FARMERS UNION

Southland Times, Issue 17485, 28 July 1915, Page 3

FARMERS UNION

. ANNUAL CONFERENCE. PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS. ■WELLINGTON, July 27. Speaking at the annual Dominion Conference of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union to-day Sir James G. Wilson referred to the shipping difficulties. It was, he said, to be expected that the transport vessels which -wo cxpect>ed back would be delayed. Some went on to London and discharged cargo and some were diverted to other channels. Many of the vessels which carry our meat and dairy produce had to fill tip their outward cargo to Australia first. Ouco a vessel is in Australian waters she is liable at any time to be com - mandoered by that Government, and while everyone was crying aloud for more vessels we lost some there. The demand for stjace became so peremptory that a meeting of the representatives of the shipping and freezing companies was called in February to discuss matters. The shipping people said that every endeavour had been made on their part to supply space, but that the London management had control of the vessels, and it was out of the “power of those at this end to deal with the matter, but they would make representation to the London authorities as to the acuteness of the position. THE PURCHASE OF MEAT. At this same meeting the Premier disclosed the scheme of the Home Government to purchase the whole of our meat f.0.b., and the meeting adjourned until a scheme was prepared whereby the purchase could’ be made and the meat shipped and paid for here. A second meeting wap called without the shipping people being present to discuss the scheme. At first X was inclined to think that the meat should be purchased in London, but, on second consideration, I could see that if that system were adopted it would mean that abnormally high prices would have to be paid for the meat, as it would be held in large parcels, and speculation would inflate prices. Indeed, it was said that in some in - stances prices had been already given at high rates in anticipation of this. After much discussion and consideration a schedule was arrived at -which seemed to me to provide a fair price for the producer and enabled the British Government to feed the troops with meat at a moderate price. Some objection was raised by the executive of the Union that the farmers were not sufficiently represented at that meeting. I would, personally, have welcomed the presence of other representatives of the Union for the purpose of consultation and advice. It was Mr Massey’s meeting and therefore he had the right of invitation, but there were several well known members of the Union present, I am glad to say, whose presence, although in other capacities, gave me much more confidence than I otherwise would have had. 1 must say, too, that in no way did any representative of the freezing companies, purchaser or farmers, seem to want to take any advantage of the position, but all seemed desirous of coming to a fair and equitable solution of the question. On the whole, aa far as the purchase of the meat is concerned, it seems to have worked out fairly well. There was j some friction between buyers and sell- ' ers in Canterbury, but that seems to have been arranged. One thing that materially affected the consideration of this whole question from a farmer’s point of view was that if the Home Government purchased the meat they would be more likely to find the space to carry it Home, for it was seen that besides the space being very limited at the moment and seriously endangering the export of meat (there was no fear but that there would be sufficient space for dairy produce)—that the space in the later vessels would be still further restricted —the rush of meat had already filled the storage capacity over the whole of New Zealand, and more especially in Canterbury. The lateness of the fattening season there delayed the arrival of the lambs, and the shortage of storage induced a great rush to get in first. The result was ;i block such as had not been felt since tiie trade began, and 1 am afraid many farmers have lost heavily in consequence. Referring to meat exports Sir James Wilson said that he found that the carcases exported from the Ist October to the :i Ist May in the last two years to be as follows. They are taken to the latest date ho had the figures when looking into this subject. 1913-1914: Number of Steamers, 55 and part 2 others, say 56; Beef, 143,515; Mutton. 1,673,591: Lamb, 2,31a,114: Total 3,647,543. 1914-1915; Number of Steamers. 5 2 and part 2 others, say 53: Beef, 3 30,951: Mufton, 1,638,419; Lamb, 1,964,972- Total, 3,941,253. Total capacity of steamers in 1914-15, 5,280.400. In these figures the quarters of beef are reduced to the sheep weights. You will perceive that the total shipped in the last season was greater in these months than in 1913-1914. but that there arc about 250,000 lambs short in the last season; but the quarters of beef are much increased and this makes the total number look larger. The earlier steamers could not get a full load and the later steamers could not take the quantity offered, and this caused a block. The lamb was really in store and could not be shipped. At the present moment it is estimated there are two million carcases in store.

The Premier had stated that they would have ships of a total capacity of 3,611,900. This would lead one to expect that the stores will be empty at the end of October, but it does not get rid of the fact that there are heavy losses being sustained at. the present moment, and I am sure that every one of us would do everything possible to alleviate that loss, yet I do not know what more could have been done by all concerned, and we must, to quote the Bill of Lading clause, put it down to an "act of Cod.” I cannot help thinking, however, that when the whole circumstances of the case are reviewed dispassionately the verdict will be we have crime out on the whole very well. Some have lost; but a much greater number have gained, and we have created a record of exports owing to the high prices obtained for our produce. DAIRYING. As far as dairying is concerned, said the speaker, this has been a. remarkable year. Cheese factories have received un-heard-of prices, which still continue. Butter, too. has fetched good prices, but not comparable with the profit on cheese. Many think that most of our milk' will in the near future be converted into cheese instead of butter. The abnormal prices for the former cannot. of course last, and when the war is over and prices down to normal, I cannot help thinking there will still be plenty of butter made. Home separation is impossible in the case of cheese, and the price for butter-fat is inducing a great many to keep cows and deliver cream to factories instead of taking milk to creameries, and although so good a sample can never be made, the sterilisin" of the cream has enabled makers to turn out a good article if a prize one Mr Cuddie is recommending that cream so delivered should be graded and paid for according to grade. It is found in almost every case where there are a number of suppliers that some are more careless than others, and who are often sending in inferior cream, and thereby lowering the grade of the made article. The only permanent way to improve the quality in such cases is to pay less for It. Grading, however, can only be done when all the factories and buyers enter into an agreement not to take any cream which has been rejected elsewhere. It seems incredible-—but it is the case that after such agreements have been entered into, so keen is the competition in some districts that the temptation has been found too great to withstand, ond rejected cream lias been accepter.. Once that is done the whole arrangement is set aside and the suppliers of

