FARMERS’ UNION

Taranaki Daily News, 5 March 1935, Page 2

FARMERS’ UNION

MEETING AT OPUNAKE.

PROPOSAL TO HOLD SHOW.

A meeting of the Opunake branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union was held in the branch rooms on Saturday evening, Mr. W. A. Sheat presiding.

A circular was received from Canterbury Agricultural College regarding permanent pastures. Mr. Tosland said the pasture put down by him in permanent rye seed from the South Island was not up to standard. The discussion showed that rye grass was used extensively in the hay fields in the Opunake district this season. Straw clover, a new fodder to the district, was considered to have made'good growth on pastures at Arar whata and Oaonui.

Reporting on the mortgage corporation meeting at Hawera, the chairman said the corporation would probably take ovei- the State Advances business first and those outside that office would have to wait until there was money available* for advances. The corporation was guarded by the stipulation that advances were made up to about 75 per cent, of the present land valuation.

The farmer in need of the money could not get it. The chairman quoted an instance of a farmer in his district whose farm was sold for £4 per acre under the Government valuation. Mr. Starck suggested that it would be worth holding meetings at Oaonui or Pihama. The suggestion was held over. Mr. Tosland moved that the question of holding a show should be brought up at the annual meeting. This was seconded by Mr. Pirimona and carried. It was decided to invite the Te Kiri officials, Messrs. Agnew and McCarrison, to the next meeting to discuss the proposed show.

During a round table talk on potatoes the opinion was expressed that it was not a good season for the crop. Mr. Starck was the exception. “I have the best crop that I have ever grown,” he said. The farmers present reminded him that he was in the area four and a-half miles up Ihaia Road where rain fell abundantly this season. It was the same with milk, they said. Farmers near the radius line had had the best milking season, but farmers along the coast had had their pastures scorched.