N.Z. FARMERS’ UNION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 10485, 19 December 1929, Page 3

N.Z. FARMERS’ UNION.

THE TEMUKA BRANCH. MEETING OF EXECUTIVE. iA meeting' of the executive of the branch of the New Zealand Farmers' Union was held in Mr B. Hughes’s board room on Tuesday afternoon, the following being present: —Messrs A. .1. Davey (president), L. V. Talbot, W. J. Lyon, W. Buchan, A. Bisdee, J. 0. J. Oliver, Geo. Ward, G. J. Gould, W. H. Davey, A. E. Dobson, F. Smith, and the secretary (Mr B. Hughes). MOTION OF SYMPATHY. The president stated that before commencing the ordinary business he wished members to rise, out of sympathy with Mr Arthur Bisdee, who had recently sustained a loss in the death of his son. Members stood in silence for a few moments. VETERINA RY ASSOCIATION. Mr A. Thoreau, secretary of the South Canterbury Executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, wrote stating that it had been agreed to form a Veterinary Association for South Canterbury. He stated that the president (Mr Davey) was familiar with the details. The president said members were familial' with the details of the scheme, which was that those who wished to join were required to pay £1 a year for three years, and for that they would receive the services of the Association’s veterinary surgeon free, plus Is a mile car fee. Me did not know whether the scheme appealed to farmers in this immediate district, but something of the kind appeared to lie wanted in < Timaru. Generally speaking, he thought the farmers in this district were well provided for. Mr Lyon said that he had a mare suffering from blood-poisoning, and Mr A. N. Hancock had attended her with most satisfactory results. Mr Talbot said he did not think the people of this district had much to gain by linking up with the scheme. In reply to Mr Oliver, the president said that he understood it was intended to engage a qualified veterinary surgeon.

The matter was not further discussed. AGIUCULTUII \L PAMPHLETS. Mr A. Thoreau wrote! forwarding copies of four bulletin pamphlets he had received from Mr li. E. Alexander, director of Lincoln College. He stated that these were issued by Hie Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, and ten copies per month would be forwarded for 12s per annum. The president thought the matter could be left to individual members la link' up with if they thought fit. WOMEN’S DIVISION. The president stated that since the branch had last met, he had received a communication regarding the formation of a Women’s Division of the New Zealand Danners’ ,^^ T nion. He noticed that a meeting had been convened for St. Andrews, where it was intended to form a branch. He understood headquarters would be at Timaru. He did not think it would be advisable to proceed with the formation of a women’s division at Temuka just at present, hut it might be wise to get into touch with the division in Tiniaril, with a view to forming a branch here in the near future. He moved that this branch send a letter of goodwill to the Timaru one. This was seconded by Mr Oliver. Mr Buchan said a centre of the division had been formed at Ashburton, and it was intended that > branches should work into that centre. Mr Oliver said that one of the suggestions might be that a women’s division meet here. The motion was carried, and the president said they could leave the matter at that meantime. SALES AT AUCTION. The president said there was one matter he would like to have discussed, and that was the question of the sale of store sheep at auction. He thought the bidder to whom a pen of store sheep was passed, should have the right to know the name of the vendor. At present, the auctioneer would only give the name if it suited him. It would be very much to the advantage of farmers if they had the right to ask for the name of the vendor. Of course, he realised that quite a number of farmers were in the position of having to buy and ■sell where they were told. He thought that if anything were done by this branch, it should be in the direction of asking the Timaru Executive to help them along the lines ho had indicated. Mr Smith asked if the president mea ,o ranl ' c 'I compulsory to have 1110 namc <)f thc vendor

divulged*The pr 'undent thought it would he sunicie-nt ‘”e auctioneer were required to the name if demanded. Mr Ward sa'-id that the name would be given by the auctioneer now if demanded. The president: as a matter of right.” Mr Lyon said the ■trouble was that when a dealer was the vendor J another dealer ran the s’heep up i * a farmer was bidding. tThis was done to make the sale. Mr Dobson said he did not know if their Auctioneers Act in New Zealand was much good. At Home, the last bidder at auction had the right to know the name of the ven'S— dor. In fact, it had to be announced W nl the sale. He knew a case where /' an auctioneer lost his job through .failing to comply with that require-

ment. This was a case where an auctioneer was selling his own sheep, and that, in itself, was contrary to the Act. The matter was taken to the courts, and the farmer won.

