FARMERS’ UNION

Southland Times, Issue 20949, 5 December 1929, Page 12

FARMERS’ UNION

WYNDHAM BRANCH. (From Our Correspondent.) The quarterly meeting of the Wyndham branch of the Farmers’ Union was held in the Oddfellows’ Hall on Saturday evening, Mr R. Arnott (president) presiding over a good attendance. The secretary (Mr S. Shaw) reported that the union’s canvass for the Earthquake Relief Fund brought in a total of £ll6 6/6. The chairman said that it was a satisfactory result. It was stated that Mr Peirson’s lecture on stock ailments had been given, and was recognized as valuable for the practical information imparted. A branch of the Women’s Division had been established at Wyndham, with good results. Mr Smith said that Mr Peirson had further explained his scheme of veterinary insurance to the meetings and the matter had been referred to the executive. The secretary said that Mr D. McLeod, of Edendale, had been asked to be transferred to the Brydone branch, as it was more convenient for him to attend meetings there. He had replied that lie thought that there would be no objections. The secretary’s action was approved. The chairman said that the purpose of the present meeting had been to discuss questions to come before the Provincial Conference, including some sent by the Dominion Executive. River erosion was the first question, and the point was whether any Wyndham farmers were affected. Mr Smith said the object aimed at was ■ to get expert advice from a Government engineer, and that was being pressed for. Ministers were to be interviewed. Mr P. Campbell mentioned the allied question of flood warnings. On a recent occasion the information was belated, the flood occurring before the warning arrived. He had then 300 sheep cut off, and could do nothing.- What he got at a quarter to ten one morning was available at six the night before. The business was badly handled. The question whether the farmer was liable for the pay of the engine-driver on mills had been referred to the committee, which reported that the farmer was not subject to the charge. The question of enrolment of members was another remit, with a proposal to pay branches 6/- for new members and 2/6 for renewals on orders. Some of the orders were running out. The chairman said that the Wyndham branch was the only one financing on 17/6, and there were not many farmers who were not enrolled. Therefore no steps were necessary, he thought. In some districts the return of the Dominion canvasser was thought to be advisable. Questions from the Dominion Executive were next discussed. It was mentioned that the Dominion levy was 7/6 per capita and the meeting was uncertain whether this was a decrease. Mr Shaw said that in an address Mr A. Hamilton had spoken in justification of the various boards, pointing to the active Honey Producers’, Meat Control, and Dairy Control Boards, and maintaining that the Meat Control Board had done splendid work particularly in regard to freights; also that the question of import freights needed looking into to see that what was conceded on exports was not put on to imports. The Noxious Weeds Act was discussed, the chairman mentioning that the law was a dead letter. Gorse and tansy were rampant and past dealing with. If the lav/ were enforced the effect would be to put some farmers off the land. County councils had the power in scheduling noxious weeds, and at any time could be urged to action, but most of the .members were farmers and knew the conditions.

It was decided that the representative be given a free hand in regard to this remit. Land valuation brought forth a good discussion, Mr Campbell remarking that

there was a want of uniformity. Some properties were double in valuation compared with others equal in value. He had observed many instances of the kind on his tour of Southland inspecting farms. Edendale (and Brydone especially) was one of the worst examples, with improved valuations of £3O. If those were correct valuations, then others were not paying their fair share. The last valuation, in 1921, was in the boom time. Mr Shaw instanced his own property which was up 150 per cent., while other parts of Tuturau had not been raised at all. The valuer said he had valued on the basis of prices of produce on the London market, which suggested that the valuation should fluctuate accordingly. The chairman said that some districts were not re-valued in the boom time. Mr J. Smith said the problem was to devise an equitable system. - Mr Lobb quoted a case in which a Taieri farmer had got a reduction of about £6 an acre.

Mr Shaw instanced a property which was a swamp 30 years ago having now an unimproved value of £3O per acre. He thought the unimproved value was something that should be permanently fixed. A clause of the letter stated that a come mittee had been appointed to go into the matter.

The question of an official newspaper for the union found opponents in the chairman and Mr Smith.