FARMERS’ UNION MEETS

Taranaki Daily News, 15 August 1931, Page 15

FARMERS’ UNION MEETS

UNEMPLOYMENT MATTERS.

QUESTION OF MANURE PURCHASE.

The North Taranaki executive of the Farmers’ Union held its monthly meeting at New Plymouth yesterday. -Present: Messrs H. E. Blyde (president), Marsh, M. Nolan, E. Maxwell, B. White, M. G.' Trotter, H. Hunt, R. Dunn, C. H. Sorenson, H. Wright, P. Warren, H. Jones, W. Hall, W. Hargraves, J. F. Phillips, C. J. Harris and J. Paulger.

The Minister of Lands, the Hon. E. A. Ransom, wrote that he did not think the special legislation necessary to rt" introduce the Deteriorated Land Act (to enable lessees of Crown land to obtain manures on the same conditions as heretofore) was warranted. It was considered that the assistance that could be obtained from the Rural Intermed’ate Credit Board and the State Advances Department should meet the requirements of any back blocks Crown lessee who could provide a reasonable assurance that repayment would be forthcoming. There was also the provision for the' remission or postponement of rent in extreme cases, for which concessions applications might be made by any Crown tenant. Many settlers had. been assisted by concessions of this nature.

Concerning the same matter the Ron. A. J. Murdoch, Minister of Agriculture, replied on similar lines. Mr. Hargraves considered they were only side-tracking' the issue. The rural intermediate credit system was too cumbersome. ■ Many, farmers could mot give the security required and the old Act would be better. ’ ? Mr. Trotter considered all the socalled assistance to farmers in procuring manures had been of no use. It was decided to write the Minister stressing these andtether aspects of .'the matter, including those delating-to assistance provided' Tn ■ the old' Act for fencing, bushfelliilg', •ete/, which were mentioned by Air.. Hargraves. UNEMPLOYMENT SCHEME.' The following remit from StratforA was considered: “That a strong procest be made to the Alinister of Labour and the central unemployment committee against the suspension of scheme 4a and at the dismissal of those men now. engaged under the scheme on the grounds that if the men now working are dismissed it will be an injustice to the men, a hardship on the employers, a greater expense thrown on the country and a retarding of production.’’ Air. Hunt said he had received word from the Alinister that there had been a misapprehension over the matter. The position was that men now engaged under the 4a scheme on reproductive work or permanent improvements. would not be dismissed till their term was completed. If the big majority of these men (there were about 9000) were to be thrown out of employment at the end of the month it would create a great deal of hardship by... throwing them back into : the towns. On. the face of the Minister’s reply, there ;-.<was really •no need to go on with'the remit. The Minister had said that While no further men. would be put.on under the scheme those already on permanent improvement work would be continued in employment. The chairman said the board’s idea was that at this time of the year many farmers would ordinarily begin to employ men, and the board wanted to ensure that farmers in a position to employ should do so, instead of taking men under the 4a scheme. It was only fair that the board’s attitude should be explained.

Air. Trotter said that in fairness to the Alinister of Labour they should see that men were put on to productive work. The motion was carried.

Mr. Trotter congratulated the president and secretary (Air. D. Le C. Morgan) on the manner in which they had worked Im connection with the entertainment of the delegates to the N.D.A. conference. He moved a motion in this connection and included other organisations that were responsible for the arrangements.