FARMERS’ UNION

Timaru Herald, Volume CLI, Issue 22253, 22 April 1942, Page 6

FARMERS’ UNION

Pleasant Point Branch

Annual Meeting

The question of speeding up the delivery of wheat to stores occasioned several meetings of Interested bodies, stated the annual report of the Pleasant Point branch of the Farmers Union, which was presented at the annual meeting. , , . Unfortunately shortage of labour at the stores made the truck position more acute than It would have been normally. Efforts were made to obtain additional labour from the camps, but it appeared that the whole labour position badly wanted overhauling and essential seasonal work organised much better than at present, the report continued. , The co-ordinating of school holidays with the harvest was also the subject of representations from the branch, and there was no doubt that an extension of the holidays did help in the rush period, even although the harvest was considerably later than usual. Farm labour also occasioned considerable work on the local members of the Primary Production Council and. in spite of additional mistakes and difficulties, labour from the camps was made available and, with the co-opera-tion among farmers, the harvest was successfully gathered. Conditions governing the growing and pay-out of linen flax crops was also the subject of representation from the branch, and it is interesting to note that as a result of representations by the Farmers’ Union the Linen Flax Department has given an undertaking to consult representatives of the industry before drawing up new contracts and conditions. The question of the storage of wheat on the waterfront was raised by the branch as far back as September of last year and an offer was made to the Wheat Controller to endeavour to find storage facilities in the country to prevent an accumulation of food supplies at the waterfront. The matter is still being pursued with the authorities. A suggestion from the Chamber of Commerce to advance summer time a further half-hour was definitely opposed. Election of Officers The following officers were elected:— President, Mr R. Crombie; senior vicepresident, Mr F. Clarke; junior vicepresident, Mr R. Blakemore; delegates to provincial executive, Messrs J. Cleland. R. G. Cleland, F. Clarke, R. Blakemore and G. Blakemore; secretary and treasurer, Mr A. B. Struthers: auditor, Mr H. P. Aitken; committee, Messrs D. M. France, J. Cleland, R. G. Cleland, C Ley, W. H. Talbot, P. Westaway, R. C. Kingston, P. D. Roberts, F. Chapman, and C. Roberts.

Concerning the growing of rape, chou moellier and turnips for seed, the following resolution was carried:— ’’This branch recommends that a conference of representatives of growers, merchants and the Department of Agriculture be called to discuss the question of control of the growing of rape, chou moellier and turnips for seed.”