FEDERATED FARMERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27404, 1 June 1950, Page 8

FEDERATED FARMERS

Executive And Section Reports Presentation To Conference The fifth annual conference of Federated Farmers of Otago was continued yesterday morning, and during the absence of the president in Wellington, the chair was occupied by Mr J. Preston, vice-president, who presented the executive report. Following its presentation, reports were received from section chairmen dealing with their group deliberations the previous day. The executive’s annual report showed a satisfactory financial position. Membership had been maintained, this largely being due to the work of the organiser, Mr E. White. It was gratifying to report the continued success of Primary Producers’ Co-operative Society (Otago), Ltd., which was founded thee years ago, said Mr Preston. Congratulations were extended to the directors of the company, which had paid a small bonus •in addition to the schedule price. The executive urged all members to support PPCS. The calf pool had been successfully operated and a notable increase had been made in the number of out of season calves handled. During the year a “ country calendar” session had been launched from 4YA, and the thanks of the executive had been extended to the broadcasting service.

The report touched upon the poor keeping qualities of fertiliser in the past. Apparently the method of manufacture had been at fault, it said. Now that the trouble was being rectified a better article could be expected. The destruction of rabbits was a problem which •'had occupied a great deal of the time of the executive. Remits were to came before the conference, but the executive *was of the opinion that no good purpose could be served by lengthy debates on the matter, and recommended that the better course was to get behind the policy of the Rabbit Destruction Council and declare total war on what was the farmers’ greatest enemy. Transport matters had given concern during the year, and much valuable assistance had been given by Dominion Office through its speciallyappointed transport officer. The report was seconded by'Mr C. E. Forsyth and carried. Meat and Wool Mr J. E. D. Roberts presented the meat and wool section report. The season had been an exceptional one, he said, and the average return to wool growers had been £6O a bale. Dealing with the bulk buying of meat, Mr Roberts said it had been suggested that the present system be abandoned. He did not think producers would want to step back into the lion’s mouth. A return to the old system of purchasing, with its fluctuating prices, was not desirable, but out of the old and new system a more suitable might be evolved.

Dealing with meat consumption in Britain, the speaker corrected a transposition of figures in a report appearing in yesterday’s Daily Times. Consumption pre-war had been 1091 b per head, as against 701 b per head today. These figures were taken from a meat trade journal in London.

The conference, on the motion of Mr Roberts, passed a resolution approving the general principle of a post-war JO scheme. The section report was also adopted. Dairy and Poultry

A report on the dairy section was tabled by Mr A. O’Halloran, and after considerable discussion the conference unanimously adopted the remits and recommendations put forward by the section.

Reporting on the poultry section, Mr R. T. Stedman said his section’s conference was the most successful yet held, discussions on all phases of the industry having taken place. Matters causing concern were the shortage of meatmeal, and buttermilk powder, some producers having had to purchase supplies of Australian origin at greatly enhanced prices.

The section further considered that it was time that the whole set-up of the industry was the subject of a close review, even to the extent of a re-drafting of the Poultry Runs Registration Act and its amendments, with a view to rectifying the many anomalies which existed at present. With a very large number of registered poultry keepers in this provincial district entitled to elect representatives on the local Provincial Council of the Otago/Southland Association of Poultry Keepers, country members were virtually disfranchised, due to the time and expense necessary to enable them to be present to record their votes in Dunedin. The latest appointments to this body were made by 10 voters, from the very many hundreds entitled to vote. The section asked that the matters to which it referred be forwarded along the appropriate channel for action and not pigeon-holed. The report was adopted.