MEETING AT PAPAKAIO TO ESTABLISH A FARMERS' CLUB.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 27 November 1880, Page 2

MEETING AT PAPAKAIO TO ESTABLISH A FARMERS' CLUB.

Yesterday afternoon at 5 o'clock, a meeting of the settlers of the Papakaio and Awamoko districts was held in the School-house, Papakaio, to make preliminary arrangements for ,the establishment of a Farmers' Club, composed of the settlers of those districts. There were present,—Messrs. Donald Borrie (in the chair), Johnston, E. Fricker, J. Fricker, J. Forrester, Easton, g. Wilson, J. Wilson, Gibson, Walker, Butters, M'Millan, and O'Connor. The Chairman said that he had been desired by a number of the principal settlers of the district to call a meeting to consider the question of the desirableness of establishing a Farmers' Club for the districts of Papakaio and Awamoko, He, with others, thought that the time had arrived when such combination was necessary for the protection of the interests of growers. This conviction had led to the insertion of advertisements calling a meeting for that purpose. In his opinion, one of the prin-r cipal objects of such an asgoqiatiqn would be to ascertain the true state of the markets. At present growers never know for a certainty what it was. A seller often thought he had realised a top price, when it was an inadequate and unfair one. Another important matter was the ques-

tion of labor. No farmer knew under the present system, or want of system, what rates he should pay. It frequently

occurred that dissatisfactroniind injustice was occasioned because/of the absence of some meanst-jPf fixing a ■ standard and adhering to i£~ . It frequently occurred that a farmer had laborers m his employ who, just at a critical time, hearing that others doing- similar work "were being better paid, became dissatisfied and left their employer iu the lurch. He did not call the meeting on his own responsibility. He did so in compliance with the request of others. He was therefore scarcely prepared to Uiy before them a plan of operations. ' It was the duty of the meeting to express its opinion and take such steps as would lead to the obtain'ment of the necessary particulars regarding constitution, &c. - He thought it would be as well io appoint a Secretary. It rested with those present to say whether the matter should go further or not. He might as well state that a Farmers' Club had already been started at Ngapara, and he was inclined to believe that it had done some good.

Mr. Butters wished to know whether it would not be possible to ascertain particulars of constitution from the Ngapara Club. The Chairman thought that that would be desirable hereafter; but he wished it to be understood that they were holding merely a preliminary meeting. Mr. Walker thought that the district was rather small to take the initiative in so important a direction. So,far as wages and other similar questions were concerned, they should all be united. One little district would never succeed in effecting the object sought to be attained.

The Chairman : But it should be borne in mind that if nobody takes the initiative, the object we have in view can never be carried into effect.

Mr. O'Connor thought that it was necessary that they should make a start forthwith, if only on two grounds—wages and thrashing-millarrangements. They could afterwards discuss, the desirableness of considering matters of all-year-round im-

portance. The Chairman : There is one thing I would like to point out, in order that our action may not create a wrong impression. We have no desire ,to grind down the wages of those who work for us. Our action is in no way antagonistic to the working man. Now, as there is no standard wage to guide lis, laborers do not know what io take, and we do not know what to give. At present farmers agree to give,-and laborers agree to take, the wages going, which cannot be ascertaiued till harvest is over. This is a most satisfactory state of things, and I. have been dragged into law suits in consequence. Mr. Walker : It would be a difficult matter to arrange a standard by which to go in paying wages. Some men are engaged for a few weeks only, whilst others are engaged for months. The former would expect proportionately higher pay. The Chairman thought that no real difficulty need be experienced on that score.

Mr. Gibson : So far as wages are concerned, I view the subject as of secondary importance. "We should first consider how most advantageously to dispose of our crops. If we realise fair prices, it is soarcely possible that labor can be so expensive as to appreciably affect' us. Mr. Butters : If we can ourselves send our grain Home, so much the better. Mr. Gibson : There is no reason why we should do so without the assistance of a commission agent. Such an agent could be appointed to act for the farmers as a body. The hardship under which farmers have been, and are now suffering, is that there is no proper market. The merchants screw growers down, and if a man is stuck for money, they take advantage of his needy position. What we really want, in my opinion, is a good man to take iu hand the disposal of our grain. The Chairman : It is evident that at present sellers are working in the dark in regaxd to the disposal of their grain. I have known men who have kept the price they have realised a dead secret. Nine farmers out of ten will not tell you the price they haye got, Ido not see why, if a man gets a good price, he should not give others the benefit of his experience.

Mr. Gibson : I believe that I was the first last season to get 4s for wheat. I made no secret of it, and I found that, although up to that time wheat had been selling at much lower rates, others immediately afterwards got the increased price. The Chairman : We must not lose sight of the object of this meeting. It rests with you to decide whether or not it is judicious to institute a club to endeavor to abolish the evils of which you complain. It will then be necessary to say to what extent we should go. It is plain that there are many things connected with the conduct of our affairs that could be done better by combined effort than singlehanded. If this meeting does not think thru the step for which the meeting was called should be taken, then it had better at once drop the matter. If the meeting decides to go on, it should, I think, appoint a committee, and get particulars regarding the constitution of clubs such as we contemplate establishing.

Mr. Easton said he understood thai they had met for that purpose, and ultimately proposed the following resolution —"That in the opinion of this meeting it is desirable to establish a Farmers Club in.the district."

This was seconded by Mr., Gibson, and carried unanimously. Mr. Johnston then proposed that the following nam§s constitute a Committee to collect information on the subject, to report to a future meeting:—Messrs. Borrie, Johnston, J. Wilson, Forrester, Walker, Easton, E. Fricker, T. Hall, H. Ross, T. Duncan, Butters, and Gibson, with power to add to their number. It was arranged that the first meeting of the Committee should be held on Friday, the 3rd of December next. At the request of the meeting Mr. Jones promised to colleot information regarding the constitution of the Farmers' Clubs already in existence in the Col6ny.

Mr. Bor.rie said that he thought the meeting should not disperse without according a vote of thanks tro Mr. J ones for the assistance he had given then). If the scheme proved a success, it would be in a great measure owing to the assistance which Mr. Jones had given. The meeting passed a vote of thanks accordingly. Mr, Jonea acknowledged the oompliment, and the meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the Chairman.