FARMERS' UNION.

Waipa Post, Volume IV, Issue 190, 21 February 1913, Page 3

FARMERS' UNION.

KIO KIO BRANCH. A well attended meeting of the above was held last Saturday in the school room. The minutes of the previous general meeting having been read and confirmed, and a voluminous pile of correspondence having been dealt with the vexed question of a level crossing at Kio Kio station was discussed. Several speakers pointed out the inconvenience under which settlers labour as things are at present. The main road to Otorohanga and Kawa leads to a locked gate. The road is continued from a corresponding gate on the western side but the railway authorities do not recognise any road through the yard between the two gates. -Thus drivers are compelled to leave their teams to unlock the gates if they wish to use the road. On several occasions of late horses have become restive on the approach of trains, and have bolted with serious results. The possibility of such mishaps would be avoided if a level crossing with the usual cattle-stops were provided. The secretary of the branch read correspondence showing that help had been sought from both the Railway Department and the Waitomo County Council. The former, while recognising the urgent nature of the work shifted the responsibility of its execution on to the Waitomo County Council. This body, too, admitted the necessity for such a crossing but were unable to devote the sum (£200) required for the cutting and filling. The work has been laid aside until funds become more plentiful. Such a position of affairs was, however, too unsatisfactory, to be tolerated and the meeting deputed Messrs Cumpstone and Hudson, chairman and secretary, to wait on the Minister for Railways at Otorohanga late this month. A deputation, consisting of Messrs Willis and Whyte, then addressed the meeting on behalf of the Otorohanga Chamber of Commerce. The manifold and various advantages of rural telephones'Vere enumerated and enlarged upon. The efforts of the speakers received great benefit from the fact that a similar deputation from the Te Awamutu Chamber of Commerce addressed our settlers some weeks ago. Te Awamutu eloquence has helped to connect two party lines with Otorohanga Exchange. Their chief object having been so easily accomplished the speakers went on to outline a scheme for the alteration of country boundaries. Mr Whyte toadied briefly on the disadvantages of being in a remote corner of a huge district. It would be a great advantage to all parties concerned if a new county consisting of parts of the Waitomo and West Taupocountiesand having Otorohanga as its centre could be formed. The question was by no means new. Something of the sort was mooted two years ago but was allowed to drop. The time was now, however, ripe for such alterations.

Mr Whyte's remarks* wjre received with general enthusiasm and a sub-committee was appointed to confer with the Otorohanga Chamber and decide boundaries, etc., for the propjsa'd county. The deputation then withdrew. A communication was read from the teacher of the school asking the branch to donate something to the annual picnic fund. The sum of £3 3s v> as devoted to this purpose on condition that the union and school picnics be held together. '

A meeting of the Puketarata Hall committee was held at the conclusion of the general meeting. The secretary explained 'that the contract had been let once already, but that the tenderer had withdrawn from the contract at the last moment. Fresh tenders had been called. Four h:id been received. A secret ballot was accordingly held, with result that the tender of Mr Rennels, of Otorohanga, was accepted. The building is to be started forthwith to be ready for the end of April*, when it will be required to accommodate the churc') organ, but it is unlikely that the official opening will be held until May. Welcome rain has fallen today. The turnip cops in the district are not of a very high order. In many c.ises the patches have had to be re-sown, some indeed, were waiting for this rain, to be sown for the third time. The pastures, though somewhat parched and withered by the recent dry spoil have come through the summer in good order. The majority of the settlers have experienced no shortage of feed. Thjs has been due, not so much to the excellence of the pastures as to the success of the maize crop in the district. The returns from the creamery have been very satisfactory, the premises of the spring having been fulfilled. The road grader is still at work on the main road between Kihikihi and Kio Kio. The local roads are now in excellent condition, though a trifle dusty. The worst places have, however, not been touched so that the roads will be as bad when the rain comes as they were last spring.