FARMERS' UNION CONFERENCE

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XII, Issue 2371, 30 May 1906, Page 5

FARMERS' UNION CONFERENCE

SMOKE CONCERT

The most numerously attended gathering held under the auspices of the New Zealand Farmers' Fuion was that which took place in the Olympic Theatre, Pahiatua, last night, there being no less than 175 persons present. Mr. R. Smith, chairman ot the Pahiatua branch ot the union, presided.

After the toast of “The King" hail been drunk with musical honours, Mr. G. H. Smith proposed the tor., ot lire Farmers' l nion," and m doing so said the union was starteo in a place in the tar north screli year- ago; in IiHHI branches were established in Auckland and contiguous districts; in 1901 the movement spiead through the Wellington piovincc. and in the -ame year il Had extended throughout the colony. It became a colonial institution in 1901. and in 10(12 its hist and present president was appointed, it had been suggested that there was a possibility ol Mi Wilson 11 ing to i scapi from the position, hut lie (the speaker) telt sure that the delegates would lot allow Him to do so. (Applause, Seven years ago the union (Handles started to secure members, ami tie membership now stood at 20,(ki1l Seven years hence there should he a slill larger increase, as he understood that there were 70,000 people coilnetted wiili the farming industry, who were eligible tor membership. He trusted that ti would not he long bet ore the union mnmhcrship was doubled. The president ot the continence, in Lis reply. would I"' able to indicate in what 'lire tut, the l nion had influenced the poii*' s oi (in country. In liiture. t lie speaker tell sure t ne proceedings oi the Union would exercis ■ a strong influence on the colony s politic..: affairs. tfelcrrillg t I the qlialllicnt lolls tor membership ot tla* • nion, Mr. Kmi.li aid, 1.1 rclalion to the provi sum in t lie i ill's I or louorai y memliei s. that people would not pay the smallest suhs< i ipt ion il 11iev ere not allow ed lo vote. lie tlierol.irc suggested that the lrutichi.se m regard to in. mhcisiup should he broadened, urging that il the I nion was to .uKauro i(s membership should lie as strong a' possible. Speaking ol the land jn>i lev ol the 1 nioli, Mr. Smith 'llul o was (lie i >ol: c \ ot the great u.njorilN ol the people, and lie was a i e In- 1" know why it was not the land pom \ Ot the Government. He understood, however, that the lion. Mr. Duncan w as in accord with t lie I'nion on t in land question. (Applause). Mr. Boss. M.H.R., had made it perlcuh clear that lie would give the tree hold to Crown tenants, with restrieiioii as to area, and the payment ol toe dilfereliee between four and live pel Cent, according to tenure. The Crow a tenants were quite'within their rights in trying to got the Irechoid with such provisions, and Mr. Sunt li hoped the Fulmers' I'nion would stick to this plank in their platform. (Applause). The interests ot (lie people generally were wrapped up ill liaise ol the tunnel's, and he hoped the I mon would ep n 1 iie door wider, and allow honortu v members to become active member's. He coupled the toa-t with the I--.me ul Mr. I G Wilson, pn sident oi the I'nion, and spoke hi .oiiiplimcutniy . rms ot the wins hat {tenth man had done in the I'nion's inten d s, also adding the inline ol Mr. Mathiesan. who bail been an active nuonli a- ol thi' Union tor many years. The toast w as i nt Inisias. it ally lionon red. Mr. ,1. G. Wilson. who was le, ived with applause, said this was (I ... t

visit lie had paid Pahiatua, and the reception the delegates had received was a record one. It was gratifying to .the members of tho Union to hear Air. Smith’s remarks in proposing the toast, and to notice the heaily manner in which the toast hail been received. These weie indications i.hat the work of the Union was appreciated by the townspeople, and the nu wibers hoped to show that the l ino'i was a useful body, and that it wou.d do good work in the future. Mr Wilson referred at length no the varied farming interests of the colony in order to show the important work the Union was doing, and detailed the various branches collected with the organisation. There was a central office in Wellington, where farmers on a visit to that city would he gladly welcomed. As to freehold, the (’man intended to tight until they got it, after the manner of the hoy m Pear’s soap advertisement. And they ‘“would not be happy till they got it” i.e., the freehold. He concluded by thanking the Pahiatua people for tlie cordial reception they bad given members ot the conference, and trusted that they would pay another visit to Patiiama at no distant date.

Mr. Mathieson also ackuow leug' J the toast, and spoke of the necessity of the rudiments of scientific fai tiling being imparted to the children oi farmers, so that they might he better able to carry out their work as farmers when their time comes.

The toast of “The Parliament” was proposed hy Mr. T. <juirk, and responded to by the Hon. T. Y. Duncan. J. T. M. Hornsby, and Boss, M.H.R. s. -Mr. J. C. Cooper proposed the toast of the “Veterinary and Dairy Department,” and paid a high compliment to the officers ot that department, who were doing much good work in the interests of the farmers and the colony generally.

Messrs. Gilruth. Kinsella. and Mr. McFarlane. chairman of the Ballance (o-operative Dairy Factory Company, responded to the toast. Mr. Peat, of Wanganui, proposed the toast of “Local Bodies. anti Mr. D. Crewe. Mayor ot Pahiatua and Messrs. Perry and Moss, chairmen ot the Wairarapa South and Eketaiiiina County Councils respectively, acknowledged it. Mr. Richards. Te Horn, proposed the toast of "The Pahiatua Committee,” and spoke ol the excellent manner in which they had carried out their work. He had attended every conference during the past five years, and the present gathering was the best of them all. They had had splendid speeches, and had lu*en cordially received, and the conference sliould be the means ot increasing the interest in the work ot the Union throughout the Bush districts. The Chairman, oil behalf ot iiw committee, thanked the proposer tor the kind manner in which the toast lint] be’ii proposed and receiver Messrs. McFarlane and Manson al'o i esponded Mr. Newman proposed “The Press, the toast being resiflindcd to ti\ Messrs T. Mill' (“Wellington Post ) and Petheriek (“Herald ). Mr. Mi Slu ii v made a felicitous speech in proposing the health ot ■The Ladies.” and Mr. Gilruth “brought down the house with i»i> witticisms in replying to tho toa't.. The gathering broke up short!', after midnight with the singing ol

“Auld Lang Syne. ’ During the evening songs and re citations were rendered bv the ioi lowing gentlemen : Messrs. Burgess, Imff encored). Webb i encored'. G Smith (encored). Hornsby. M-tl.I . Mr. Marryatt ably presided at Hr organ.