FARMERS' UNION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8203, 6 August 1906, Page 5

FARMERS' UNION.

MASTERTON BRANCH. ADDRESS BY THE PROVINCIAL ORGANISER. A meeting of the Masterton Branob of the New Zealand Farmers' Union was held on Saturday, in the Masterton A. and P. office. Mr W. Perry presided, and there were about 15 members present. Mr Fowler. Organiser for the Wellington Provinoe,delivered an address on matters relating to Farmers' Unions. In the course of his address he said that his work in the Waiiarapa had, so far, met with considerable success. He had commenced at Eketihuna, and travelled the whole district as far back an Alfredton, then on to Te Nui, and all the surrounding country to Te Wbarau, then down the coast to Martinborongb, taking all the districts in the South Wairarerpa on the east side of the Wairarapa L&ke. Subsequently he - visited Featherston, Greytown and Masterton. He had succeeded in amalgamating the Kopuaranga and Rangitumau Branches with a membership of about 40. He had formed new branches in various parts of the Province, and had re-argauisad others, estimating the total number of new members at 400. He mentioned that farmers sometimes took a meroenary view of the Union, and unless they were ensured 1 a return of £1 for every 5s uutlay they would not join the Union. Farmers should take a broader view of things. As a class the farmers were most disunited in the colony, and they appeared too much inclined to go their own way, and too disinclined to trust each other. The sooner tnis feeling was done away with the sooner would the farmers through the Union reaoh their proper place iu the affairs of the colony. They could take a lesson from the Trades' Uounoil in] the matter of organisation. In Germany the farmers were doing what the Executive Council of the Union were trying to do in New Zealand. In Germany the farmers were getting manures, machinery, implements and all farm • requisites at a greatly reduced price. He mentioned that the Marton Branoh, of which he was a member, had made arrangements to "pool" orders for grain, saoks and binder twine, thus securing these articles at a much cheaper rate. The earn'* had been done with sheepdip and wool packs, the saving in the former article being about 15s per case. The Wanganuj Branch had made advantageous arrangements with an ironmongery firm and the reduction in goods through this arrangement ranged from 10 per cent, to 20 per, cent. He thought that if other branches could make such arrangements Masterton could do the same. He thought, however, that the commercial benefits to be derived by the Union could be extended on a much'larger basis, for instance, in the matter of securing wool packs and grain sacks direct from Oaloutta. If the various branches in the Wellington Province "pooled" their orders, aggregating probably between 50,000 and 60,000 wool paoks, and imported direct, the middleman's profits would be saved, and the goods would be obtained at the cheapest possible price. He referred to the advantages to be derived in connection with the Farmers' Mutual Insurance Oompauy, and he believed that by judioious management the farmers would suooeed in getting their fire insurance for about 4s or 5s per cent, instead of 10s per cent, as at present. He urged the members of the Masterton Branch to take every opportunity to obtain visits from the experts connected with the various Government departments. Mr J. O. Cooper stated that he was of opinion that steps should be taken to have an experimental State farm established at Pahiatua, or in some other part of the district on the same lines as the farms at Levin and Momahaki. This matter had oome before the recent conference at Pahiatua, but a motion dealing with the subject was rejected. He believed that the farmers on the other side of the ranges were obtaining a great deal of practical knowledge by visiting these farms. One, he thought, could bo advantageously established in the Wairarapa. Mr J. 0. Cooper gave a brief resume of u the business done at the recent conference held at Pahiatua. He said that it was the most successful conference held in the Wellington province. The number of delegates present (52) was the largest in the history of the conferences. They represented the largest number of members (2,400) ever on the books of the Union in the province, being au increase of 400 over the previous year. He attributed this success to the better system of organization. . He mentioned that the Hon. TV Y. Dunoan and Messrs Ross and Hornsby, M's.H.R., were present during the whole of the sitting, and he had no doubt that these gentlemen would be the farmers' friends when matters concerning the farmers came before the House. A gratifying feature of the conference was that there were a larger number of young delegates present than he had noticed previously. This, he thought, iudioated that farmers were waking up to the proper sense of their responsibilities. The question of Land Tenure had been taken up with greater enthusiasm than previously. Associated with this was the movement to obtain farmers' representatives on the Assessment Court, without whom, said trie speaker, the farmers would never get just settlement. The question of the education of country children was also keenly discussed. It was claimed that country ohildren should be granted the sttma privileges r as town ohildren as far as ' secondary education was concerned. It was contended that until the question of education wbb properly settled there would always be a reluctance on the part of farmers to settle In the back blocks, and thus sacrifice the education of their children. County franchise was another matter touched on by the speaker. There was an agitation for Parliamentary franchise in all oouuties, whioh means Don ratepayers having the same voting powers as ratepayers. He • claimed that it was tnani-

