FARMERS’ UNION

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1679, 4 May 1904, Page 64

FARMERS’ UNION

FEILDING BRANCH. The annual general meeting of this branch (writes our Feilding eoirespondienit) wan TieM recently. Mr G. C. Wheeler, chairman, presided. The report of the sub-committee in the matter of appointing a veterinary surgeon having been given, the chairman remarked that there appeared little interest in the question.

Mr W. Morton, Kimbolton branch, said the proposal to appoint a surgeon who would reside at Palmerston was not HToly to be favoured in” his district owing to the high chairge for travelling expenses that would be incurred. On the question of an official paper it was resolved “That in the opinion of this branch it is desirable that the U u .ri should have an official organ, the details to be left to tlie Conference.” Th© balance-sheet, which was read showed the receipts to have been £2l 7s and the credit balance £6 14s Id. The. sum of £3 was voted to the secretary for his services. The chairman congratulated the branch upon its continued strength although several members had been withdrawn to branches whose meeting places were neater their homes. It had been suggested that two or three of the neighbouring branches should be merged and engage a paid secretary to attendl to the business. He considered it would be the right* course to take, as the secretary of" the Feilding branch. Mr Campbell, had found the work too much for him. The successful picnics at Waituna and Wesitoe were referred to, and on the question of freehold tenure, the speaker said they could not condemn the policy that would withhold the right more emphatically than in the words used, by Mr Laurenson at Asnburton last week. He had said “If a man owned! the land whereby another mm lived he practically owned that man'*, life." Well, they thought the Stait© i.s bac* a landlord as an individual and a much worse owner 1 of a man’s life. (A clause). Why, the reason they all eft the Old Country was to get away fr*«j the leaseholds and obtain a freehold, ami if in those days only leaseholds were ‘retainable they would not have come t c New Zealand, but have gone rather tc Canada or South America. As showing the utter insecurity of land tenure as •misunderstood by Government he would, remind them of what had happened, last

year in Hawke’s Bay. After cutting up an ©state, it was balloted for and a certain section drawn by a man with a capital of some thousands. Afterwards, on the pretext of the selector having ins'i/ficient capital, the .section was withhold from him and given to another pers» jl who was from South Africa. There was another question of suoi vital importance to farmers' who re not dairymen that lie must touch up n. it. although he had intended to leave it to the ridicule it had provoked. be refered to the proposed prohibition of the sale of fat ewe lambs. When; the Premier first referred to this he did so tentatively. If the farmers wished it he would legislate. His seconder, Mr Abraham, went further; urged him to do so, claiming a special knowledge, a r I asserting that if prices rose tanners would find themselves in a mess, ton the real disaster would be if these lambi were not fattened. They were bred J* r the block and nothing else, and it shoa'i be remembered that generally the mothers were aged and had in the .* earlier years thrown lambs true to the r breed, which had not. been frozen. Whir truly accounted for the decrease in sheep was the increase of dairy cows and die fall in wool. The question of the number of sheep or cattle might safelr be left in the hands of those who made tlreir living by them. (Applause.) It - was resolved to make tire annus* subscription ss. On the motion of Mr Atkinson it was resolved that it be an instruction to ti:& delegate at the Provincial Council that a paid organiser for the distric be appointed, and that a provincial levy be made to meet the expenses. It was resolved 1 — 1 That a Mutual Fire. Insurance Company bet formed, the Executive to formulate a scheme. That there be a. uniform dog tax throughout the colony. The chairman was unanimously reeketed and the secretary consented to hold office .until another appointment is made. The chairman and Mr A. H. Atkinson were appointed delegates to tlio Provincial Conference. MANGAWEK A BRANCH. The annual meeting was held on Saturday, 26th March, when there was a fair attendance. Two new members were elected. T'lie balancesheet _ showed a credit of £3 10s. The chairman and. secretary wer© re-elected. ' Satisfaction was expressed with, the activity of tbc Noxious. Weeds Inspectors; in the district round about. The chairman was elected a s delegate to the Provincial Conference. The idea of formation of two fire insurance associations was considered most practicable. IIUNTEItVI.LLEi BRANCH. The annual meeting oft the above wad held on Saturday, the Bth .April, Mr Alex. McGregor in the chair. A horse sale and a idle competition greatly inter f«red with Are attendance. Tno balancesheet Xowkl a, credit of JH 6s 3d. Mr Alex. McGregor was; re-elected chairman, Mr T. D. Taylor secretary and treasurer, and Mr YV. Meldrum auditor. Messrs Alf Hockley and the Chairman were appointed delegates to the Provincial Conference. The committee elected were.* A Simpson, J. Howie, A. G. Simpson. M. Hale. Jas. Aden. A. Cameron. John Lambert, E>. McGregor, J. Bareliorp, T. W L Powell' F. Hockley, J. Chubbin, Ll' S Bates T. Daubin, R. Ala worth, -T. Nowbit T D. Taylor, O. Cal Indian, A. K. Atkinson,"and Chas. Allen. The question qj-’ raising the 1 snli:.r I niion "was bioushu forward. ° Members favored increasing same to 5s in order to contribute a fair share toward* pnpense'of organising, and still retain sufficient money for branch expenses. Several speakers' praised the work of Mr McCurdy, and a resolution was unanimously carried as follows: “That this branch lias much pleasure in placing on record its appreciation of the work done by Mr McCurdy, as Colonial Organiser.” It was then agreed to raise flip subscription to 5s and a hope was expressed that Mr McCurdy s services would be retained: and' that lie would be adequately recompensed. Several important subjects wer© held over till next meeting". mastebton BRANCH. TL» Masterton branch of the Farmers’ Union has agreed to obtain a, veterinary surgeon for tlie district on. the following conditions: —(1) 'That an association be formed to pay a duly qualified veterinary surgeon an annual salary, to be agieed upon later; (2) that the annual subscription to same be ss; (3) apart fi*Gin subscription list guarantors be obtained tor sums of not less than 10s towards payment of such salary, if subscriptions and charges levied prove insufficient; (4) bo rates of charges per visit to be as follows: to members and guarantors os, outsiders £l. Mileage to be paid as tollows —First five miles- free, second live miles 6d per mile, ten miles and' over Is per mile. At a meeting of thei branch on Saturday week a letter tvas received from Mr B T. Phelps, of Carterton, stating that he had been a dairy fanner for sixteen

years. He had. a first-class farm, more suited for dairying. than anything else, and had a good herd of cows, but was compelled to sell them on account of the difficulty in getting and retaining labour. He knew a large' number, of farmers who had also to give up dairy farming 1 through the labour cause, lie asked the branch to'discuss the matter. The meeting decided to refer the matter to the Provincial Conference and also forward a copy/of Hr Plieip's letter to the Labour Department.