FARMERS IN BUSINESS

Waipa Post, Volume 43, Issue 3354, 29 September 1931, Page 8

FARMERS IN BUSINESS

WARNING BY MEMBER

The Wairarapa provincial executive of the Farmers' Union at its last meeting adopted recommendations trom its finance committee regarding the establishment of a Farmers' Union exchange through which information regarding implements, produce, *tock grazing, etc., for purchase or sale, can be arranged. It was decided to make a charge of Is for listing of requirements instead of a commission on business completed, contracting parties to understand clearly that no financial responsibility for purchase rests with the union. The executive also adopted a recommendation from the committee recommending the Dominion executive to take all possible steps to procure monetary concessions from manufacturers and merchants to members of the Farmers' Union purchasing fertilisers; the Farmers' Union to be freed from all financial responsibility for such purchases. The question of obtaining concessions in hotel tariffs to members of the union was also referred to the Dominion executive. " The sun doesn't shine just for us," remarked Mr H. Daysh, when these matters were under discussion. He went on to criticise the tendency on the part of farmers to invade branches of business other than their own. Farmers, he considered, should take a keen interest in cheese and butter factories and freezing works, but that was as far as they should go. " Let us not forget," he urged, "that the sun shines for somebody else as well as for us. If we start going in for all sorts of other business, when next election comes round everybody will be against us and we shall be left out." Another member pointed out that farmers had lost very many thousands of pounds by entering into business enterprises that they knew all too little about. Co-operation was a fine thing, but many times he had noticed that it was only a cloak under which the farmers were tricked by cleverer business brains.