FARMERS' UNION

Waipa Post, Volume 44, Issue 3184, 31 May 1932, Page 5

FARMERS' UNION

te awamutu branch.. MONTHLY MEETING OF EXECUTIVE. The monthly meeting of the Te Awamutu branch of the Farmers’ Union was held on Saturday monitor, when there was a large attendance of the executive, Mr A. Hanna, vice-president, occupying the chair in the unavoidable absence of the presideiitj Mr G. T. Crawley, owing to indisposition. * The - Auckland provincial secretary no tilled that Mr W. C. Macky, of Paterangi, had resigned from the Union, pointing out that since the Union’s funds are to be used to further the interests of the Country Party he could no longer continue as a member.

The secretary also reported the resignation of Mr T. Hartstone, of Frontier Road.

The resignations were accepted with regret. A circular was received from the Minister of Agriculture re the campaign against noxious weeds, and stating that arrangements have been made with the Unemployment Board so that all farmers making application for labour for the purpose of destroying noxious weeds may be granted relief workers free of wages cost.

A circular was received from the Stable Money League, Napier, setting out the objective of the League, which it was stated had been formed to obtain currency reform by constitutional means, following an address by Mr A. N. Field, of Wellington, and Napier, author of “The Truth About the Slump.” The chairman remarked that the matter had been considered at last meeting of the Waikato sub-provin-cial executive, and the Auckland provincial executive was asked to invite Mr Field to visit the district and deliver addresses. Details had not been finalised, but he was hopeful that Mr Field would be in the district within a few weeks. The Prime Minister wrote re the proposed reduction of' returned soldiers’ rates on their land,, as advocated at a recent meeting of local returned soldier settlers. He wrote:—“While sympathetic with the settlers concerned, it is pointed out that the Government granted loans to discharged soldiers on exceptionally easy terms and at a rate of interest, 4\ per cent, neb, which was and still is substantially below the ruling market rate. The Government would have been pleased to have been able to include discharged soldier mortgages within the scope of the recent legislation regarding reductions, but the state of the public finances absolutely precludes any reduction below the 41 per cent. rate. With a view however, to meeting cases of hardship, the Government has arranged for the Land Board concerned to review such cases and where necessary extend the term of the mortgage. All such applications should be made to the Commissioner of Crown Lands for the district.

The secretary stated that many returned men had had their capital valuations written down already. In the case of Puahue, he thought the soldier settlers there were, or should be, satisfied.

The chairman said the matter could be discussed again at next meeting.

That branches of the Union be requested to form Farmers’ Protection Committees in all districts was a recommendation from the Auckland provincial executive.

Mr Wilson said at the recent conference the matter was discussed, and it was stated that committees were already operating in some* districts, with pleasing results. Mr Hanna suggested that a meeting of all interested might well be convened for Te Awamutu district. Continuing, Mr Wilson said that the reports on the discussion published in the Auckland City papers misrepresented the actual position. Farmers should assist one another by stimulating public opinion. The objective of the committee is to co-ordinate the interests of farmers inside and outside the Union; to advise and ' assist farmers in difficulties under seal of confidence; and to resist by all possible constitutional means any unjust treatment of farmers who are in difficulties owing to economic conditions. The membership and qualification for farmers occupying lands under any tenure, and the subscription for non-members of the Union is to be determined by the local branch.

It was decided to convene a public meeting in Te Awamutu. Mr Wilson reported on the main subjects dealt with at the annual meeting of the Waikato sub-provin-cial, at which Mr Fumiss was reelected president, and Messrs G. T. Crawley and S. N. Ziman vice-presi-dents.

A report was also given by Mr Wilson on the recent smoke concert arranged by Te Pahu branch, at which there were representatives of Te Awamutu branch, the Waikato executive, and Mr D. S. Reid, M.P. The proceedings were very interesting, and one of the most interesting speeches, on currency reform, was that of the Te Awamutu secretary, Mr W. Hodgson. That gentleman was warmly applauded for his very well-reasoned address. The secretary gave a brief report on the recent meeting in Te Awamutu, on the ten-acre plan of the Unemployment Board, whose representative, Mr A. H. Cockayne, was the principal speaker. He (Mr Hodgson) said he was not at all enamoured of the plan as explained by Mr Cockayne. There were several weak links in the plan, and several pertinent questions had been asked, and only answered in inconclusive terms. The price of the land and buildings worked out at about £45 per acre—a very heavy load to commence with. Mr Butterworth commended the plan, though admitting there were ■some points needing elaboration. It was a step towards solving the unemployment problem. If some of the delegates present had taken up ten acres with the opportunity to enlarge their holdings later on, he was

convinced all would be better off now.

