MANIOTOTO FARMERS' CLUB.

Otago Witness, Issue 2085, 8 February 1894, Page 13

MANIOTOTO FARMERS' CLUB.

The fourth annual general meeting of the Maniototo Farmers' Club was held in Millar's Hall, Eweburn, on Saturday, February 3, at 1 p.m. The retiring president (Mr James Howell) occupied the chair, and the attendance was only fair. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed, and some routine business was transacted, after which the election of new officers took place.

Mr J. J. Ramsay said he had once again much pleasure in proposing Mr Robert Logan for the position of president, and he hoped Mr Logan would on this occasion accept the position. Mr Logan was one of the founders of the club, had been vice-president twice, and his ability to worthily nil the chair needed no setting forth to the members of the club.— (Applause.) Mr E. Mawhinney seconded.

Mr Logan said he would accept the nomination, and thanked the mover and seconder for their remarks. He, however, desired to let the club know that if elected he would expect the loyal support of members even if he had to rule against what some of them considered right. While the rules were as they; at present stood, for instance, he would consider it his duty to exclude discussion on personal politics. This had not always been done, and some people said the membership of the club had been thereby injured. He thought it right, before the club decided to put him in the chair, to let them know exactly his position. Mr Ramsay had little fear of any friction between Mr Logan and the members, and could assure Mr Logan that he would have his loyal support. Mr Logan did not object to general politics, aud he thought the cry rained regarding the club was due more to the fact that some of the office-bearers— such, for instance, as Mr Law and himself— held strong political views, than to any political bias ever shown by the club. Mr Logan was then unanimously chosen president amidst applause. It was resolved that in future the retiring president shall occupy the vice-chair, and Mr Howell accordingly takes the position of vicepresident for 1894. Mr Thomas Ramsay was duly elected honorary secretary, on the motion of Mr Pearson, seconded by Mr Millar. Mr Howell then retired from the chair, and in doing so thanked the club for the loyal support accorded him during the past year.

QUARTERLY MEETING.

The quarterly meeting then took place, Mr Logan occupying the chair. Mr Ramsay drew the attention of the club to the fact that the Government had discharged a number of men from the Otago Central railway, Hyde to Ryan's section. He thought it his duty to do so, but it was also his duty to point out that the matter had two bearings. The Government gave as a reason for their action a desire to allow farmers to get men for harvest. Of course men were not wanted to any extent in this district, but it was a question with two Bides. After a lengthy discussion it was decided to allow the matter to stand over till next meeting, when, the harvest being over, the intentions of the Government would be made clear.

Mr J. J. Ramsay moved—" That this club urges upon the attention of the Minister for Public Works the desirability of handing over to the Railway Commissioners and opening for traffic that part of the Otago Central, railway now ballasted to Moloney's, and that the secretary write to the member for the district, the Man io to to County Council, Taieri County Council, and Otago Central Railway League, asking their help in the matter."

Mr Chapman seconded the motion,

Mr Ramsay pointed out that it would be many months before the line could be completed to Hyde, that the work was completed to Moloney's, that Moloney's was nine miles nearer Central Otago, and that the roads from Moloney's to Middlemarch were absolutely impassable. The President strongly supported the motion, and in doing so pointed out that one of the questions the club would have to pay great attention to was the prosecution of this important work to Central Otago. Mr Howell also spoke on the subject, and the motion was carried unanimously. In regard to Mr Pearson's case, at Kyeburn, it was decided to endeavour to arrange for another visit of the Crown Lands ranger. Mr John Eagle wrote stating what had been done by Mr John Werner, of the Miners' Confederacy, towards arranging for a mining and farming conference being held, and asked what Mr Ramsay had done.

Mr Ramsay said Mr Werner had met with greater success than he bacauße the only farming institution which had sent him a favourable reply was the Waitahuna Club, an institution like their own, which had mining interests adjoining. Of the other replies he had received, one was a curt "We are not a political institution," from the Otago A. and P. Association ; and the others were unsatisfactory. He would move—" That consideration of this matter be deferred till next quarterly meeting, and that meanwhile Mr Ramsay should communicate to Mr Eagle the nature of the replies he has received from the various farmers' institutions."

Mr Mawhinney seconded the motion.

The President said it seemed hopeless to arrange for a conference, because there was evidently only Waitahuna-and he presumed their own clubprepared to send delegates, whilst the mining associations were all agreeable. Resolutions passed at such a conference would be held to have the concurrence of farmers, whilst the representation would not be on a fair basis. For instance, resolutions might be passed saying that all land should be opened as small grazing runs, &c.

