FARMERS’ UNION.

Northland Age, Volume 23, Issue 47, 17 March 1924, Page 7

FARMERS’ UNION.

REPORT OF EXECUTIVE MEETING. A meeting of the Executive of Bay of Islands Electorate S. P. District was held at Kohukohu on Saturday March Ist, when there were present ten members of the Executive. Mr. Jno. Garton, Vice President, presided. SECRETARY’S REPORT. A large amount of correspondence was dealt with. The Secretary reported that he had canvassed the greater part of the Mangonui, and part of the Whangaroa County, and had increased the membership by ninety seven since he took office. He would have made a very much better showing were it not that a large number of F.armers whom he met away from their homes, or for other reasons, put him off with a promise to post their subscription, a promise which in the majority of cases, was not redeemed.

A record was kept of these promises and they would eventually be collected, but it was regrettable that it entailed the double expense of calling on them a second time. The Secretary came in tor a measure of praise for the way in which the Rally was organised, but he pointed out that the praise was not due to him at all, but to those generous supporters of the Union who had carried out the arrangements and given the use of their cars, etc., for the conveyance of the speakers from place to place. HANDLING OF PORK. A letter from the general Manager of the North Auckland Freezing Company on the handling of Pork aroused a good deal of discussion. Mr. Brockliss said that pork producers should control the price of pork. If no one took action nothing would be done to put the industry on a paying basts. The Farmers’ Union represented the producers, and should move in the matter.

Mr. Garton thought it was a matter that the Meat Board should deal with.

Mr. Doel considered that pork should be a by-product of the Dairy factories, they should handle it, and the small growers be enabled to pool through their factories.

Mr. Roberts supported, and said that the Dairy Factories should have a scheme for collecting and shipping from their suppliers collectively, and it was the duty of the Farmers’ Union to make a move in the matter. Individual Farmers could make the growing of pork pay, but if they had some organised scheme of dealing with it on a large scale it would very much improve matters Mr. Yarborough stated that in the Waikato individual farmers had realised as much as £2 io/per cow from their pigs. Organisation and grading and improvements in breeding and feeding were needed to place the industry on a sound footing.

Mr. McAulay recommended all farmers to get busy and send their pigs to the Works. They could be sent as soon as they were ready, as it was a mistake to keep pigs longer than necessary. He felt sure that if pork was pooled the farmers could control the market. The pooling of lambs had secured an increase of ll 4d per lb in the price of lambs.

Mr. Doel pointed out that the trouble was that we were producing more pork than was required in the Dominion, and unless the surplus was exported the price would never rise.

Other speakers stressed the importance of pooling and price fixing, and the following resolution was passed. “ That the Secretary write to the dairy companies asking them to cooperate with the farmers with the view of making arrangements to handle pork, and also write to the Meat Control Board asking if they could do anything to encourage export, and that the Provincial Executive be urged to obtain a Dominion pool of pork.

Collection of Subscriptions through Dairy Companies. Six delegates from dairy companies in the electorate attended to discuss with the Executive, a proposal to collect subscriptions to the Farmers’ Union through the co-operative dairy companies. A lengthy discussion took place, the chief object of the proposal being to eliminate the unnecessary expense of sending an organiser from farm to farm to collect subscriptions. The remit introducing the proposal, which was from the Pakaraka Branch, and was expounded by Mr. Roberts, was as follows : “ That this Union endeavour to arrange with the co-operate dairy companies operating within the Bay of Islands Sub - Provincial District tor the payment by the said companies to the Union during the month of January in each year, of a sum of £l per supplier per annum by way of member’s subscription for each supplier to the Union, subject, however, to the obligation on the part of the Union to repay within the period of one month to any such supplier demanding it, a refund of their subscriptions. All suppliers to the said company not so objecting, shall, at the expiration of the period of one month from such payment, be deemed to be financial members of the Union.”

