FARMERS' UNION

Southland Times, Issue 18927, 28 April 1923, Page 3

FARMERS' UNION

ANNUAL MEETING. MORE MEMBERS WANTED. The annual meeting of the Invercargill branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union was held yesterday afternoon, the president of the branch (Mr J. D. Trotter) being in the chair. In moving the adoption of the annual report and balance sheet the chairman stated that it was very pleasing to note that the clouds of depression which were hanging over the whole country twelve months ago had lifted to a great extent and that the financial outlook was very much brighter now. The prices for local produce with the exception of beef had risen and were now at a payable price. Especially did this apply to wool and lamb. The Branch had ended the present year in a good position as far as finance was concerned but the membership of the Branch was not up to a satisfactory standard' and he regretted that there were many wealthy farmers who had failed to join the local branch, notwithstanding the good work which the Union had done for them during the past twenty years. He was of opinion that the Union had done splendid work in the past and there was still plenty of work to be done in the near future. The system at present in force with regard to the valuation of land for taxation purposes was, he considered, very unsatisfactory'. In his opinion a farm should be valued by what it produced and not solely by taking mto account the prices at which one or two farms in a particular district had changed hands for. Mr Trotter also drew attention to the fact that the lectures on subjects of interest to farmers had not been so well at tended as they might have been and this did not encourage anyone to ask the officers of Government Departments to give lectures. There were quite a number of experts such as Mr Alexander of the Agricultral Department, who were only too willing to give what assistance they could to the farming community. It was with deep regret that he noticed Mr Alexander had resigned from his present position and he was sure that his stay in the Southland district had been of immense benefit to farmers generally. One matter in which the Union had been able to do good work during the past twelve months had been with regard to the purchasing of the manures they required at a cheaper rate. In this matter he thought the Union should work in conjunction with the Southland Farmers’ Cooperative Association which was also working in the interests of the farming community generally. The president also referred to the proposed establishment of an agricultral bank in New Zealand in the following terms: —“The Dominion President,” said Mr Trotter, “ is doing his best to have an agricultural bank established and whether he will succeed is not yet certain. The present rate of interest charged for money to farmers is too high and the proposal of the Government to place three million pounds into the Advances to Settlers Office is to be commended.” Mr Trotter in concluding his address stated that the exceptionally high rainfall since the new year had had a very damaging effect on the grain crops of Southland and had in consequence resulted in serious losses to the farmers. Lambs too had also been affected and had not fattened as they usually did, while many of the turnip crops had also failed.” The balance sheet for the year ending March 31 was as follows:—lncome Subscriptions £32, arrears £l2, interest savings bank £1 7s 4d, bank balance 1922 £4 8s sd; total £49 15s 9. Expenditure— Honorarium £2O, petty cash and stamps £2 8s 6d; advertising £2 3s 9d; Dominion and provincial levy £24; bank balance £47 9s 3d, less unpresented cheques £46 5s 9d, leaving a balance of £1 3s 6d. Officers for the ensuing year were elected as follows: —President, Mr J. D. Trotter (re-elected) ; vice-president, Mr F. G. Calvert ; committee—the retiring membere were re-electd ; delegates to Provincial Council, the president and Mr D. Marshall.

Mr Marshall drew attention to the leader published in the Southland Times recently in which it was advocated that the express should leave for the north daily at 6.10 a.m. instead of as at present on alternate days and that the afternoon express should be deleted altogether. He stated that the proposal was not acceptable to the I farmers generally because if such a service were adopted it would mean that the farmer would have to stay in town the night

before his departure and the night after his return from a visit to Dunedin or further north. He accordingly proposed a resolution that the attention of the executive committee should be called to the matter in order to take steps to safeguard the interests of the country people should any change be contemnlated. The motion was accordingly seconded and carried. The meeting also proposed a resolution I to the effect that the railage charges on gravel should be reduced to bona fide farmers to the same rates as paid by county councils, the contention being, that the farmers were using it for similar purposes for improving the roads to those of the countj councils.