, I recognise the feeling of many that they should be up and doing. It is to be hoped, therefore, that we ,shall soop hear something from them as t© their intentions and also what_ results are likely to follow the enquiries, .made .by , the* Bishop of Nelson in .the. land in the matters of ijbe choice .-oLa director. . .. .■' CV Forestry.—The and' velopment of our forests is . even jqftW becoming a pressing ne.ed. . ; Onr JB&R' _ . culture; will’ be immensely belter if iw . development goes band in band .with that pf scientifically worked forests’, and to; thoughtful men it is- deplprajM® that such indiscriminate our timber in order to gpt "fne', land into grass should obtain. tion of* the people, and especially of

the younger men, ia absolutely neces* eary in these matters. A local Forestry ! Society has been formed in this district, and I hope that the majority of farmers, and young farm 1 era in particular, will join it. The position of the farmer in this district is not at present altogether enviable; following on a very we t winter and early spring, we have had an exceedingly 'dry summer and autumn, in which <it has been almost impossible to make adequate provision for winter and spring feed for the stock. HappUy a light ram fell on the 17th, and we had a heavier downpour the night before last, so that with the comparative absence of frosts the position will be > much-easier. The fact the local Freezing Works have had the foresight to provide space enough to carry mi to the end of the season is also due for congratulation. I have already trespassed! on your time, and most leave out some matters on which I might have spoken, notably the formation of a farmers' company to work the Kohatu lime deposits, and of another to carry on business as auctioneers and farmers’ agents and providers, X will thank you for your patience, and will conclude with the hope that a permanent world peace will resul f from the deliberations now going on, and that with the return of our boys who have survived the terrible struggle, and the coming of others attracted to these favoured isles, we shall be enabled to set ourselve* to the develop-! meat of the country and the solution of the many different problems which will arise. The President referred to the influenza epidemic, and said it had sadly thinned their ranks. Should there be another visitation he thought they would be better prepared to meet it. The soldiers were returning home in. large numbers, and before long all would be home, and the problem of repatriation faced. The President was applauded at the enclusion of his address, and on the motion of Mr B. M. Field, seconded by Mr H. J. Welts, Mr Whitwell was thanked. It was reported that tlm increase in the number of members during the year was 114 GREETINGS TO RETURNED SOLDIERS. It was resolved, on the motion of the President, seconded bv the Vice Prev sklent, "That this Provincial meeting of the Farmers’ Union extends to all returned soldiers its hearty greetings and its congratulations on their safe return; also this branch of the Union will do all' in its power to assist them in overv-possible way.” The motion was carried by acclamation.

The balance sheet showed a credit bftTSWte of £l6 7s, and was adopted. The conference proceeded' to discuss a number of remits.