FARMERS’ UNION

Southland Times, Issue 19458, 24 January 1925, Page 7

FARMERS’ UNION

SOUTHLAND EXECUTIVE. YESTERDAY’S MEETING. The Southland branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union met yesterday, Mr A. McKenzie taking the chair. There were also present Messrs G. P. Johnston, R. L. Byars, H. E. Bacon, D. Dickie, T. Major, J. McLeod, E. Sim, J. Smith, J. Crampton, T. Linscott, R. Arnott, H. Milliken, W. Harrison, J. D. Trotter, P. Arnott, J. R. Eades, R. Sim and J. Carnegie Gardner. Prior to the meeting a motion of sympathy for Mr and Mrs W. J. Martin in their recent bereavement was passed. EARLIER WOOL SALE. Mr J. D. Trotter, in referring to the minutes, said the Union should take a decided stand in connection with an earlier wool sale. If the matter was not attended to Southland would lose rhe wool sale altogether. Mr R. Byars suggested that the brokers should be induced to move in the matter. Mr R. Arnott stated that the matter really affected the Union but little, as the farmers would always send their wool where ’he price was best. The matter was held over for the time being. CREAM GRADING. Mr P. Arnott introduced to the meeting Mr F. Waite, Vice-President of the Otago branch, and in view of his presence in Invercargill the Dairy Committee retired to discuss the question of compulsory grading of cream. The Wool Committee also retired. CORRESPONDENCE. The secretary of the Woodlands branch wrote expressing the sympathy of the branch with the effort to establish earlier wool sales.—Received. The secretary of the Limehills branch wrote stating the improvements in the system of stock railage at Lumsden which his branch had discussed.—The letter was received. The Southland County Clerk wrote intimating that the Council was taking action in the matter of summer tracks on roadsides and gorse growing on roadlines.—The letter was received. TREE PLANTING. J. S. Dick, secretary of the Southland League, and Mr C. M. Smith, of the Forestry Department approached the Union on the matter of shelter belt planting for fanners. Mr Dick, in introducing Mr Smith, stated that the League was interested in the matter from a provincial point of view, and was anxious to see the farmers associated in the matter. Mr Smith, in outlining the scheme, suggested a tree-planting association among farmers with the object of purchasing trees and material in bulk. Mr Dickie said there were many objections to the proposal, notably the rabbit pest, and the prohibition of belts on road boundaries. The matter was held over until the next meeting. DAIRY MATTERS. In reporting on the result of the Dairy Committee’s meeting, the Chairman placed before the Executive the following motion: “That this meeting asks the Minister of Agriculture to instruct the officers of the Dairy Division to exercise the powers they have, and condemn all milk and cream that is unfit for human consumption.” The motion was passed unanimously, members expressing dissatisfaction at the laxness of inspection at present. UNION SUBSCRIPTIONS. Considerable discussion arose out of the Dominion Executive’s proposal to increase the subscription to 30/- in order to cover the cost of issuing the Farmers 4 Weeklyfree to each member. Messrs J. D. Trotter, J. Carnegie Gardner, P. Arnott and others strongly opposed the proposal, stating that in their opinion the increase would cut the membership in half. Mr Johnstone said that the increase was not drastic and, as the proposal wzk almost sure to be carried, the branch should make the best of it. Mr Crampton moved that the delegates to the New Zealand Executive be instructed to use their own judgment in the matter. Mr Trotter moved that as the increase would have a serious effect, the delegates be instructed to vote against the proposal. The amendment was carried by 9 votes to 8.