The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. TUESDAY, MAY 26, 1914. FARMERS' UNION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 29, 26 May 1914, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. TUESDAY, MAY 26, 1914. FARMERS' UNION.

At the opening of the Farmers' Union Conference in Wanganui to-day, the President (Mr J. G. Wilson) delivered an interesting address, in the course of which lie reminded farmers that things have gone well with them this year. Crops have been fair and returns good, and wool, which a few years back scarcely paid too good in the back country, is fetching surprisingly high rates. Mr Wilson expressed the opinion that the disturbances of trade caused by so many strikes of a serious nature, and the Irish question which has dominated British politics for so long, would have checked the rise in prices, but it now seems that there must have been another reason for the increase and that the demand has overtaken the supply.

Regarding the increase of cattio which has been very largo of late years, Mr Wilson attributed it particularly to the extension of dairying, though he pointed out that the dairy farms tend to diminish in size and sheep farms to increase, the lattor for the reason that it means very little more work to look after a thousand sheep than it is to look after fivo hundred, while, on the other hand, farmers give up dairying and tike to sheep-farming, because the latter, while not quite ao profitable, gtvss a freer life, milking being a great tie. Speaking as to education, Mr Wilson expressed the opinion that unless some steps are taken over Preparatory Schools, our Agricultural Colleges will not give the results which. are expected of them. At an Agricultural College it is a waste of money to teach elementary work which should he done before the student goes there, and he looked forward to the lime when Agricultural High Schools would prepare students and partially train their minds. With regard to N T aw Zealand dairying operations, Mr Wil-

sou remarked that they seemed to bo us flourishing as ever. It is predicted that our exports for the twelve months concluding at September 30th will have reached the twenty-three million pounds limit. If this is so. it is another triumph for the farmers of New Zealand, for the whole population benefits by this activity. Amongst other matters dealt with Mr "Wilson expressed the view that farmers ought to own most of the freezing works of the Dominion, and that the trade would be more easily controlled and produce better marketed under such circumstances. This at anyrate ought to be encouraging to those who are promoting the establishment of farmPis' freezing works in Central Taranaki.