FARMERS’ UNION

Thames Star, Volume LVII, Issue 15119, 4 January 1922, Page 4

FARMERS’ UNION

NGATEA BRANCH. The Ngatea Farmers’ Union met on Saturday evening. Present: Mr. W. G. Hayward (chairman), Messrs. W. McDuff, W. Schultz, R. Burke, T. G.

Davidson, W. Clare, J. Dawson, S. Phillips, P. Bratlie, A. Douglas, W. Jones, E. Walton, and A. Cleaver (secretary).

THE POST OFFICE. With reference to the matter of the long promised neiv post office for Ngatea Mr McNamara, assistant secretary to the Post and Telegraph Department, Avrote as follows “In reference to your letter of the 24th. ultimo, regarding the post office building proposed to be erected at Ngatea, I beg, by direction, to inform you that it has been decided in vievv of the financial position that the Government Avould not be warranted in incurring the necessary for the building *at present. In the circumstances, 1 requirements aTe to be met temporarily by/the erection of a small building* that will eventually form portion of the larger building. The work of erecting the smaller building Avill be commenced as soon as possible.” The letter Avas received.

MEDICAL AID. The chairman stated that the doctor who had •'been visiting Ngatea once a week had stated Jhafe the visitations were not payable. He would have.to be guaranteed £5 per trip.

Mr. Walton stated that the council could not do more than erect a small cottage hospital. The powers that they, were formerly allowed by the 1 Act of 1908 bad been withdrawn. Mr. Cleaver thought a medical s'oeiation of lome sort should be formed. v Mr. Schultz moved that the matter should be held over. Mr W. McDuff seconded the motion, which was carried. .

BUTTER-FAT BONUSES. Mr. W. McDuff stated that, when in Paeroa recently, he had been told by the branch secretary to the New Zealand Dairy Company that the remainder of last year’s bonus would not be paid owing to the most tuistable state of the home markets at the present, time. Mr. Clare thought/that this could not be done. A contract could not be broken. It bad been stated on the balance-sheet that a further bonus would assuredly be forthcoming.

Mr. Davidson said that the company was withholding the bonus to enable it to keep up the prices that they were paying -out for butter-fa* supplied to butter factory suppliers. The cheese suppliers were being paid the bonus. He would suggest, that the company should send representa- • fives to attend a meeting of suppliers at Ngatea. Mr. McDuff moved that the secretary should write to the manager of the Dairy Company regarding the bonus to butter factory supplier’s which had for so long been withheld.