FARMERS’ INTERESTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 February 1926, Page 16

FARMERS’ INTERESTS.

USWIN EXECUTIVE MEETS. ENGLISH BOY IMMIGRATION, TYPE OF LAD CRITICISED. The North Taranaki branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union met at New Plymouth yesterday. Present: Messrs. A, S. Hides (president), W. Hall, H. O. Sampson, J. A. Kurth, S. Vickers, C. J. Harris, H. E. Blyde, and J. B. Simpson. At the request of the immigration committee of the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce, Mr. S. Vickers was appointed as the representative of the North Taranaki branch of 'the Farmers’ Union on the committee. The appointment gave rise to considerable discussion on the type of boy being brought out by the chamber. Mr. Biyde considered that it was more desirable to have boys of the typo that the Salvation Army were bringing out, boys who were suited to be farm hands. The .boys at present being brought out by the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce arrived with the intention of becoming farmers later on, and in many cases were educated more than the farmers to whom they were allotted. This sometimes made them feel strange in the farmers’ household. Mr. Vickers discussed the chamber’s arrangement by which the boys forwarded confidential reports regarding how they were progressing and- enjoying themselves. It was not fair on the farmers, he said, who were placed in an invidious position. The boys’ letters came, as it were, “under the rose,”, and farmers were “judged, classed and sometimes damned" without having an opportunity of stating their point of view. Farmers were often not polished in manners and learning, and educated boy» lost their respect at once. Air. Hicks agreed that the chamber was bringing out only one class of boy, and lie thought it would be 'better if other classes of the type of the Salvation Army boys were brought out.

Air. Hall said that he did not want to belittle the work of the chamber, but lie thought that it looked at the matter from only one point of view. The farmers who were to receive the boys had not been consulted with regard to its scheme, and he wondered what the chamber would think if the farmers brought out boys for the members of the chamber without consulting the latter. SMART ROAD LOADING BANK. With regard to the loading bank at Smart Road station, the Railway Board wrote stating that from enquiries made it considered that the 'bank was not long enough for normal requirements, it considered that the bank was long enough for normal requiremeits, although it was recognised that on the occasions of the Taranaki agricultural show, when a number of waggons of live stock were dealt with, the accommodation was rather inadequate. It was considered, however, that as the extension would be used only twice a year, the expenditure invovled in lengthening the bank was not warranted. If, however, the agricultural association considered that an extension was necessary, and was prepared to pay half the cost ( £25), the department would undertake the work. The estimated cost of extending the bank to accommodate three waggons was £5O. Writing with regard to the branch’s application to have hedges and gorse on the board’s railway reserve near the Egmont Road railway crossing cut back or trimmed regularly, the secretary of the Railway Board stated that there crossing, nor was there any on adjoining was no gorse on railway land near the private land obscuring the view of the crossing.

Cr. Vickers explained that the Taranaki county inspector had been instructed to make a report to the next meeting of the council on the obstructions at all cross roads and railway crossings, with the object of having all these cleaned up.—-'lt was decided to draw the attention of the inspector to the crossing under discussion.

NOXIOUS WEEDS PROBLEM. In connection with the .movement against noxious weeds, the president reported that deputations had already waited on the Taranaki, Clifton and Egmont County Councils, and support had been received in each case. Personally, he favoured county control, although there was a deal of opposition to the scheme in some quarters. He understood that the whole question of noxious weeds eradication would, be discussed at a meeting of the Taranaki Counties’ Association to b.e held shortly. Advice was received from the Dairy Produce Control Board on various matters vital to the farming community. It was stated that arrangements had been made to secure educational films for the advertisement of the dairy industry, and already 4000 feet of film had been taken. Negotiations were now almost completed for securing a national brand for New Zealand product, and it was hoped that in the near future a national brand would duly be registered. The board had taken up the question of Canadian duty with the Government, in view of the fact that Australia had made certain arrangements for preferential butter tariff. Exactly similar arrangements had since been made for New Zealand produce.