A NEW FEDERATION.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 118, 24 June 1914, Page 5

A NEW FEDERATION.

FARMERS' CO-OPERATIVE ASSOCIATION. AN IMPORTANT CONFERENCE. A conference of very great importance was opened in the meeting, room of the New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative Association, Cashel Street, to-day. The conference consisted of delegates from several Farmers' Co-operative Associations and Farmers' Unions in the Dominion, and associations trading in the North and South Islands were represented. The delegates present were: — NORTH ISLAND.

Wellington.—The N.Z. Farmers' Cooperative Distributing Company, Ltd.: Mr A. Leigh Hunt, manager. Hawera. —The Farmers' Co-operative Organisation Society of N.Z., Ltd.: Messrs G. 11. Buckeridge (chairman) and A. Hunter (director). Napier.—The Hawke's Bay Farmers' Co-operative Association, Ltd.: Mr Geo. Kelly (manager). Hamilton. —The Farmers' Co-operative Auctioneering Company, Ltd.: Messrs W. H. Hume (secretary) and J. H. Hume (produce manager). Farmers' Union.—Mr Thos. Moss (president), Mr G. L. Marshall (vice-pre-sident). SOUTH ISLAND.

Christchurch. —The N.Z. Farmers' Cooperative Association of Canterbury, Ltd.: Mr J. A. Pannett (chairman), and Messrs R. Blunden, A. Chamberlain, W. Dunlop, C. J. Harper (executive), J. Allan, Geo. Checkley, Wm. M'Millan, F. Hubbard, J. Cow (directors), E. W. Relph (manager). Timaru. —The Canterbury Farmers' Co-operative Association, Ltd.: Mr J. Talbot (chairman), Hon. J. Anstey, Messrs F. H. Barker, J. W. Twentyman, C. J. Talbot, and Colonel K. M'Kenzie (directors), and Mr J. P. Newman (manager). Dunedin. —The Otago Fanners' Cooperative Association of N.Z., Ltd.: Messrs Fredk. Freeman (chairman), A. J. Webb (director), and Andrew Todd (manager). Oamartt. —North Otago Farmers' Cooperative Association, Ltd.: Messrs J. B. Taylor (chairman), J. R. M'Cullough (director), and B. B. Walton (manager). Southland. — Messrs Hugh Smith (chairman), and H. P. Henricksen (director). Farmers' Union.—Messrs George Sheat, George Gardner, G. W. Leadley, Richard Evans, and H. Neutze. AGENDA. The agenda paper contained the following remits:— 1. Establishment of an Intelligence. Bureau as a medium for keeping associations in touch with the world's markets. —Wellington. 2. Expression of opinion as to what should be considered a Farmers' Cooperative Association. —Wellington. 3. Hire purchase system.- —Hamilton. 4. Federation scheme.- —Christchurch.

5. Dairy produce business, and opinions as to how a federation scheme as proposed would be viewed by the dairy factories of the North Island. —Hawera. 6. Meat business: C.I.F. business versus present system, of selling privately and through yards, and what effect a change of system might have upon our respective stock businesses. —Timaru.

7. Finance: Bank rates of interest on association's accounts. Could a system be set up by which the associations or the proposed federation could temporarily render financial assistance at certain periods of the year?—Dunedin. 8. Saving of exchanges.—Wellington. 9. Income tax on companies' earnings (recently increased from 1/2 to 1/4 in the £). —Napier. 10. Insurance (marine) and freights. —Hamilton.

11. The granting of special concessions in price to Farmers' Union members upon some bulk lines.—Farmers' Union.

12. Land sale business. The evils of exchange transactions—more stringent regulations regarding land brokers' licenses. —Christchurch.

13. Participation of profits by members of the staff. —Napier. 14. Internal systems—interchange of staffs—scheme for uniformity of internal working systems. —Christchurch. 15. Advisability of holding regular periodical conferences. —Wellington. TO-DAY'S PROCEEDINGS. The delegates met this morning at 10 o'clock, and were welcomed by Mr J. A. Pannett, chairman of the local association.

The proceedings were not open to the Press, but reports of the resolutions passed will be supplied. The conference discussed several of the remits, dealing particularly with Nos. 1, 2, and 4. It is understood that the majority of delegates favoured the general principle of federation, and that there is a good prospect of some scheme being brought into effect.

The conference resumed in the afternoon, and will continue this evening. To-morrow, at 9.30 a.m., the delegates will meet at the New Zealand Farmers' Co-op. motor garage, Cashel Street, for a motor run to Rangiora, where one of the association's branches will be visited, and upon the return journey (if time admits) the association's manure works at Belfast and its railway, grain, seed, and wool stores will be visited. The conference resumes at 2.30 p.m. and continues until 5.30 p.m. The chairman and directors of the New Zealand Farmers' Co-op. have invited the delegates to dinner in the Alexandra Hall at 6 o'clock, and afterwards, in the same building, at a social to be given by the staff's musical societv.

On Friday those delegates remaining in Christchurch will be taken by motor to some special points of interest in and around the city, or elsewhere if desired.