FARMERS’ UNION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 May 1938, Page 3

FARMERS’ UNION

FURTHER BRANCH ANNUAL MEETINGS ACTIVITIES IN PAHIATUA, VISIT OF SOUTH TARANAKI PARTY. The annual meeting of the Pahiatua branch of the Farmers’ Union was held on Tuesday, the president, Mr J. H. Bremner being in the chair. In submitting his annual report to the meeting Mr Bremner touched upon a very wide range of subjects, which called forth special tributes from members as to the excellent services he had rendered during his year as president. After announcing his intention not to seek re-election to the presidential chair, Mr Bremner was prjssingly requested to reconsider his decision. He maintained, however, that a younger man should occupy the position and Mr F. T. Anderson was elected president.

Messrs J. H. Bremner, E. S. Heckler and C. B. Tylee were elected vice-pre-sidents. The appointment of a local executive body was left in the hands of a sub-committee to ensure adequate district representation.

■ Messrs Anderson, J. H. Bremner, J. E. Murphy, John Campbell and E. S. Heckler were appointed delegates to the Wairarapa Provincial Executive and Messrs Bremner, Anderson and Tylee were appointed to represent the brapch at the interprovincial conference.

Mr James Watsoh, Provincial Secretary, introduced the subject of a visit to the Wairarapa, including Pahiatua, of a party of 50 South Taranaki Farmers’ Union members, probably in June. The Pahiatua branch signified its willingness to cooperate with Masterton in the reception and entertainment of the visitors.

ALFREDTON BRANCH

PROPOSED RABBIT BOARD OPPOSED. YOUNG FARMERS’ CLUB TO BE FORMED. Mr R. W. Kebbell (chairman) presided at the annual meeting of the Alfredton branch on Tuesday night. Feeling reference was made by Mr Kebbell to the death of Mr K. J. Didsbury, a prominent member of the branch. A vote of sympathy was passed with the relatives. Mr J. L. Heckler reported that the necessary twelve members for the formation of a Young Farmers’ Club were now definitely secured and it was anticipated that the club would be formed this winter.

The proposed Wairarapa rabbit board was the subject of a keen debate and the following resolution was carried for presentation to the annual meeting of the Wairarapa Provincial Executive on Monday: “That this meeting is of opinion that in the campaign for the extermination of rabbits the Wairarapa would be better served by a system of county council control than by the formation of a cumbersome rabbit board area with probable inadequate district representation.”

The election of officers resulted: — Chairman, Mr R. W. Kebbell (re-elect-ed); vice-chairman, Mr Sinclair McKay; delegates to Provincial Executive, Messrs Kebbell, J. L. Heckler and J. H. McDonald; delegates to Interprovincial Conference, Messrs Kebbell and Heckler; secretary-treasurer, Mr Hilton George. The following remit was adopted for submission to the interprovincial conference: “That the full Parliamentary franchise be extended to the wives and adult families of rural ratepayers in county and Harbour Board elections.” EKETAHUNA REMIT. An interesting remit has been submitted to the Provincial Secretary (Mr Watson) pending the annual meeting of the Eketahuna branch on May 19. for the forthcoming interprovincial conference: “That in compiling taxa-

tion returns a loss sustained in one year should be carried forward against any profit in the ensuing year. The recent Hawke’s Bay flood and the outbreak of facial ezcema in the Waikato are striking evidences of the justice of this request.”