Mr Hodgson contended that nobody could farm ten acres at a profit nowadays, with an overhead of £450. If the occupant accepted work outside he could not look after the ten acres properly. The land would have to be really good to carry ten cows, and a man would be lucky to get £IOO from them in one season.

Mr Wilson thought the Union should press for fifty-acre farms on which to settle suitable men with farming experience.

Mention was made of Mr Dan Bryant’s scheme of settlement as being more likely to prove successful. Mr Taylor said if the ten-acre plan was to be successful the areas would have to be well scattered over a district.

Mr Hodgson said outside jobs were only seasonal, and the wages earned would be quite inadequate to maintain a man’s family. Mr Wilson said the plan was practically one of “back to the land,” but conditions now are so bad that farming is unattractive. When things improve in the towns, many men would abandon their ten-acre farms and go back to the towns.

Mr Onion considered that if the right men were chosen they could use the £250 more profitably in the provision of a dwelling and farm equipment, including stock necessary to give a return. Mr Duncan said the areas were too small to be worked satisfactorily. The plans were not new. They had failed in Scotland. What was really needed was adjustment of conditions existing, not more settlement on small areas.

Mr Hanna said he could not understant the reference by Mr Cockayne to the £500,000 borrowed. How was interest and principal to be repaid? Was a further half-million to be raised later on? He would not like to condemn the plan, but more information was needed before he could support it. It was stated that in other districts fruit’dand vegetables were rotting on the ground for lack of a payable market. Artificial restrictions keep the prices up on the English market. n

Mr Hodgson proposed that the meeting considers the ten-acre farmlets are of insufficient area to be of any material use, and that until conditions in the farming industry are corrected land settlement cannot be successful. Mr Taylor seconded.— Carried.

The Douglas social credit system was referred to.

The secretary asked was it desired to arrange a Farm School in Te Awamutu this winter? He thought if addresses could be arranged by Dr Annett (grassland farming) Messrs Pierson (pig recording) and Blake (veterinarian) there would be‘ large and appreciative audiences. The chairman thought the three lecturers named would find it more convenient to come to Te Awamutu on different dates.

After discussion of various aspects the matter was left to the secretary to forward. There was a brief discussion on the best method of growing lucerne, in which it was mentioned that there is variance between recognised authorities as to how often lucerne should be cut. Mr Wilson referred to concessions that could be obtained by members of the Farmers’ Union, and mentioned some of the items quoted at the recent conference in Auckland. Cement, insurances (fire and accident), milking machines and separators, car batteries and tyres, and radios were some items mentioned. It was necessary to place orders through the union to obtain these concessions.

It was suggested that fuller knowledge of the possition could best be obtained by inviting Colonel Closey, of Papatoetoe, to address the branch. The secretary is to inquire.

Mr Wilson reported further on the recent Auckland provincial conference, especially referring to the misrepresentation by the city papers of the intentions of the Farmers’ Union with regard to alliance with the Labour unions. The remit carried, he said, was to the effect that the Farmers’ Union continue negotiations with all other organisations. Members could, by reference to the latest issue of Farming First, gain a true idea of the Union’s attitude towards the Labour unions.

Mr Duncan suggested that the Agricultural Department should be asked to investigate the possibilities of incorporating a dye in sodium chlorate to facilitate the spraying. He mentioned that at present it was possible to go back to a ragwort plant three or four times, with a consequent loss of time and waste of spray. Mr Onion mentioned that he had had splendid results on ragwort sward by mixing 30 lbs of sodium per acre with fertilisers, and success was achieved providing the distributor was not a “ star ” feed, which implement left the manure in lines. The secretary is to write to the Department putting forward the suggestion.

Mention was made by Mr Wilson of a meeting in the Auckland Town Hall, addressed by Captain H. M. Rushworth, M.P., where a motion proposed by Sir George Richardson calling for a full and open inquiry into our currency system was carried, and the speaker warmly applauded for his address. The stewards of that meeting took a long list of names of those requiring free literature on the Douglas Social Credit proposals.