FARMERS’ UNION

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1680, 11 May 1904, Page 62

FARMERS’ UNION

Special to- the “Mail.” • PALMERSTON, May 5. f , ; The colonial'executive of the Farmers Union met to-day. There were presentMr?; G.:Wilson (president), Messrs E. IP. BlaLi (Patea), D. Peat (Wanganui), W. J. -Bircll' (Marton), A. H. Atkirison B. Mat '(Ekethliuna), H.. J. Richards (Terlloro). Captain Hewitt (Palmerston), and A. E. Russell (treasurer). . The president’s reply to the Nelson executive’s question as to what legislav iion for tlie benefit of the farming com- : ; «inunity had been passed through the m- .•. fluence of the union was read and en- • dorse d. : ■ .t Voluminous correspondence in connection with the formation of 1‘ arnjers Union Mutual Insurance Companies was dealt, with, and very satisfactory reports as to,.the success of the proposed companies were received from the Auckland arid Taranaki provinces. The details ol the Wellington company will be fixed at ' Masterton during the conference. " The president reported having addressed a meeting held at Ashburton on the freehold tenure, and an expression of A ' satisfaction at the result of the meeting ' had been received from several promi- *: nent residents in that district. In the motion of Mr Atkinson it was resolved • : v that a hearty vote of thanks be accorded i: the president, and that the executive en- ' dorse his action in addressing the meeting on behalf of the union. ' - The meeting resolved that members in arrears cannot vote at meetings, but that they remain members until their resign nations are accepted. . •Copies of a circular issued by the Waikato Farmers Club, re amending the Slaughtering Act so that cattle and other animals slaughtered at any registered Vv abattoirs may be sold in the local market c - •were received. After discussion, the matter was held over until further infor- ■ mation had been received on the subject. ’The question of mortgagors having to pay indemnity premiums as well as insuring against accidents, thereby paying two premiums for the one risk, was brought before the meeting by Makuri branch. The members of the executive thought that the one policy taken against accidents by a farmer should cover all the risk, but decided to take no action in the matter at present. "A resolution sent by the Poverty Bay • executive, Which had been forwarded to - the Minister for Lands re amending the Land Act, so as to allow local bodies to receive one-third of the money derived from cash purchases of Crown lands, for • the purpose.of making roads, in the same ' manner that they received one-third of ' the money derived from land acquired under other tenures, was endorsed. • A copy of a Ciroular was received from Auckland provincial secretary, showing , the action taken for the erection of a butter-milling plant. ■The replies received from several branches regarding an official organ wei’e unfavourable to the union running a • paper of its own. A letter was received from the Secretary for Agriculture, by direction of the Hon T. Y. Duncan, in reference to the question of anthrax, stating that the department has used all expedition in furthering the erection of sterilising works, but considerable time had been taken up in communicating with the manufacturers ‘ of machinery in Great Britain, America and the^Continent, ‘and it was only now that the officer in charge of the works • was able to make his recommendation regarding the necessary plant. The sites - had been secured, and the buildings would ~ be gone on with at once. . As to prohibit- ’ ing the importation of bonedust, this was hardly possible, as large areas could not - be brought under cultivation, especially - for turnips and grasses, without the use - of manure. . . . t r At a subsequent meeting of the Wellington Provincial Executive, it was decided to fix the provincial conference for May 24th, at Masterton. Various reports were read from tho branches in the province, indicating that the iriembership of ‘ the union is . steadily ' increasing. The : . Waituria branch, near Eeilding, reported A an increase of fifty members. I'.'-'. INVERCARGILL, May 6. At the annual provincial conference of the Farmers’-Union, last year’s decisions A —regarding preference to unionists, the destruction of small birds, reduction of telephone charges in country, and reduction of railage on dead meat—were affirmed.

A motion that delegates to the Colonial Conference be instructed to support a separate executive for tne South Island rv'as lost. The conference affirmed the right of optional tenure of Crown lands. ■ A motion to impress on the Government the. necessity: of undertaking a scheme of immigration from Britain was carried. It was decided that it ougnt to bo made compulsory for owners of threshing mills to furnish retunib to the Government of quantities threshed. It was also resolved that those interested should have a representative on the Assessment Courts; that the Colonial Council be urged to resist any alteration in the mode of election to local bodies; that the system of co-operative labour on public works is,against the best interests of the colony; that the conference opposes legislative restrictions on the export of ewe lambs; that the Government should grade all corn for export.