FARMERS’ UNION

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 64, Issue 4543, 2 March 1942, Page 5

FARMERS’ UNION

THE TE AWAMUTU BRANCH MONTHLY MEETING The monthly meeting <pf the Te Awamutu branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union was held on Friday evening, when, in the absence in a military camp of the President (Mi A. S. Wyllie), Mr Alan Bryant, vicepresident, presided and there were also in attendance Messrs G. R. Lawry, G. Donaldson, C. North, E. Krippner, L. C. Day, C. Fletcher, A. Dagg, C. S. Alexander, J. Rae, A. Tindall, and C. J. Flay (secretary). STORED TOO LONG The stationmaster at Te Awamutu wrote that ten tons of lime had been stored in the Ngaroto flag station goods shed for a considerable time past, and he besought the co-operation of the Union in tracing the owner, otherwise it would be sold. The stationmaster went on to emphasise the necessity of all goods, particularly manure and lime, being removed from such goods sheds with the utmost despatch. Mr Flay said that recently the authorities had had “a clean-up,” with the result that an accumulation of 60 to 70 tons had been removed from the Ngaroto shed. Some farmers had undoubtedly been using the shed for storage to suit their own convenience; that was wrong. Mr North thought such action unreasonable. It was all right to leave manure, etc., in sheds during wet weather, etc., but to use the shed for storage purposes was indefensible. Mr Lawry said a Paterangi farmer had told him that there was some talk of taking the shed away. If it were being used as stated by Mr Flay, they would deserve to lose it. All goods should be carted quickly away. He asked that the stationmaster be advised to advertise for the owner and that, if not claimed, the lime be sold. Mr Alexander seconded the motion, which, on his suggestion, was added to by urging all farmers to remove expeditiously their goods from all railway sheds. The motion was carried. THE LABOUR SHORTAGE As the reply on the point from the Auckland Executive was regarded as not dealing with the question raised, it was decided to send a remit to the Waikato Sub-Provincial Executive asking the Auckland Executive to state definitely what value, if any, the recent questionnaire on the shortage of labour had been to the Union as a whole. CULL COW DRIVE Mr Donaldson, reporting on the cull cow drives instituted by the branch, said that there were 182 cows in the first drive and 197 in the last one. The next drive would take place in a fortnight’s time. The Vice-President stated that in previous years the drive had been a two-day one, but as it was this year impossible to obtain the use of a paddock in Te Awamutu, the collection now took three days, with the result that droving charges would be increased to from two to three shillings. With good big drives, and easy collection, few cull cows on the roads traversed would have to wait a fortnight. By this scheme, the branch was endeavouring to service farmers and keep costs down. The extra day on the road resulted in the cattle getting to the Works in better order. As to cull bulls, it was explained that the Auckland Executive was endeavouring to get the Government to increase the price. The branch would collect these later on, although the question was a big one and the farmer would not get much for them. GENERAL BUSINESS The annual meeting of members of the branch was fixed for Friday, March 20th. A letter was received from Mr S. G. Smith, of New Plymouth, liaison officer to the State Placement Service, regretting his inability to attend and address the meeting as previously arranged, owing to illness necessitating his admission to the New Plymouth Hospital. The Vice-President mentioned the desirability of once again securing the services of Mr H. Johnstone, of the Raglan County, as president of the Waikato Sub-Provincial Executive, stating that he was the ideal man for the job. Mr Lawry endorsed these remarks, saying that Mr Johnstone ’was doing very well as a young man and they should strive to keep him as President.