In introducing the remit, Mr. Roberts said that the adoption of the scheme would provide assured finance and assured membership, and that if the Union was going to take its place in helping its members we would have to adopt better methods of organisation, and do more to educate the farmers.

The solution of the problem of low prices was increased production, and to do that the Union should provide suitable lectures and conduct co-operative experiments. The aim ot the remit was not compulsion, but an inexpensive method of collecting subscriptions, and the ‘ objector” and the “ agitator ” were provided with the means to remain outside the Union.

Present methods were too costly and too slow. The adoption of his branch’s proposal would solve some of our greatest problems, and he hoped that it would be recognised that it was suggested in the interests ot the farmers and the Union.

Mr. Yarborough supported the remit, and said that it would pay the dairy companies to favour the scheme, as the Union was working in the interests of all their shareholders.

Mr. McAulay said that, if the companies supported the proposal, it would do more for the Union than had ever been done before. It would save a large sum of money now spent in sending an organiser around the country every year, money that should be put to better use. If this scheme were adopted, the Union would never go back.

The Chairman then invited the delegates to give their views. Mr. Hingston, Chairman of the Bay of Islands Dairy Company, said that he was surprised at the amount of merit the remit contained, and that it did not mean compulsion; but, from what he could see, we were likely to create an extension of the Dairy Farmers’ Union. We were told that the Dairy Farmers’ Union was practically defunct, but such was not the case, it was very much alive. He appreciated the fact that this scheme was an improvement on past methods; at the same time he considered that the Union could do more to help themselves without going to the dairy companies for assistance. Farmers were too lax where their Union was concerned; take the Rally forinstance. Memberswere always asking what the Union had done for them ? Yet, when their leaders came here from their Provincial Executive to tell them, the majority stayed at home, and allowed their leaders to address small gatherings. However, he was there to hear the discussion and would report to his directors. Mr. Mason, Waimamaku Dairy Company, and Mr. Anderson, Bay of Islands, both spoke strongly in favour of the proposal and said that no supplier could reasonably

object on the score of compulsion; that was only a bogey raised by men who begrudged the Union a little assistance. There was no compulsion in the scheme, as provision was made in the remit for “objectors” to stay outside the Union if they wished. Mr. Goodhue, Hikurangi, supported the scheme and said that he was sure that his company would be willing to assist the Farmers’ Union.

Mr. Harris, Hokianga Dairy Company, said that the Union should evolve a scheme to include all classes of land-holders, and that the order system had, so far, acted very well. The Chairman pointed out that all other classes of farmers would

be approached in the usual manner, and with the adoption of the scheme many of the objections raised would be removed: One farmer would not join because the subscription was too high, another because his neighbour was not a member, and so on. All such objections would be removed by the adoption of this remit. He thanked the delegates for their attendance at the meeting and for the good measure of support they had given the proposal, which was not designed to bring objectors in to the Union, but to save the enormous wastage entailed by present methods, and which, if adopted by the shareholders, would be to the advantage of all. The Secretary was instructed to write to the secretaries of the dairy companies concerned, asking that provision be made on their agenda papers for their annual meetings for addresses by members of the Executive of the Farmers’ Union, or their representatives, on a proposal to collect subscriptions to the Farmers’ Union from their shareholders and suppliers. REMITS. The following remits were carried: — I. Waimate North : That the Government be urged to provide free railage for pedigree bulls purchased by dairy farmers.

2. That the Government be urged to establish a course in veterinary science at the University of New Zealand, to enable New Zealanders to obtain the necessary training and diplomas as veterinary surgeons. 3- Kaitaia : That it be a recommendation to the Executive that steps be taken to get in touch with producers’ organisations in all producing countries with the object of jointly controlling the handling and marketing of produce from the producer to the consumer, in all the leading markets, to prevent the exploitation of both producer and consumer by trusts, combines, and speculators,financing on the lines of the Poverty Bay proposal by a levy on exports. 4- Waimate North : That the Government be urged to amend the Dairy Produce Export Control Act, substituting election of members by the “Ward” system instead of by “Islands.”