OPUNAKE FARMERS’ UNION

Taranaki Daily News, 2 May 1933, Page 12

OPUNAKE FARMERS’ UNION

ANNUAL MEETING OF BRANCH. PLANS FOR RELIEF OF DISTRESS. The annual meeting of the Opunake branch of the Farmers’ Union was held on Saturday afternoon. The president (Mr. J. D. Conaglen, junr.) presided over a good attendance; A vote of sympathy was passed to Mr. Shepherd. The branch notified the Egmont County Council that it was intended to write- to the Minister of Agriculture in reference to providing legislation giving councils power to pay a bounty for the destruction of rabbits.. This was also, made a remit to the provincial annual meeting. . The secretary of the South Taranaki provincial executive notified that the Opunake proposal for a cattle drive for the relief of distress had been left to Mr. T. G. Ham. ■ ■, ■ Mr. Julian said the executive seemed to miss the spirit of the proposal. Mr. Pettigrew said he thought they understood the import of the proposal but somehow the idea had faded out. The balance-sheet showed a credit balance of £23 Ils 7d. ,

The president in his annual report stated that there were 62 financial members, against 73 last year. The district organiser (Mr. Blomfield) obtained 11 new members. Two lectures were given during the year, one by . Mr. W. E. Hall, general manager of the Pihama Dairy Co., on milk grading and improved milk supply and the other by Mr. J. M. Smith on the ten acre farm scheme and farm cottages for the relief of unemployment. Some of the activities during the year were bringing under notice of members the employment of free labour for the eradication of noxious weeds. Farmers were unable to take full advantage of this owing to the Egmont County Council s failing to co-operate with the transport of the men. Further representation should be made to the council again with a system minimising the abuse of the scheme. The rabbit menace was also given particular attention. A deputation of two members, Messrs. C. R. Julian and A. Allan, received a sympathetic hearing from the counciL

RELIEF CATTLE DRIVE. An endeavour had been made to hold a cattle drive for the relief of distress in that district. It had not had the support it merited owing to farmers failing to realise their duty in this respect. It was admitted primary producers were in a serious condition financially, but they had at least plenty of food and in most cases sufficient fuel and the farmers of NewZealand should be able to tell those in distress that they would do their part in the alleviation of distress. The branch would co-operate in the organisation of relief in Opunake and surrounding district and some system should be put into operation at once. In moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet Mr. Conaglen made an appeal to assist the distressed. Children under present conditions, he said, could not be getting sufficient milk and sustaining foods; The farmers must assist one another and show the people they had no sympathy with the antipathy between town and country. Any help that could be given should be given. He suggested that the branch should urge , the chairmen of the Egmont County Council and the Opunake Town Board to call a public meeting and set up an organisation for distribution of relief. Mr. Tosland, seconding the motion, referred to the remarks by the .chairman on the county council’s failure to make use of the unemployed. He would not, he said, be in favour of the county lorries carting unemployed 15 or 16 miles a day to grub gorse for the lazy fanner, while other farmers close at hand grubbed their own noxious weeds. The Parihaka block, which was in the worst state, could only be cleared by men with capital taking up the land. The poor man could not finance the number of sheep required to keep it clear of weeds and putting on a milking herd only increased the noxious weeds trouble. Messrs. Julian, Pettigrew, Shepherd, Young and Sheat said there would be no difficulty in getting the farmers to cooperate in giving towards the relief of distress in kind.. The idea was to have the live animals railed to a works and slaughtered and stored for regular dis-, tribution. The drovers and slaughtermen, they believed, would accept in lieu of wages meat or other products and the railway department would assist in railing the stock free. The report and balance-sheet was adopted. The sum of £5 was donated to tne Opunake branch of the Red Cross Society. It was stated that the Womens Division could, be assured that the branch would assist them in their work. The meeting unanimously adopted the proposal that a public meeting be called by the chairmen of the Opunake Town Board and Egmont County Council to discuss relief measures. Mr. Tosland was appointed to interview both chairmen. Messrs. Julian, Tosland, the president and secretary will represent the branch at the public meeting. REMITS DISCUSSED.

Remits created a good deal of discussion on both sides. The following remits were endorsed: That the Dairy Control Board be asked to make a definite cut in salaries and an economic revision in expenditure; that county councils be given legislative power to expend money by bounties in the initial suppression of rabbits; that the Noxious

Weeds Act be amended to give control in suppression of weeds to a central local authority such as county councils. The remit to ask the Dairy Control Board to cut down its administrative expenses effectively was proposed by Mr. R. Julian. He mentioned that the board cost about £41,000 and was not giving the industry by any means this value. The payment of £ll,OOO for herd-testing should be cut out, because herds were giving more fat than could be incorporated in the produce. Advertising, which cost £6OOO, was a waste. It had not increased consumption. A certain amount of rubbishy produce was allowed op the market and nullified advertising. Research, costing £5OOO, only put them into' the “mess” they were in instead of getting them °Ut of it. He would like to see the whole thing abolished. Mr. Petty seconded the motion. ' Mr. .Tosland in support said he would like to see the National Dairy Association in the position it previously was. The farmers, he said, were on the bread line and the costs by control administration were wasteful. The chairman said the farmers pressed io have the board set up. Now they wanted to put the board out. There must be some controlling authority. All the salary payments were' well earned if the board members stood up to all the criticism they met. When the industry was flourishing the board did good work in getting reduction in freights and insurance. He' was of opinion it might have done more in exploring fresh markets. He warned .members that the quota system was inevitable .in the future. .• ■

Mr. Pettigrew said he had never favoured the setting up of the Control Board but he would not now support its abolition. They had to have some controlling authority. He was aware that some of the expenditure mentioned by the proposers could be effectively reduced.

Mr. Tosland in reply' to the chairman said the reduction of insurances and freights would have come about without the Control Board. They were overdue. It was no use looking to the eastern markets. There was not the finance necessary. Mr. .Goodfellow amply demonstrated this. It was America—the white population they must look to. Reciprocal trade treaties were needed. Mr. Sheat said he did not see any real value in the one concentrated outcry against the Control Board over a reduction of salaries when the dairying industry could save many thousands of pounds by removing the parasites they were carrying on their, backs. They had about 30 buyers where only one was necessary, half a dozen banks instead of: one, and scores of insurance companies when insurance could be r effected by, one. It was wider vision the farmers required.

Mr. Shepherd said every country had tariffs against it, .VfW, Pf 1 ) 6 . 1- ? .W- - no money to purchase goodp. He would not support the remit. The election of‘officers resulted:’President, Mr. W. A. Sheat; vice-president, ME J. S. Tosland;’ secretary, *’Mr. A. Allan; auditor, Mr. C. O. Edmonds; delegates to annual meeting of executive, Messrs. Julian and Tosland. The secretary was vpted an honorarium of £4 4s.