FARMERS' UNION

Otago Witness, Issue 3403, 4 June 1919, Page 15

FARMERS' UNION

THE SOUTHLAND BRANCH

ANNUAL PROVINCIAL CONFERENCE. The eighteenth annual provincial conference of tne Southland branch of the New Zealand .banners' Union was held on Thursday. The president (Mr W: Couser) was in the chair). The Daianoe . sheet, which was adopted, showed a balance of expenditure over income of £lO 18s.

The f odowing officers were eleoted ; —President, Mr W. Couser (re-elected); vice-pre-sidents, Messrs W. Ford, A. J. Nichol, J. lYlacdonaid, and G. P. J ohnston ; executive — Messrs J. M. Knight, J. D. Trotter, D. J. Heenan, A. Roy, E. Walker, E. Bowman, A. M'Kenzie, P. Arnott, G. S. Stark, J. Bruce, A. P. Smith, and E. Rodgers; delegates to Dornuiion Conference, Messrs G. Couser and A. J. Nichol.

The following remit was received from the Gore sub-exeoutive and the Knapdale branch —" That .an Agricultural Wages Committee bo established by Act of Parliament consisting of five representatives each of farmers and labourers, with stipendiary magistrate as chairman, such committee to have power to decide on a •minimum wage for each class of farm worker." The following Knapdale was moved in conjunction w'ith it —" For the purpose of encouraging the growing of grain the Government be asked to fix a minimum price for grain with an open market as soon as possible." The first remit was lost, and the second was struck out.

The following remit from the Technical College Board was moved by Mr J. D. Trotter:—"That the Dominion Executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union be requested to urge upon the Cabinet the neoessity for granting boarding allowances to country children who have to travel considerable distances (say more than 20 miles each way) by train to attend secondary or technical schools or who lose a proportion of eaoh day's instruction if they travel to and from school daily." Mr P. Arnott moved, as an amendment —"•That this conference is of the opinion that before any further grants are made towards secondary education, provision should be made to give the country children a more sound primary education.' Mr R. Arnott seconded the amendment, which was carried. The Gore Sub-executive submitted the following:—"That the Dominion Conference be invited to express its disapprobation of the system of issuing loans free of income tax, as the' inevitable result of such a system will bo to throw the main burden of the coming heavy war taxation on the farmers."—Mr A. J. Nichol moved the adoption of the remit—Mr W. Ford seconded the motion, which was unanimously carried. ' The Waianiwa, Invercargill, and Waiau branches moved—" That with a view to securing to the producers of this dominion a sound progressive policy, the time has arrived when the platform of the Farmers' Union should be altered to_ include the formation of a Farmers' Political Party."— The remit was carried almost unanimously. Mr William Ford moved —"That in view of the fact that farming interests are not represented on the Board of Trade, it is essential that this omission by the Government be amended, so that a full proportion of the members represent the interests of this important section of the community." —Carried. Mr A. J. Nichol moved—" That the Government be requested to publish the names of the Meat Trust firms operating in New Zealand, with the names of their managers and local representatives and buyers; and if, as is probable, it be denied that the trust is operating as a trust, the title or titles under which their business is being conducted ; and that all form of 'dummyism' bo rigorously suppressed." Speaking to the motion, Mr Nichol said that commissions had been set up in all countries to inquire into the_ workings of the Meat Trust, and it was desirable that the farmers should know who was managing these trusts in New Zealand and who were their agents, so that the union would be in a better position to combat the trust in the future.—The remit was carried unanimously. Mr Ford*moved: "In view of the fact that space required in freezing works for fat stock is being filled by buyers with large quantities of meat that can only be classed ns stores, it be a recommendation to the dominion conference that freezing works be operated on a co-operative basis, thereby giving farmers an equal privilege with buyers for freezing space." He declared that the freezing works, although they had stated that their spaco was full, wore still fiking stores. This was the class of stock that should be kept for the spring while tho fats were destroyed. All of the firms, if u-dt; true, were not rpsponsbile for action of this kind, some having refused on principle to bid for stores. It was agreed to delete tho remit, the opinion being expressed that the trouble would probably be remedied before tho recommendation would be received by the conference. Wondonsido forwarded the following!—