inferior cream triumph. If we are- to continue to keep up the quality of our butter, grading of cream is absolutely necessary. FROZEN MEAT. Although the actual number of sheep has fallen slightly, there is no doubt, but that we shall turn out as many freezers as we did last season. We may take it forgranted : —until we see otherwise—that our produce can be carried to its destination despite the enemy’s submarines and navy. While the war lasts the -contract with the British Government will continue, and the arrangement for the carriage of our meat is made between the British Government and the shipowners. As a special freight is now being paid for by the Board of Trade for the carriage of our meat I presume the contract entered into between the freezing companies and the shipping companies is at an end. The German Emperor has, it is said, declared that the war will end in October. He has, in fact, issued a new time-table, but has not consulted the Allies as to whether they agree to it. I venture to suggest 1 that it will take longer than that. Whenever the wax ends, our whole trade will be again disorganised. Prices are likely to fall all round, less so perhaps in the case of wool because the supply is seriously curtailed by the drought in Australia, but the enormous wastage of capital will Impoverish nearly all the countries engaged in the war. It is, however, useless to conjecture what the result will be, but we know that great wars have been always followed by depressions.

Fresh contracts for the carriage of our meat will have to be entered into, before we know what the price of the produce will be. We may assume, however, that some arrangements will be made, because shipowners with insulated space w'ill want to continue the trade as much as we will ourselves. One important factor which is satisfactory' is that if all the companies are fortunate enough to get their machinery in time we shall have our storage capacity increased by at least 1,500,000 carcases. This is a wise step for us to take. Surely it is better to hold meat here than in London if prices go against us. It has been said that after long storage the bloom is lost and the carcases become unattractive, but I have been told by a man in the trade that it is the continuous opening of the chambers which causes this, and that if the chambers were unopened the meat would not lose its bloom. Then, again, how often we read in the cablegrams at the end of the season that a number of stale carcases were put upon the market which affect prices? We have constantly, too, been told that we must not rush the market, but feel is properly all the year round. With our present capacity, and when all the new storage is provided we shall have enough space to hold three and a-half million carcases. We may expect a total export of about 7,000,000 carcases (including beef reduced to 60 lb., sheep carcases), so that we will have storage capacity for about half our output. It would have made all the difference if this storage had been available this season. At this time of the year in the North Island the store lambs are really worth more in some cases than the fats. In this month the bush people come down into the older settled districts and buy up sheep for their bush burns. Some good’ lambs in Taihape fetched fl a head the other day, netting possibly 19s, which price has not been reached on the West Coast for fats. This is, I understand, not so in the South Island, where prices are not the result of stocking new country, but rather for fattening purposes, and when the lambs were fat the works could not take them. LABOUR FOR HARVEST. In some districts it is fairly certain that scarcity of hands will either unduly prolong the harvest or be the means of considerable loss. I am quite satisfied that there arc many in town who would assist, but here again organisation is wanted. The Canterbury district is likely to feel the want more acutely than others. lam firmly convinced, that it’ in the towns a register were opened by the branches of the Farmers’ Union, there are many who would volunteer to leave their occupation for a while to go into the fields to help to gamer the grain, and I think the Union should take steps to bring this before the public in town. One matter in connection with this I should again like to allude to—it is workmen's cottages in the country. The Act is now a very liberal one, and certainly should be taken advantage of. There is no restriction now as to the number of workmen applying before the Labour Department can purchase land for this purpose. The limit is now £250 for land and £SOO for cottage, and it Is eminently desirable that comfortable cottages should be provided. A few acres around them would enable the , workmen to produce most of the food needed for the family. The Labour Department can supply plans and specifications free, and the rent pays off the whole in various periods according to the class of borne required. A considerable sum was appropriated by Parliament, but the war has interfered with the spending of it.

THE REMITS. The following- remits were carried: — ‘’That this conference affirms the fourth plank of the Fanners' Union platform. viz., That native lands which benefit from the expenditure of special and general rates shall bo placed upon the. same footing as European lands so situa.ted, and will continue to urge the Government to move in the direction indicated.” "That tiie Government be asked to acquire each year as much as possible of unoccupied native land and offer it for settlement.” "That the Government be requested to repeal the Urewcra Xative Reserve Act and to throw open for settlement what is known as the Urewcra Country." "That the Government bo requested to put on the market at once all lands already purchased from the natives in the Erewera Country.” “That this conference suggests that tiie Hand Act be so aqiended that where the officers of the Hand Board report that second or third-class Crown lands are overgrown with noxious weeds that the land should be offered for settlement under the following conditions: <1) Applications to be called for those who arc prepared to occupy the land and eradicate the weeds, and (2). a title be issued to him only if at the end of ton years tiie Crown Lands Ranger reports that the occupier has, exterminated the noxious weeds” (Auckland). During the afternoon Mr E. Phillips Turner, of the Forestry Department, delivered an informal address to delegates on Xsw Zealand trees (native and acclimatised) with their uses as timber, weed exterminators, and in other directions. He also spoke on tiie methods of binding and shifting sand fields. The conference then adjourned till tomorrow.