SIR JAMES WILSON

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10963, 27 July 1921, Page 3

SIR JAMES WILSON

FARMERS’ UNION PATRON PRESENTATION TO HELPER OF “SPADE WORKERS." GROWTH SINCE 1899. During the sitting of the Farmers* Union conference yesterday, a presentation of an album containing signatures of prominent men from all parts of the Dominion, and also an address, was made to Sir James Wilson, patron of the union, who for many years was its president, and who proposes to continue his association with the body.

Mr G. W. Leadley (president) ©aid the presentation was being made in recognition of the. services rendered to the farmers and the whole community by Sir James Wilson. It had been hoped to institute a Wilson Scholarship, but this was not now practicable. However, they proposed to present Sir James with an evidence of the farmers* esteem, and further, it had been decided that year by year a sum of money should be set aside to found a Sir James Wilson Prise for some educational subject to be chosen by Sir James Wilson. TWENTY YEARS AS PRESIDENT. The address read: —“We, the undersigned, members of the Dominion executive, provincial presidents, sub-provin-cial presidents and chairmen of branches of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, on our own behalf and on behalf of the thousands of members whom we represent, desire to express the deep debt of gratitude which the union and the farmers generally owe to you for the great services you • have rendered throughout your long residence in New Zealand, and in particular, during the twenty years you have held the position of. Dominion •president of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, end successfully directed the activities of that organisation. In the early days of the union’s history, so insignificant were its numbers that it was contemptuously referred to in Parliament as 'a few farmer {bodies’; yet you courageously undertook the presidency, any by your example and energetic advocacy of the union’s principles, the organisation has steadily progressed until it is. ©add of it to-day that it 'governs the Government.' Wnilet we recognise this to be a 'slight exaggeration,' it is a fact that the union is a force* which legislators cannot afford to ignore; it is also an educative influence "and makes articulate the voice of the farmer on the economic and social problems of the day. As president, ybn have made it a leading principle that education is the basis of all progress, and that progress means not only the good of the farming community, but the welfare of all classes in the Dominion. We attribute the sue- j cess of your efforts to the self-sacrificing. devotion to the duties attaching to your important office; to the great amount of 6ilent work which you have accomplished, the effect of which is felt throughout the land, but is only really known to the comparative few who nave laboured with you on the various bodies over which you have presided. At each -annual Dominion conference of the New Zealand Farmers' Union you have been elected unopposed to the presidency, I though for many years you .have urged that others should ©hare the honour. Your courtesy, your effacement of selfinterest, and the entire absenoe of any appearance* of self-glorification, has ex-; deared you to every member of the ! union, and we are confident that we are expressing their unanimous opinion when j we say that there is no other man in New Zealand held in higher esteem for his zealous amd gratuitous service to the community. You have spent both time and money, and what is of even greater i value, you have brought to bear in all our discussions your extensive knowledge of many subjects.

POINTS OF ADVANCEMENT. . “The advancement of rural education in our schools, experimental plots and demonstration farms is very largely due to your personal efforts. The establishment of the Board of Agriculture, which was largely the result of your efforts to ensure a continuity of policy irrespective of changes an Ministerial control, was recognised by your appointment as first president of the Board. In addition to your activities on behalf of the union you have done yeoman service to the cause of farmers' 00-operative trading, and held the position of chairman of directors for a period of seventeen years, and through your influence the Dominion Farmers' Institute, a magnificent structure designed to be the centre of all 'farmers’ organisations, was successfully established. It was largely through your efforts that the New Zealand Forestry League was formed and a forward step taken for the preservation of our rapidly diminishing forests by the creation of a State Forest Department. “Supplementing your services as a member of Parliament for fourteen years, 1882 to 189$, s representing the Manawatu districts, you have taken an active part «n local government matters, holding the positions of chairman, County Council ; chairman, Palmerston North Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. As a recognition of your public services to the Dominion His Majesty the King graciously conferred upon you the wellmerited order jof knighthood. We desire to express* our keen appreciation of the assistance and sympathetic co-opera-tion of Lady Wilson in the fine work you have done. With the hope that you and Lady Wilson may be long spared to watch the development of the movements inaugurated under your presidency, we ask you to accept this album as a token of the gratitude and esteem of those who have been associated with you." Cheers were given for Sir James and Lady Wilson. THE PATRON REMINISCENT. Replying, Sir James Wilson heartily thanked *the conference. He took the address as a tribute to the others who did the spade work for the union, ns* well as to himself. It had not been an eas> task, but the loyalty of the members had been very fine. The movement was begun in 1889, in the faT north, by Mr Glass, who approached Mr Edwin Hall on the matter to get Mr Hall to draw up the rules. A few years later a conference was held in the Museum in Wellington, and tlie only other member he saw present that day who was was also at that far-bac conference was Mr Leadley. There were troubles in ’the early days, among them the big fight for the- freehold. The union had also been of use in the matters of the cow tax, the sheep tax, and Mr McNab’s Dairy Regulations and Land Bill. As to the futures, one if the matters which would come up soon was the co-operation of all farmers' Codies. To nave the various bodies separate meant a loss of power. Dr C. J. Reakes, Director of Agriculture, spoke in appreciation nltW seraiseeof Sir James Wilson to agriculture. .Hia. name would always be held in the greatest honour and regard. Messrs A. Robinson (Wanganui) and C. K. Wilson (Piopio) also spoke. - / •