"Considering the iinsatisfactory facilities for transporting the n eat and produce of the dominion to the markets of Europe, the Government bo urged to acquire a State line of steamships." Mr Ford, with the mover's sanction, altered the motion to read that " the fleet be proportionally owned by the State, farmers, and business men, who should have equal representation on the board of control." The remit was then adopted. On behalf of Wendonside, Mr Cameron moved, '('That the union shall exert its influence to cut out the middleman, and urge farmers to deal with farmers' co-operative associations only, thereby., enabling the farmers to pay and maintain a high rate of wages to workers." Mr Johnston moved as an amendment—" That this union do its utmost to bring producer and consumer together to the interest* of co-operation." The amendment was carried unanimously. Mr Ford moved: "That in the _ best interests of scientific farming, it is necessary to establish a State experimental farm in close proximity to Invercargill, and the Dominion Executive is requested to use every endeavour towards securing Government assistance." Opinion as to whether the farm should be located near or distant from the town was divided. It was ultimately decided to insert tho words "in Southland" in place of "in close proximity to Invercargill" in the remit, which was then adopted. Mr J. D. Trotter moved —"That in view of the shortage of competent shearers, the members of the New Zealand Farmers' Union co-operate with the Technical College Board in assisting to establish shearing classes in suitable centres in sheds —say at the beginning of the shearing season—where both hand and machine shearing may be taught under competent local shearers known to and recommended by farmers to the Board of Technioal ' Education." He said that olasses had been held in Christchurch with great success.—Mr H. M'Oall seconded tho motion, which was carried unanimously. Mr Reed (Knapdale) moved —"That owing to the inadequate prices paid by buyers of fat stock (notwithstanding the guaranteed price of meat) and to the menace of the Meat Trust, the New Zealand Farmers' Union earnestly consider the advisability of taking in hand the question of the export and sale of New Zealand meat on the cessation of the Government commandeer." —The motion was seconded by Mr Bowmar, and carried without discussion. The annual dinner was hold in the Federal rooms after the conolus-'on of the Provincial Conference. The President (Mr Wm. Couser) was in the chair. Several songs were contributed and the usual toasts were honoured.

CONFERENCE IN AUCKLAND. AUCKLAND, May 29. The Farmers' Union agreed that the Poverty Bay sub-prSvincial area should be recognised as a provincial* district of the union. A motion was carried unanimously expressing the desirability, of the Government adopting a proper immigration policy. May 30.

The Farmers' Union adopted remits urging the Government to provide a more adequate staff to deal with the inspection and purchase of land for soldier settlements. Several speakers protested against the continuance of the regulation of produce prices, and a remit was carried entering a strong protest against Government interference since hostilities had ceased. The union endorsed the proposal to construct a highway from North Cape to Invercargill as a peace memorial, suggesting connections east and west and suitable pillars in each district as a memorial to fallen soldiers. a , ~ • Remits that special inducement should be offered to qualified men to take, up the teaching profession in State schools, and that better facilities be given to back-blocks settlers for getting schools and good teachers, were adopted. Remits were carried dealing with the necessity for providing better financial provision for settlers to develop their holdings, including- a recommendation that the Government be urged' to vote large sums to the Advances to Settlers Department, and that a State Agricultural Bank should be established by the Government. A remit by the Provincial Executive expressing dissatisfaction with the railway administration, and urging that the Government should adopt a more progressive policy, both with regard to the_ pushing on of new railways and the adoption of more up-to-date methods of administration, so that the needs and conveniences of the public should receive more consideration, was adopted. A remit passed at the last conference — that the farmers should own their own ships and eventually dispose of their own produce —was reeffirmed. Remits dealing -.vith the menace of the Meat Trust were adopted as follows:—"That in view of the Meat Trust menace, it shall be illegal for any freezing works to be sold except with the sanction of the Government, sanotion for sale to be given only after it is proved that the purchaser is hi no way acting for or connected with the Meat Trust, the onus of proof to rest upon the purchaser." "That the Government be requested to see _ that legislation is" provided at next session of Parliament on tho seven heads as recommended by the Parliamentary Committee in order to keep the meat and shipping trusts from operating in New Zealand." , Mr J. Boddie was re-elected president.