FARMERS’ INTERESTS

Taranaki Daily News, 2 May 1935, Page 8

FARMERS’ INTERESTS

ALTON-KAKARAMEA UNION. APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS. Despite an increasing membership and a healthy organisation there was a poor attendance at the annual meeting of the Alton-Kakaramea Farmers’ Union branch at Whenuakura. on Monday. A credit balance of £l2 12s was reported, the membership being. 72, an increase of five. . The chairman, Mr. A. B. Muggeridge, in a report stated that the sustained membership and healthy finances were, considering the difficult times, an indication of the esteem-members held for their union. The ensilage competition had been well patronised considering adverse weather, the branch funds benefiting by. £4 17s 6d. The pig demonstration staged at the Patea works was well attended and the knowledge gained would be of material assistance to pigowners, with a resulting improvement in pork and bacon qualities. An address by Mr. P. O. Veale on milk quality, illustrated with - lantern slides, had been outstanding among the year s fixtures, and financial benefit to producers could not fail to result from the application of the advice and information given. He thanked those who had given him support during his first year of office. Mr. Oakley for presiding in his absence and the capable and diplomatic secretary, Mr. A. Tayler. The chairman urged greater attention to pork and bacon production and quoted from a letter written by Sir James Parr, High Commissioner, to Mr. Wright, of Amalgamated Dairies Ltd., stating that the gammon sent to friends of his had been the best he had tasted. There was a great scope for this branch of the dairying' industry in Great Britain, of which New Zealand ■ farmers had a chance of obtaining a good share. In a discussion of the report Mr. Oakley stated that there was something wrong when only 10 members out of 72 could attend an annual meeting! The chairman replied that the position was similar to' that at most branches, it being difficult to get members to attend meetings. As far as he was concerned personally he was willing to put in as much time as possible without damaging his own interests. He complimented Mr. H. Parsons on his work in organising the lecture given by Mr. Veale. Officers were elected as follows: President, Mr. A. B. Muggeridge; vice-presi-dents, Messrs. H. Parsons,- P. Oakley and J/ Prout; secretary, Mr. A! Tayler; auditor, Mr. J. D. Proffitt; delegates to conference, Messrs. W. Parsons and. C. R. Honeyfield; members of executive, Messrs. W. Parsons and A. Tayler. The chairman invited suggestions for remits for submission to the annual conference. He drew attention to the legislation placing the right to vote for members of the Dairy Board in the hands of chairmen of dairy .companies, which he considered to be wrong. With regard to the Mortgage Corporation Act he thought Mr. Polson was to be commended on his action. The present Government’s attitude to reciprocal free trade with Britain was a. wrong one, Mr. Muggeridge contended, and he quoted recent utterances of Lord Bledisloe in support if his views. It was claimed that it took £250 worth of goods in Britain to bring £lOO worth of goods to New Zealand, a state of affairs that was bad for all concerned. A new political party was in favour of a free trade, reciprocity. The foot and mouth danger had resulted in opposition to stock importations, despite Lord Bledisloe’s assurances that there was no danger. The Pig Breeding Association was practically unanimously in favour of the removal of the present embargo, Mr. Parsons stated. It was decided that a remit advocating the support of reciprocal free trade jvith Britain be sent forward.

The proposal to forward a remit recommending a removal of the embargo on oversea stock was carried on the casting vote of the chairman, the branch delegates to have a free hand in voting.. The influence of the use of Maori signs and emblems, together with native factory names, on the marketing of foodstuffs so marked was also considered, and the secretary was instructed to place the views of the meeting before tb Dairy Board. It was decided to hold the next annual meeting at Alton.

Details of an educational week for young farmers was received from the Feilding Young Farmers’ Club, and advice that a similar school would be held at Hawera if sufficient support were forthcoming was submitted by the South Taranaki Herd Testing Association.

FOOTBALL AT NORMANBY. MID-WEEK CLUB .FORMED. A meeting of those interested in forming a Wednesday football club was held at Normanby recently, when it was decided to form a club and take part in the Wednesday matches. Officers elected were: Patron, Mr. P. J. Linn; president, Mr. T. H. Grey; six vicepresidents; club captain, Mr. J. Minnhinnick; coach, Mr. Ray Williams. Mr. H. Anderson was appointed to act as secret tary till the next meeting. Messrs. J. Greig, A. Duggan, H. Hughes, W. Broughton, J. Minhinnick and R. Tippett were appointed a social committee to arrange gatherings to raise the necessary funds for the club.