Mr Mawhinney said their late president when at the Naseby conference said he was in favour of giving the miner free access to everybody's land. [Mr Howell : "No ; I only referred to land dealt with in future, not lauds now held."] Mr Howell supported Mr Logan's view of the matter, and said it was evident that no conference could be arranged. He would move as an amendment—"That Mr Eagle's letter be received, and that he be informed that this club having received no encouragement from kindred associations, has decided to drop the question of holding a further conference."

This was seconded by Mr Bleach. Mr Ryder spoke on the question, and on -a division being taken Mr Ramsay's motion was declared carried.

A very interesting discussion took place regarding a suggestion thrown out by the Mount Ida Horticultural Society to the effect that a combined dairy produce, root, grain, and flower show might be held. Mr Howell, one of the delegates appointed by the club to meet the society at Naßeby, gave a brief r6mm£ of the business transacted and proposals made, strongly urged the club to do something in the matter. Mr Mawhinney pointed out the inability of farmers to compete with small holders round Naseby in the matter of dairy produce owing to the distance they had to take it, and opposed the idea of a show as proposed. Mr N. Gordon spoke on the subject, and showed a considerable acquaintance with the matter. His sympathies were with the proposition, but he thought more would be required from the club than Mr Howell anticipated. Mr Howell having pointed out that the secretary of the Horticultural Society had been instructed to forward the society's proposals to the club, Mr Ryder moved— " That consideration of the matter be postponed till the secretary's report be received."

Mr Wilson Mawhinney seconded the motion

Mr Howell moved as an amendment—" That this club takes up the responsibility of its own exhibits, and appoints five members to confer with the Horticultural Society." The amendment was put and lost, and Mr Ryder's motion carried. Mr A. St. George Ryder drew attention to the fact that two appointments had again been made to the Otago Waste Lands Board, and still the claims of Central Otago to be represented thereon had been overlooked. The men appointed nearly all lived in the south and coastal districts, and had no local knowledge of the wants of Central Otago, from which such a large proportion of the board's business came. He would move — "That the attention of the Hon. the Minister for Lands be directed to the club's letter of 6th May 1893, his reply thereto, and the fact of appointments of commissioners of the Land Board having since been made not in accordance with the tenor of such reply ; and that he be requested to give the matter attention before any further appointments are made." Mr Howell, in seconding the motion, said he quite agreed with Mr Ryder. The matter had evidently escaped the Minister's attention, and it would be well to remind him of it.

The President saw one objection, and that was the difficulty of getting a suitable representative who was not a selector under the board. A man should be a freeholder to suit such a position.

Mr Ryder did not see that being a selector was a fatal objection. He knew a district in Auckland which was in the same position, and they agitated till they got representation. Mr J. J. Ramsay was of opinion that being a selector was a qualification rather than an objection. The motion was then put and carried on the voices. Mr J. J. Ramsay moved— " That the attention of the Hon. the Minister for Lands be directed to the injustice of limiting applicants for land under parts 3, 4, and 5 of the Land Act to application for such area only as they are eligible to hold, and that the secretary point out the hardship involved in cases where people have to travel long distances to inspect a block of land, and after incurring much expense find the land rushed, whilst they are confined to application for perhaps only one section." Mr Ramsay read extracts from a letter written by Mr T. Chalmer to the board and Mr Maitland's reply, and instanced as a case in point, when speaking to his motion, the fact that he had met in the train a gentleman who was then returning from an inspection of Highfield, the trip having cost, say, £7 or j£B, and who told him he had visited block after block at great expense, and when he went to the Land Office found himself confined to application for one section. Mr Ramsay contended that there could be no good reason for any such restriction, the holding restriction being sufficient. The President and Messrs Howell and Mawh nney spoke on the matter, Mr Looan pojnting out that the principle had been conceded in dealing with Cheviot.

The motion was then duly carried

On Mr Mawhinnei's motion, the secretary was instructed to prepare a list of the names of members in arrears with their subscriptions, and lay it on the table at next meeting.

Mr Howell gave notice that at next meeting he would move—" That the matter of the combination of woolbrokers and auctioneers be considered by this club." Mr Bleach pointed out that the firm of W. F. Reynolds and Co. was not included in the association.

The President said that before dispersing he would ask the club to put on record its appreciation of the services rendered to it by Mr J. J. Ramsay as secretary since its inception. He then, in a very kindly speech, proposed the motion, which waß seconded by Mr Howell, and carried.

Mr Ramsay thanked the club for this very kind express'on of good feeling, and assured them the work had been to him pleasant, but his other public duties prevented him from paying the attention to it which it deserved. He would, however, still continue an active member of the club.

A vote of thanks to the Mount Ida Chronicle, and one to the chair, terminated the proceedings, Mr Ryder having promised a paper on " Grasses " and Mr Logan one on "Sheep" for future meetings.

The coal export from Greymouth last weefc was IJJ94 tons,