FARMERS’ UNION ACTIVITIES

Taranaki Daily News, 18 April 1932, Page 9

FARMERS’ UNION ACTIVITIES

ANNUAL MEETING AT HURWORTH. There was an attendance of -about 20 members at the first annual meeting of. the recently-re-organised Hurworth branch of the Farmers’ Union, which was held in the Hurworth Hall on Saturday evening, Mr. R. Gilbert presiding. As the branch had been functioning for only a short time there was no annual report to present, the president remarking ' that one function had been held.

Officers w'ere elected as follows: President, Mr. R. Gilbert; vice-presidents, Messrs. R. Word arid F. Baker; committee, Messrs. H. Farmer, C. Blizzard, W. Adlam, E. Pepperell, Geo. Adlam, T. Megaw, S. Lovegrove, J. McGiven and J. Kingston; honorary secretary a.nd treasurer, Mr. R. Adlam; delegate to the provincial conference, Mr. F. Baker. Mr. D. Le Cren Morgan, provincial secretary, congratulated the branch on the officers and committee it had appointed. Live branches were the keystone of the superstructure of the union, he said. He urged the district to take up the competitions seriously. At Urenui, a very keen branch, it was claimed that because of the competitions there was only £22 outstanding in rates in the Urenui riding of the Clifton County. Competitions were certainly responsible for farmers improving their methods of farming, because they applied what they had learned. He particularly stressed the value of the hay and ensilage competitions. In the past some branches had given local prizes, but the majority had decided, in view of the financial stress, to cut out the local prizes and reduce the entrance fee to a minimum of 6d.

The Government were introducing many economies and included in them was the cutting out of the telephones at' the departmental officers’ homes. He considered this was a mistaken policy as it was frequently impossible for a farmer to get into communication with the departmental officer at his office in the daytime. Disconnecting the telephone would not actually result in any cash saving to the department as it was merely a book-transfer from the Agricultural Department to the Post and Telegraph Department. Moreover, by cutting out these telephones the department was losing toll revenue. Replying to a member' Mr. Morgan said that in North Taranaki the membership had increased enormously, and was holding its own in the Dominion generally. Numerous entries were received for the hay and ensilage competitions. It was decided to secure a cup for the hay competition to bo won three times in succession or four times at intervals.