The president said he thought it was a pity that something could not be done to remedy a very unsatisfactory state of affairs. He thought farmers had a right to know whose stock it was that they had been bidding for. Mr Dobson said that there were quite a lot of men in Temuka who did their own “trotting” at auction. (Laughter). The president said “trotting” at auction was now illegal. Mr Gould said it was difficult to know how to word a motion which would best meet the position. He did not think it would be necessary to have the name of the vendor announced. It would be quite sufficient if the law were amended so that the last bidder could demand from the auctioneer the name of the vendor, if he wished it. He moved that the South Canterbury Erecutive be asked to take the matter up. and that an endeavour be made to have the .Auctioneers Act amended in the direction of having the vendor’s name announced prior to offering any pen of store sheep. This was seconded by Mr Buchan, who said that the matter should not be tackled in any half-hearted way. The motion was carried. MEAT PRICES. The president initialed a discussion on mo.it prices. He said I hat growers would like io know the prices of lamb lor this season, and what part the Meat Board was taking. There were no schedules ol prices out. He thought it would be a good plan if the Meat Board could supply these’ from week to week, showing to growers what their lamb was worth. At the present, growers did not know what their lamb was north. If they kept hammering away, they might got. some improvement. Mr Talbot thought the Meal. Board should do as was suggested by the president. 11 would ceriainly be a. good thing if they could get that information. Mr Dolison said it seemed Io him that in attacking Ibis lhey were four-bill'-' on a very big subject. 1 he president made the remark that lie did not know what their limbs were worth. The reply Io that was thai their lambs were worth wiiai. von j could gel for them. Growers were , in the hands of a combine, ii went : without saying that their lambs I were worth a great deal more than . they were al present gm I mg io-' • I hem : a mi I lie same a pplicd < o I h" wool that was o-lTered at a act ion i at Timaru the previous da.-.. in fact, the same' applied io any mar- ■ ket. America bad entered into co- i operative selling, and that, to his mind. w::.s a solution of i he difli- . cutty. At present it was those who handled their sluff who were gelting the lion’s share of liie prolit. “I think,” said -Mr Dolison, “that . the time is not far distant when we will be com polled to go out. The > Wheat Pool has shown us that wo . can at least get Is ]»er bush'd more for our wheal than we would other- • wise gel. Sooner or later we w:i. have to try to market our produce to belter advantage.” Mr Smith: ”1 take it. Mr Brest- ■ deni, that your idea, is to .gel tlie information, as regards prices, more prom pt ly ?” The president said that al presold they wore not gelling the information at all. What lie wanted the Meat Board to give them was the actual value. The Board was I not giving them any information at 1 all. They were not getting u’D' !1! " formation as Io the stocks of mnn.-s in hand. Last year the lamb market opened at 10(1 per pound, and igradually went down. Mr Talbot said it was a little bit hard for the Board to say what the ■ position was here, but they shoe cl be aide to get it from the London end. and they should be in a position to distribute that in formal ion. 'Pho information they were getting ■ at present was most unsatisfactory. ' The export firms would only give ■ out what suited them. The president: "The Meat Boaid could give the growers information [ (|iiite independent of what, the ex- : porters arc giving.” ; Mr Talbot moved that Ute Meat Board be asked to give growers re- , liable reports of the approximate j value of meat, for the growers’ | guidance: also figures regarding the | (inanlily in store and afloat. , Mr Dolison: “It. is hoped they > won’t charge us an extra, farthing a pound for doing it. Th'- motion was seconded L'- Mi Smith, and carried. FELICITATIONS. The president said he had mher business Io attend to. and wan’d have to leave. But before doing so, he would like to wish, them all a. happy and a. prosperous New J ear. and that better prices would shortly prevail for wool and lamb. Mr L. V. Talbot ( vice-presid(nt) then took the chair. PARASITE FOR BLOW FLY. Mr Oliver asked if anyone in the meeting had any information relative to the parasite that had been discovered for the blow-11). The chairman: “I presume you are referring to what the Cawthron Institute is doing by way of meeting this trouble?” Mr Oliver: “That is so.” The chairman said they mi".i- apply Io lhe Institute for some information on lhe subject. Mr Oliver said ho knew of some people in South Canterbury who

had got some of the parasites, but he did not know much about it. He understood the parasite laid its eggs on the biow-liy.

