N.Z. FARMERS' UNION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2524, 30 July 1902, Page 16

N.Z. FARMERS' UNION.

Wo have been requested to make a correction in the portion of "AgrieolaV note on the Farmers' laiion in last issue of the Witness. Our contributoi states that it was decided to make a levy of 6d, as an acknowledgment of Mr Glass's great pervices to the Union. As a matter of fact the amount of the levy was left to each branch to fix.

The Cromwell Argus of tho 22nd in?t. says: — We are pleased to see that at last step-, are being taken to form blanches of ilie Farmers' Union m tin.* district. A very successful meeting was held at Tarras on Knday la&t and one will he held at Hawea on the 2oth.

At the. meeting of tlie Palmerston branch on the 19th in>-t., Mr Cnuckshdiik deprecated tho f.« t that politics were being introduced into the union discussions. Several members combated this assertion, but Mr f 'micknhank said that, although he was open to conviction, lie was still of opinion that party politics played a prominent part in the union's platform. Mr Gilmoie said that Mr CniK'kvjhank reminded him of the Irish patriot, Dan O'Connell, who once remarked in the House of Commons "that he was open to conviction, but show me the man who can convince me."

The Tc Tua (Southland) branch held a. meeting recently in the dairy factory, at which there was a good number present. Mr H. M'Quillan presided, and, after the usual formal procedure, the rabbit poisoning question was introduced. Mr (rilmour, stock inspector, who was present, laid his %iews befoie the meeting as to the best means of coping with the pe->t : and after some debate this resolution was put and carried unanimously: — "That the members of this bianch should, during the first w«ek in August next (weather permitting), simultaneously lay poison for rabbits." It would be well if non member* would take this stop also, and thus makp it general as well as most effective throughout the district. The small-bird pest was another matter which was dealt with, and Mr Hirst, who was also present, took an active part in the discussion. A motion to the effect that the secretary procure, through the member for the riding, two sacks of poisoned grain was put to the meeting and carried. At the close of the meeting it was> moved that the member be a<-ked to move upon the Government the necessity of pushing forward with more vigour the extension of the Orepuki-Waiau railway, and carried unanimously.

A special meeting of the Riversdale br£ii>eh took place on the 17tli in^t., when there was a fair attendance of morabpr«. Mr E. M'Alhster occupied the- chair. The Chairman explained that the meeting had lieon called with a \\o\v of deciding: whether, owing to lack of mtrrp-t displayed by member 1 ? in _ll>e working of tlio liranch. it was ad\isable that it should ho L *pt going o>- nor. He was disappointed nt tlic attmidaro". and thought that, ceding the objwt of the meeting, thor" «hould ha\e he-c-n Tiinin more present. Mr •T K"llv i]io\rd — 'That, in t lie opinion of till'- mci'iinu. it i- <!r.^ir;i'.” th-'t t'>P hr->"ph be reformed." Tlie irot nn wa« ■ conded by Mi W. Jleid, aa<i cftjri^cl ujwujuaiLfiUAly. 16

was resolved to conduct meetings by the eominitteo, and that members be allowed to attend and take part in discussions, but, of course, not vote on any question. It was I also decided to enforce the new rule passed at the late Colonial Conference, that members of committee absenting themselves from three consecutive meetings be struck off the committee. — The question of weighing farm produce was introduced by Mr A. G. Earle, and was discussed at some length. Mr Earle stated that, as far as his experience went, merchants cheated the farmer right and left, and that their returns were anything but satisfactory. Mr Kelly moved — "That, in the opinion of this meeting, it is desirable tint the Government provide weighbridges at btations where an officer was in charge, and that the officers be hold responsible for the correct weight of produce, and, if necessary, be prepared to go into the witi c-ss-box and swear that the correct weight was given; that the weight be recognised as the legal one, and that a charge bt made on larmers to cover the cost of the system." The motion was seconded by Mr Munro, and carried. — The proposal to form a new county council, with headq-iarters at Gore, was next discussed. Several members having spoken or tho subject, the following motion negativing the proposal was declared carried : "That, iv tlie opinion of this meeting, it is not desirable that the present county bo split up and a new county formed with headquarters at Gore, but that better lejTe^ntation as regards members' be given the ridings, and this would, in the opinion of this ' branch, meet the case." A meeting of members of the Pleasaut. Point branch was held on the 21st inst. Forty-five members were present, and Mr Addrew Cleland presided. The Chairman said that it seemed to him that the whole colony was to be governed by trad« unions, j since the main business of the meeting was to consider a letter received by him from the South Canterbury Threshing Machine Millowneru' Association. The Chairman then road the letter in question, the purport of which was that the millowners had been cited to answer a demand that the mill hands should be paid Is per hour and food ; and the millowners now sought assistance in resisting this demand. Mr Campbell, as both mill-ownor and farmer, was of opinion that farmers hlul already as heavy a burden as they could bear, and that this demand must add to it, and sooner than give way , he would lay up his mill. Mr Neilson thought the Farmers' Union should assist the millowners, as their interests were identical. There being a general opinion that at times , and under certain conditions the mill hands did not succeed in earning decent wages when paid at per 1000, it was stated by Mr Preddy and othei millowners that under such circumstances he always endeavoured to work by the hour, and pay hands by the hour. A long discussion was closed by Mr Acton, who moved — "That as the articles of association did not empower the New Zealand Farmers' Union to assist the millowners in any law court, only full sympathy and individual assistance could be offered to them." It was then moved by Mr Acton, seconded by Mr Carter, and carried — "That it is not contemplated or in any way intended that the Farmers' Union should contest, as an association, any claim in tho law courts advanced by any other union." Mr Webb was of opinion that under suck conditions the Farmers' Union was of little value, but Mr Acton insisted that thpre was abundant room for useful work quite outside th» law courts. It has been decided to reorganise the Riversdale branch of the Farmers' Union. TIMARU, July 2*. A meeting of the Executive of the South Canterbury province branch of the Farmers' Union was held here to-day to receive the Teport of Mr J. F. Douglas, the delegate to the recent Colonial Conference, and to discuss some of the conclusions of the conference. The "union platform" was criticised as absurdly insufficient, and tho ruling out of the pro- ' pocals as political was eaid to be inconsistent, and if that attitude were persevered in would make the union useless. Mr Ma.«lin expressed a fear that the difference in the interests of the North Island and South would render it necessary to divide the union. It was resolved to take steps to form a Timaru branch, the one orginally formed being broken tip by the formation of othr-r branches The question of assisting : owners of thre-hing mills to rosipt the claims j of mill hands in a dispute before the Arbitration Court was discupsod. It was decided that thfi union could not do anything as a union, but bianch secretaries are to be a?ked to receive sub-criptions from mem-bf-rs to a fund to assi-t the mill-owners to defend themselves, as. if defpatpd, the extra charge mu>-t be pa^ed on to the farmers. j