ELTHAM FARMERS

Taranaki Daily News, 29 November 1934, Page 6

ELTHAM FARMERS

FIELD COMPETITIONS TO BE HELD. EFFECT OF MEAT EMBARGO. The monthly meeting of the Eltham branch of the Farmers’ Union was held on Tuesday night, Mr. W. P. Jenkins presiding. The president stated it had been decided to hold -field competitions in hay, ensilage and other crops this year provided sufficient interest were shown. Probably the competitions would have to be run in sections representing the various districts. A committee would have to be formed to work up the competitions and obtain entries, and he invited members to prepare crops for the competitions. He referred to the great success of the various field competitions held by other branches. Meetings were suspended till the end of January. Mr. J. Hunger referred to the possibility of farmers suffering by the lifting of the embargo on the export of bobby calf and boner meat when the freezing works were full of stocks, but the president said he understood the embargo was not lifted.

Mr. Hunger: The time will come when the embargo will be lifted and the stock in the freezing works will take the market and the farmer will not get anything. The president said he understood the lifting of the embargo would create competition for farmers’ stock. If the works could sell the stuff in stock and make a profit the farmer should get something out of it. Mr. Cocker said Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., had drawn attention to the matter in the House. Mr. Woodley said he was told that the embargo had been partially lifted.

Mr. Wilkinson said the quantity of meat going into Britain had to be reduced and the cheapest kinds of meat, boners and bobby calves, were cut out. This embargo was put on at the request of the Meat Board. After the prohibition of export an attempt was made to get the industry going and bobby calves were sold at a low price. A request was made by the British Government that one particular firm’s meat in store be allowed to be exported as this firm had contracts to fill and would be involved in heavy damages for non-fulfilment. The Minister of Agriculture would not agree to this but decided in favour of allowing the export of all bobby calf meat in store up to July 12. He thought the position was very unsatisfactory to farmers who had sold calves at 2s per head. How were they to know what was in storybefore July 12 and, what afterwards? * PERSONAL ITEMS. Mr. R. Lee, of the Bank of Australasia, Eltham, is spending a holiday at Tauranga. Mrs. Barry, Palmerston North, is the guest of Mrs. J. D. McKay, Eltham. Her husband was formerly headmaster of the Eltham school.

Mrs. H. Lewis, Cheshire, England, is visiting her son, Mr. R. Lewis, Eltham. Her niece, Miss R. Nixon, who accompanied her on the voyage, is also the guest of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis. They will spend several months in the Dominion.