Mr Buchan said the insect laid ‘.is eggs on the blow-fly maggot. It was, he understood, possible to get supplies of lhe parasite from the Institute. If Mr Oliver would move in the direction of applying to the Cawthron Institute for a supply of the parasites, he would second the motion. Mi- Oliver agreed-to do this, and the motion was carried. THE WHEAT POOL. The chairman said that since their last meeting, Mr D. H. Paterson and he had attended a meeting of the Wheat Pool. It would be remembered that they had been elected members of the Electoral Committee; and held office for 12 months, the idea being that they keep in touch with the growers, and act as a go-between and assist growers, by way of smoothing out difficulties and helping them. They had had a meeting in Timaru recently, and lie (the speaker) was elected chairman. Perhaps some of the growers were a little disappointed at the Pool having sold wheat at 5/0 Per bushel, but had ■ he’.- held on, they would have had to pay storage and other charges. He expected that the Pool considered it good business to sell. The trouble had been tiiat there were aceiimulations of balances of stocks of wheat held over from previous ve-irs. It was the intention .if the Pool to send out information : : s to stocks from headquarters in future, in i.--,d of from the centres, as hitherto. He thought that would be

cn advantage. The benefits of ;-onipi! ;-.> growers could not lie denied. ;•;<<{ it gave growers an idea how fi-iii'-s were progressing as far as 'lie marketing of wheat was concerned. 'Phis latter was brought about hy a publication which the Pool was issuing, and even if it did | e:i:-h member from 2/G to "/-.

ii would Im money well snei't. and w(o-|ii I-- Hie mean:-: of keeping members in touch witli the work Oi th" Pool. He wanted to impress on m-_ mlo’i's Hie necessity of sending' ((tone any information which was of benolii to growers. All this would n-n-I lo slreiiglli'm the market for D:e next. Iwo years. The hard narl :. was Ilia; those who w’ r - Pool ■ ;-s wen. mill “c:-i r .' ing Hie , ; v. .nml lie did not know a l-i'l 11. | ,i;;j V."ish-’!|> would give t-ium. Mr Sinilh: ‘Could you giv-i u. . 1.1.-II wh- n I.!’-' final w:i- h-up. us ; •; . pitym-ml is (-one- >'m d. will Th:.- i irin a i: -aid lie hid a 1 v--’.'’-a, ii h o in fori ■; I i-.in on -.lie m i’.iect. !!-- -’’i.-I-rsiood. hewev---. ih’.l it . i><- end of :he se i on. ’I- i. cr.-; !>■-■ :•> h<mr mind th:H i... Hou had ' ! ,ii working ■ disadvantage. it ’nd ...|,| |-| P! > | ;i .>i'or.! ■ I was reaUy i’e ’d.v. 11.. would writ- to Messn U'-Plmr- ; ;1| un-i' Mi;liiol‘iiml. " view ’<> th" iii*or’iui•: .Mr Sninh J j-od. .-.I r Bm n: "There are sHU . , . who :i’’e on I lie wrong side of the fom-’e.” ..i,. Dobson: "I-; im'bin.' h-lng '"i I hem 11|! ’ --..ddm-k’.”’ The clmirman srnid that el’Lir: ~,, bain mad-- to get ihem in. ■ I-;,,. ... i ilw:iy-.: JU odd one com 1.. I), I; :ii,y mi inlier of Hie Pool -, ... ... of grower Vho was a mminher. lie would like if he would into tom.-ii witli him. Every now man who came in was eq mil to <wo new inn in i’e’.’s - il was ii’olii’.-i one |o Hie meiiiber-liip, and robbing Hi.- enemy of one. In -r<-ply to Mr Bm-lm-i. Hie eh.ili'onin said that the loss on (lie ship-i-od wheal would he spread over all ;i, e pool members. ii was second-grade wheal that was shin])'’!!, would ihe !'>'« ’■• home cqm.’ly bv growers of first .md si ('ond-'-rad;’ shippers, or only (h ,. one?” asked Mr Buchan. "Pi:! thai way.” said the chair,,i.in, -‘puts a dilfereni phase on the f] i:est : om and 1 am afraid 1 cannot In answer to another question, , lie .-liairmau .ud he kn-w thi’’» (luuriers oi' a million bushels came ;..to 'he Country, bin he could not Sl y -low milch went out- The sliip,.(,r were keeping that informal ion io ihcms'-ives. .\(". (i'i)iis aii’.oiinliii.g ta ■'Y ; > 2s 10d ‘.'ere passed for payment.