WAIMATE.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 22 June 1926, Page 9

WAIMATE.

| (From Our Own Correspondent.); 5 ALLEGED THEFT. I A young man, a stranger to AYaiI mate, was arrested on Saturday night 9 on a charge that at Ashburton, on I Juno 16th, ho did steal a cheque to the value of £4, and also that at j AVaimate, on June 17th, he did steal | a cheque to the value of £8 9s 6d. [ Accused appeared in tho Court yesterday morning before Mr J. I. Hayi man, J.P., and was remanded to J Timaru on AVednesday next. I HELP FOR YOUNG FARAIERS. | 'At the meeting of the" AVaimate branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ I Union on Saturday, the newly-elected : president (Air A. AV. Barnett) returned thanks for the honour conferred upon him. In the course of his ,re- ! marks ho said tho Union was out to j do its best for all farmers, and would extend full sympathy to every member 1 of the community.. There were many . practical .- farmers in - the Union, to whom young farmers when in difficulty as to rotation of crops or other problems in connection with farming operations could go for advice, which would be willingly given, and he hoped that this would be fully availed of. Tho Union was out to help all. farmers, and I young farmers in particular. LATE AIR CHEVERTON. I In connection with the death of the I late Air AV. F. Clieverton, tho following motion of condolence, moved by tho president (Air A. AV. Barnett), was i carried at Saturday’s meeting of tho AVaimate branch of the Farmers’ Union:—“That this meeting of the AVaimate branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union place on record their appreciation of the work of the late Air AV. F. Cheverton in assisting tho usefulness of the Union and tho welfare of the district, and the great loss sustained through his death.” It was stated that the deceased gentleman had been a member since the formation of the branch, and had done his best for tho Union. Ho had always been reliable and a first-class farmer, and tho district would be the poorer for his loss. FARAIERS’ UNION. AIEETING OF COMAIITTEE. A meeting of the committee of tho AVaimate branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union was held on Saturday, tho president (Air A. AV. Barnett) presiding. A letter was received from the South Canterbury executive requesting support for a remit that the Government be asked to exempt threshing and / chaff-cutting plants from the Motor A'ehicles Act. Air Andrew said that whore traction engines were restricted under regulations from a County Council, these restrictions should be sufficient. Air Alilnc contended that it was another tax on tho farmer, as any tax placed on threshing * plants would be passed on to the farmer.

On the motion of Afessrs Andrew and Alilne, it was decided to support the remit.

Tho South Canterbury executive also wrote stating that it agreed with tho AVaimate branch’s resolutions regarding the appointment of graders and the sizes of cornsacks.

The president stated it had been thought the graders were Government graders, but it had been discovered that they had been appointed by the Chambers: of Commerce. A deputation, of which ho was a member, had been appointed to interview the Minister on the matter.. Air Stndholme said it was an extraordinary state of things that the man buying the goods should inspect them. That system was iiahlo to lead to bribery and corruption. To a question by Air Studholme as to who paid tho salaries of the graders, Mr Barnett stated that the merchants did. Tho Government recommended tho graders. Air Barnett added that the Union was not objecting to any particular grader, but to tho principle. Tho Minister for Agriculture wrote in reply to tho Union’s resolution that the matter of whether or not dumping was being carried on in New Zealand was a matter for tho Minister of Customs,' but that as far as he could see the evidence in regard to dumping was by no means conclusive. The South Canterbury executive asked for an expression of opinion in regard to motor taxation. Mr Barnett said the flat rate was absolutely* unfair. It was not right that a car on tho road once- a week should pay as much as tho ear on the road every day. If a petrol or tyre tax wero adopted it would mean only a nominal registration of os. Mr Barclay said he favoured a tyre tax. A petrol tax would he all right if they could confine..the use of petrol, but petrol was used for other purposes than cars, such as for motor boats, engines, etc. Mr Andrew said in his case petrol was used for lighting purposes.

Mr Barnett said the late Mr Massey had-boon against tho petrol tax, but Mr Coates was in favour of' it.

Mr Hay advocated a straight out tyre tax. Then tho man who used the road would pay for its upkeep.

On tho motion of Messrs Barclay and -Hay, it was decided that the present flat rato be reduced, and that any revenue required to raised by means of a tyre tax. In cohnection with tho letter from the South Canterbury executive regarding the proposed grain growers’ organisation, it was decided to call a public meeting of wheat growers for July 3rd at AVaimate, to discuss the question of forming a AVlieatgrowcrs’ Association.

The resignations of Messrs AA\ Seward and J. T. Anstcy were accepted with regret. The following motion, moved bv Mu G. Barclay, and seconded by Mr 11. Ruddenklau, was carried unanimously: “That a remit bo sent to tho Dominion Conference of the Fanners’. Union, asking the conference to protest to the Government against the present land tax on tho mortgaged farmer, and asking that a fairer system of taxation to those farmers be adopted.”

On tho motion of Mr S. J. Bailey, Messrs AA r . Bell, H. Ruddenklau, S. J. Bailey, and E. Stokes were appointed a sub-committee to further tho poisoning of small birds. Members stressed tho good work carried out against the small bird nuisance two years ago. Messrs Bailey and Ruddenklau complained of the unsatisfactory manner in which grain sacks bad been sown in the past, and the president was asked to bring the matter up at the next meeting of the South Canterbury executive with a view to having the matter remedied. Accounts amounting to £lB 18s 9d were passed for payment.