FARMERS’ UNION.

Otago Witness, Issue 3743, 8 December 1925, Page 16

FARMERS’ UNION.

OTAGO PROVINCIAL EECUTIVE. A meeting of the Otago Provincial Executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union was held in the Security Buildings on Tuesday and was attended by Messrs F. Waite, M.P. (president), A. C. Leary, C. F. Overton, I. D. Revie, E. 11. Murney, J. Christie, A. O. Craig, J Preston, J (,larke, H. M'Gregor Reid, T. Barr, W. J. M’Kenzie, and R. S. Stioll. ACCOUNTS. Accounts amounting to £197 12s 2d were passed for payment. RAILAGE ON EGG CRATES. The question of the railway freight on empty egg crates was brought up by Mr Craig, who said he understood that the railage on a full crate from BaJchitha was 1b 6d ond that empty return crates were charged for at the rate of 7d up to lewt. Mr liove remarked that empty crates used to be returned free up to 100 miles. It was decided to instruct the secretary to comunicate with the Railway Department on the subject. - y NOXIOUS WEEDS. The following remit was forwarded by the Miller's Flat branch“ihat hemlock be declared a noxious weed and brought under

the conditions of the Noxious Weeds Act.” As there appeared to bo some doubt whether the plant growing in the Miller’* Flat district was really hemlock it was decided to a>k the branch to send samples to the Department of Agriulture and to the executive for identification. ORGANISATION. Some discussion took place on the question of organisation. It was suggested that the agents for the Mutual Fire Insurance Association could collect subscriptions when they waited on farmers for their insurance premiums. Eventually it was decided that the president and Messrs Revie, Reid, and Preston be appointed to confer with the directors of the Mutual Fire Association in regard to the question. POISONING RABBITS. The Waitahuna branch forwarded the following remit;—“(a) That in view of the deaths of valuable dogs no strychnine poison for rabbits be laid within two chains of a publio road; (b) that all carcases of strychnine-poisoned rabbits be buried within 24 hours; (c) that owners of propertes laying strychnine post notices on roadlines on either end of the said properties.” On the motion of the President, it was decided to refer the remit to Mr Snowball. of the Department of Agriculture, for his observations. WHEAT PRICES. The Secretary of the Mid-Canterbury Provincial Executive wrote stating that a conference would be held at Ashburton on Thursday next to receive a report of a delegation to the Minister of Agriculture regarding wheat control and to fix prices for the 1926-27 wheat crop. The writer stated that representatives of the Government, the Wheat Board, merchants, millers, and poultry men were expected to be present, and invited the executive to send three delegates. In addition each branch was entitled to send one delegate. It wa 9 decided to reply that the executive was opposed to the fixing of prices, but that if wheat prices are to be fixed, then the price of fowl wheat should be less than that of milling wheat. MAIN HIGHWAYS. The following remit was forwarded by the Tahatika branch: “This branch objects to the money collected by the Government as motor tax for the main highways being spent solely on the main road between Invercargill and Dunedin, and that it should be used to keep up the roads feeding the railways instead of the roads alongside the railway.” Mr Waite said that undoubtedly the people down the Owaka line had a grievance. They paid their motor tax, and none of that money was spent in the district. In his opinion the Balclutha-Owaka-Taha-kopa road should he declared a main highway. The argument that the road ran alongside a railway was no argument at all, a 9 even the Main South road ran parallel with the railway.

It was decided to ask the branch to write to the Clutha County Council again requesting it to put another recommendation before the Highways Council. It was also decided that the executive should communicate with the District Highways Council.

THRESHING MILL WORKERS’ WAGES.

’The Secretary read a circular letter which had been sent to branches with reference to threshing mill workers’ wages. This showed that an application had been made for an increase of Id per hour on the present rate of wages in accordance with the Arbitration Court’s recent pronouncement that the minimum wage for unskilled labour should be Is lOd per hour. The present rates in Otago and Southland were Is 9d per hour in all districts except the Upper Clutha Valley, which was rated at Is 8d per hour. Tne representative of the workers also suggested that the award should be extended for a period of two or three years. The Secretary of the Upper Clutha branch of the Farmers’ Union wrote stating that a 'resolution had been passed protesting against the demands of tne threshing mill workers for an increase of Id per hour for the reason that the wage paid now was more than the industry could afford to pay, and that any alteration should be in the direction of a reduction rather than an increase in the rate. The writer stated that it had been pointed out that if the Arbitration Court persisted in increasing the wages of farm workers it would result in farmers being forced to go out of grain growing as a farmer could not pass on any extra cost in production to the buyer and consumer as could bo done in other industries. There was also an outcry throughout the country for the production of more wheat and a demand by the workers for a cheaper loaf, which could not be given effect to in the face of a demand for higher wages. On the motion of Mr Christie, seconded by Mr Murney, it was decided to support the attitude taken up by the Upper Clutha branch.