TEMUKA.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 17946, 3 May 1928, Page 13

TEMUKA.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

FARMERS’ UNION.

The .annual meeting of the Temuka branch of the New /.('aland Farmers' Onion was held on Tuesday afternoon. Mr A. d. JJavey presided over a large attendance. The chairman said that he did not go on the Southland trip, but he understood that some of the members would have something to sayijibout the trip. Mr L. V. Talbot said that the trip had been a great success from every jpoint'of view, and the Canterbury conI tingent was treated most hosiptably. 'mu party numbered ab. ut 750 and an enormous amount' of work was entailed in entertaining and arranging trips, and it was almost impossible to understand how the Southland people nia.ll- - such an unexpectedly large number who took advantage of the trip. He was agreeably surprised with the richness of the province, and he was sure that it had a great, future. He hoped that when the Southland people ca_je to Canterbury they would bo welcomed in a similar manner. He moved that the executive of the Southland Union be written to expressing appreciation of the hospitable manner in which the visitors liad been entertained during the recent visit to Soutli'and. '

In seconding the motion, Mr McFarlane said that they had had a right royal time and the Southland people deserved every credit for the way they conducted the whole trip. The motion was passed with applause. Aitor the president had made a review of the past year’s work (already iuolished), the secretary, Mr 11. Hughes, submitted the statement cl receipts and payments, which showed receipts amounting to V£l29 Ids 6d, which included £26 5s lid cash in hand at the Commencement of the year. The total payments were £BS 2s 9a, leaving a cash balance of £44 IDs 9d. The ba.’.aitce sheet showed liabilities amounting to £26 ss, leaving a net credit balance of £lB 5s 9d. Outstanding subscriptions which were considered good totalled £2O. The president moved, and Mr W. Lyon seconded, the adoption of the balance sheet.

Mr Talbot congratulated the president on his survey of the year’s work. The business of the branch had become more and more important, and this was particularly the case with the pres--1 ent chairman. Mr Ta.bot enquired ii tho branch intended to extend the trading scheme. The president said that plough shares I had been mentioned, but after enquiring, it was found that there was nothing in handling them. Personally, he thought they might make enquiries regarding small seeds. | in reply to Mr Edgar, the president said that the Dominion Executive’s levy was 7s 6d, provincial executive ss, and this left 7s 6d for the local branch out of the members’ subscriptions of ffjne pound. The levies were the same ,in the North Island. Mr Edgar said that the North Island i seemed to be always trying to bear the 1 South Island markets. -Tlie president said- that the North ’island was better organised than the j bouth. . It was up to the South to ii.j'streaigthen their-Union. U Mr'Edgar said that he liad assisted the organiser to canvass the Seadown district for Members and they had got only one refusal. Recently, however, these new members were beginning to wonder what benefit they were getting for their subscription. The president quoted as an example the benefits derived from Tlie insurance scheme. The branch cordially invited tne members to bring tlieir difficulties and problems to the meetings' for discussion. ; , - , . , Mi' Livesev said that he had ordered some binder twine through the Union, but the order was not executed. Several other members said that they had liad the same experience, and the secretary said that he had been notified by "the firm that the orders were sent in too late, and the demand for the twine, had been so great that they could not cope with the orders Mr .Hobson: “Perhaps the merchants got in bol'ore us’’ Iri answer to an enquiry, the secretary said that one order was sent, and tlie price was 7d per lb., less 2$ per cent., and two months’ credit.Mr -Edgar: “That is the merchants’ price. If we can’t undersell them, we are not much good as a Union.” The secretary: “It is the competition of the Union that is keeping tlie price down.” . ' , iUr Edgar enquired if the Farmers Union was responsib’e for tlie recent reduction in the price of manures. The president said that the Union was not entirely responsible, although they had been trying to get a concesgrion for some considerable time, iho reduction was not so much as it might have been. The price in the North island was considerably below that of the South, but this was owing to a cutting the price war. . Several members v'ere emphatic that considering the price of manures elsewhere, a reduction of . 3s 6d was not sufficient in this part or the country, and the Union was advised to continue in their efforts to get a further reduction. . 'file motion was then put and carried. in vacating the chair, Mr Davey expressed his thanks to the secretaiy, executive and to all members for then loyal support during tlie year. On the motion of Mr Dobson, a licartv vote of thanks was passed to Mr Davey for his fine work during the I un the motion of Mr Talbot, Mr Davey was re-elected president ot tho Union. Other officers were elected as : follows :—Vice-presidents, Messrs J. 1 Paterson and L. V. Talbot; executive, ! Messrs R. J. Edgar, George Met ar- ; iano, G. J. Gould, A. E. Dobson, A. - Bisdee, W. J. Moore, W. J. Lyon, ! George Ward, W. H. Davey, J. O. J. I Oliver, D. J. Pemberton, H. C. Laves(ey ana T. Hobson; delegates to provni--i-cial executive, Messrs A. J. Davey, L. V. Ta’bot and J. Paterson; auditor, Mr J. A. Lack. . Mr A. Scott was appointed a hew member. , ■ .- A hearty vote of thanks was passed to the ..secretary for his splendid service during the year. Mr Talbot made reference to tno system of Company taxation, and gave instances as to the Hardship inflicted on co-operative companies by the Present form of taxation. He moved the i following resolution, which was second- | ed by Mr Hobson and caned unanimously :—“That urgent representation ! be made to the Government ns to the burdensome and inequitable nature or , the present Bystem of taxation ot trading and other companies and to its disastrous effects on farmers co-oper-ativc concerns, and that tim Jot)a Member of Parliament be asked to urg~ the Government to recast tho incidence of this taxation so as to .re love tarmamounting to £26 5s 9d were pnssed for payment. BASKETBALL. The official opening of the basketball season will take place in the Domain this afternoon, when the \oung VYomen’s A., B. and C. grade teams wiU play tho High School pupils. Die following will represent tho Young W men’s teams: — „ A. Team —Misses Pat. Dwan, Isj }•» Webb, Lorna Radford; Mary, N\ asli-

ington, Rene Meek/ Isobel Foster; Hazel Goodman, No’a Woods, Jessie Douglas. B. Team : —Eileen McGarva, Cassia Kay, Moira Gibb; Grace Anderson, Winnie Sinclair, Elsie Smith; Nelly Clarke, Rita Hawke, Ivy Jves. C. Team :—-Molly Gale, Edith Smith, Hazel A’lirey; Ron a Davis, Tui Goodman, Marie Cameron; Winnie Ives, Hazel Palmer, Doris Kay. PICTURES TO-NIGHT. Monte Blue will be seen at Temuka to-night in the Master picture, “The Black Diamond Express,” another railroad melodrama. “The Black Diamond Express” is a thrilling story of a heroic engineer and a girl Whose speeding car crashes into his engine; of tho bandits who attack it; and of the' whirlwind of adventures that follow. Monte Blue is magnificent as the engineer, and the cast includes Edna Murphy, Claire McDowell, Myrtlo Stedmari and William Demarest. Entertaining supporting pictures will also be BCi'eenea.