GORE FARMER'S CLUB

Otago Witness, Issue 2375, 7 September 1899, Page 6

GORE FARMER'S CLUB

A meeting of the Gore Farmers' Club was held on Saturday last. There were present : Messrs J. M'Queen (chairman), R. Dickeon, J. Falconer, A. Syme, L. Coutls, and W. Macara. THE BAG QTIESTIOX. The Tapanui Farmers' Club wrote iiskii.g the co-operation of the club in the followii -j matters:— (l) The question of basis : When bags were selling at 4a 6d per dozen f.-imcrs were allowed 4d each. Now that they are 6s 6d, the same allowance is made. The Tapanui Club thought that a sliding scale should be arranged. (2) The members strongly object to the 5 per cent, on wheat, which is charged in this province only. Not only is this discount too heavy, but at the present price of bags, when they are weighed in with the wheat, they are confident that a great loss to the farmers is the result. They trusted that the Gore Club would assist in takiing stepa to have these grievances redressed. The chairman said he was agreeable to join in with the Tapanui Farmers' Club regarding the 5 per cent, discount on wheat ; but regarding bags, ho thought that was a, matter regulated by supply and demand. He did not see very well how they could say what price bags should be sold at. They might as well dictate their terms as to the prico of oats. He moved accordingly. Mr Falconer said he disagreed with the chairman. There should be a sliding scale. If bags were bought at 5d or 6d, Id should be allowed. If bags were, bought by the farmer at 6s 6a per dozen ho was .only allowed Id per bag when selling his-grain. He thought Id quite enough to lose. ' In some places in the old country the bags were lent to the farmers by the merchant purchasing the grain. Mr Syme seconded. So long as they had over-production they could not help it. It was a matter of arranging terms. Mr Falconer pointed out that no matter what the farmer paid for his bags the allowance was fixed at 4d. Mr Coutts said the farmer only had the bags a week or two, yet they were charged Id and l^d for the use of them. There was always a risk, of course, of farmers storing their grain and the bags getting damaged by rats. At this stage it was decided to hold over discussion for a larger meeting. THE AUCTIOXKKBS' BILL. The chairman moved — " That the present system is unsatisfactory to farmers, and in the opinion of this club legislation is desirable to btop the present system of ' trotting 'at sales ; and that a copy of this resolution be sent to the member for the district." In speaking to the resolution, Mr M'Queen said it appeared to him that a good doal of "trotting" was going on, and one could not tell whether he was bidding against a roul or an imaginary bidder. He had no doubt that on many occasions goods went over their value by bidders being deceived. Mr Syme seconded the motion, and thought the matter cut both ways. Sellers were just as bad as buyers. A man ought to know

the value of what he was buying, and then he would not be deceived. Mr Ooutts said everybody did not know the value of what they were buying, and that was where they were taken in. He gave instances of "trotting" by the vendor, which caused some laughter amongst those present. 'Mr Dickson also expressed his disapproval of the present system. Mr Macara said he was in favour of the proposed bill. At a sale it was his business always to find out who was the seller and who the buyer. When he wanted to buy anything he always put his own value on the article, and he never bid beyond that. If men were not judges of what they were buying, then he was sorry for them if they made a mistake or were "got at." Very often sellers put a reserve on their stock, and if they did not bid up to that reserve they got someone else to do it for them. No reserve should be put on anything until the auctioneer told the vendor to make his bid. It would be impossible to "trot" if that were done. They had an instance of that in their^ chairman — no one ever know what his reserve was until asked by the auctioneer during the sale. Mr Falconer said he always did the same thing. If a reserve was put on, the auctioneer went as near it as possible for the sake of his commission. He was afraid a great many farmers were just as guilty as the dealers. The motion was then put and carried. The questions of federation and abattoirs for Gore were left for a larger meeting.