FARMERS’ UNION

Southland Times, Issue 20499, 30 May 1928, Page 9

FARMERS’ UNION

APARIMA BRANCH. (From Our Correspondent.) The annual meeting of the above branch was attended by 20 members, including Mr E. K. Sim, president of the Southland executive. Mr J. Evans occupied the chair. The report read as follows: During the year the branch held four meetings, some of them being very poorly attended. An interesting and instructive address had been given by Mr McGillvray on “Grassland Farming.” Mr C. English, Orepuki, delivered an address on “Taxation” to a large attendance of farmers, and handled his subject in a very able manner. Mr W. R. Harris, organizer for the Farmers’ Union, also gave an address on union matters, including the effort to increase the membership. The order system was fully explained. Two new members were enrolled by Mr Harris. The membership had increased from 56 members in 1927 to 63 for this year. During the year an old member resigned on retiring from farming, and one member defaulted. The death of an old member, Mr E. Henderson, meant a loss to the ranch, and a motion of sympathy with his relatives was passed. The balance-sheet showed a credit of £27 13/9, as against £26 4/- last year. The expenditure had increased out of the ordinary for the past year by voting £5 for a presentation to Mr A. G. C. Glass, founder of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, and £3 to the Canterbury farmers’ fund expenses. There were still a number of farmers within the area of this branch who had not joined up, but it was hoped they would be members in the near future.

The report and balance-sheet were adopted. A motion was carried that the retiring officers be re-elected, these being: Chairman, Mr J. Evans; vice-chairman, Mr J. Muirhead; secretary, Mr W. D. McCully; auditor, Mr J. Muirhead; delegate to provincial executive, Mr J. Evans; delegate to annual conference, Mr W. G. May. An interesting address on a few subjects of interest to farmers generally was given by Mr E. K. Sim, and he was accorded a hearty vote of thanks. A general meeting was held after the annual meeting, at which routine business was dealt with.