festly anjo.it find absurd to allow a non-ratepayer tu have a vote,, especially on the question of speoial loans, to which He did not. contribute anything, and in the. election of|oounoillorß who administered the funds of the ratepayers. Inl the tariff questi-in the Union practically represented freetraders, but if there was any preference to be extended it should be] extended, to New Zealand's best customer, England. The co Terence thought that farming produce should be exchanged free of duty between* New Zealaud and other countries. In the matter of importation of iaiplemerits, the farmers, while recognising that local manufacturers should be encouraged, desired to obtain their implements on the best possible terni3. Certain classes or machinery oou'd only be prooured from America. They did not wanb to see a prohibitive duty put! on: importations from America, but if at any time it was found that local manufacturers were being "squashed," the farmers would, no* doubt, bo prepared to support local produolious. The Chairman heartily supported the proposal, and [be moved "that this Branuh considers that the time has arrived when au experimental farm should be established Ly the Government in the district,, and that a • circular be sant to all the branches of the Union in the Waiiarapa, the M3Bterton A. and P. Association, the Waiiarapa P. and A. Association, and the Master ton and Carterton Chambers of Commerce, asking for their co-operatioo in the matter." Mr D. McGregor seconded the ' motion, and in d' ing so said that the farm should be situated in the district according to the climate and ! class of experiments to be carried out. The motion was carried unanimously. At the conolusion of the meeting a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Messrs Fowler auk Cooper for their addresses.

Tubing and chemical utensils are now made from magnesia in a German factory. The apparatus looks like that from ' baked porcelain olay, and it is uot cracked or otherwise injured by sudden beating* The temperature may be safely carried up to 3,170 F. The Rosewill Settlement has turned oat a very successful, one, says the Lyttelton Tmes. Of the value placed upon their holdings by some of the lessees, the following is a good example:-—A farm of over 400 acres is in the market. On it there are very few improvements, the house being of small value, and for the goodwill £1,700 is asked. The sum of £1,300 has been recused. A significant fact is recorded by the health officers at Battersea, England, where it was fonnd that on comparing the death-rates of. all the slams, one of the worst slums came out almost the best. It was discovered that the reason was that the houses were si bad that few of them had whole doors and whole windows. The disastrous effect the earthquake had on the unions in San Francisco may be inferred from the Coast Seamen's Journal of May 2nd, wfaiob says:—"Of the total strength of organised labour before the earthquake—numbering about sixty thousand men and women—probably not more than one-third may hope to secure employment now or in the near future." Madame Dupnis, Belgium's oldest inhabitant, died early in June, in the village of Ohapelle, a Red 105., Madame Dupuis, who lived in the same farmhouse for 92 years, was. said to be the only living witness of Napoleon's fligni on June 18tb, 1815. when, as a girl of 14, she followed the sound of the cannon, and reached the field of Waterloo during the final, oatastrophe. Her I two surviving sons are both octogenarians. The Sydney Stock and StationJournal reports that the Victorian Agricultural Department is making strenuous . efforts to improve the agricultural industry, and is going the right way about it. Well-nigh every' month an additional school for the scientific teaching of the subject is opened, while areas for experimental purposes are frequently set aside. The latest area to be selected consists of a thousand acres in the Grass Tree Plains country. The settlers in the vicinity of Duntroon, Otago, although without rain, are satisfied with the mild winter experienced so far, and are very hopeful for the coming grain season. The mildness of the season has enabled the sowing of winter wheat to be carried out nnder the beat possibleconditions, and the same remark applies, to practically every other agricultural operation which is undertaken at this time of the year. The absence of rain, so far at any rate, is not at all serious, and, feed being fairly plentiful, prospects all round are rosy. STRAIGHT TO THE POINT. Mr Alexander Miller, the well-known builder of Eoslyn, is not lavish with words. He says what he has to say briefly and to the point. Writing under date 19th May, Mr Miller says: -"I suffered from rheumatism in my heel for two months and was cured by Kheumo in two or three days. I can recommend it to anyo"e suffering from the same complaint." It is a volume in a nutshell. Two month's agony cured'in two days!" 1 can recommend it," say Mr Miller. You can believe him. Kheumo is sold by all chemist and storekeepers at 2/6 and 4/6 per bottle EOAD TO BUIN, ( Begins when constipation and biliousness fasten themselves on you, and drag down your health. Chamberlain's Stomach and Liver Tablets cure these disorders, and successfully build up your strength and health. For Sale by T. G. Mason,. Masterton. A MODERN DIGESTIVE. One of Dr. Sheldon's Digestive Tabules will digest 1500 grains of meats, egg's, and other wholesome food. They are a genuine tonic, because they bring about in the only natural way e- restoration of nerve power, a building up of lost tissue and appetite by the digestion and assimilation of wholesome food. They can't help but do you good. For sale by H. E.Eton, Masjterton,. J. Baillie Carterton, and Manriceville Cooperative store. For Coldsin the Head and Influenza, Woods' Great j Peppermint Cure, 1/6 and 2/0 per bottle.