FARMERS’ UNION.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 19009, 9 May 1924, Page 8

FARMERS’ UNION.

THE RAPANUI BRANCH. QUESTION OF REVIVAL. A well-attended meeting of farmers was held in the Rapanui Hall on Monday night, to consider a proposal that the Rapanui branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union should be revived. Mr Donald Ross occupied the chair, and Messrs E. Parson (president), and D. Strachan (secretary) of the Wanganui Provincial Executive, were in attendance. In his opening remarks, the chairman thanked the president and secretary of the executive for attending. The Rapanui branch covered a scattered area, and in consequence could hardly be regarded as a strong branch. The speaker had been connected with the Farmers’ Union since the Wanganui centre was formed. He could remember when the Wanganui centre carried on as a branch. It had been said that the Rapanui branch had been antagonistic, to the Wanganui Provincial Executive. That was not so. They had paid their subscriptions to Wanganui until the subscriptions had been raised. The branch had thought then that £1 per year was quite enough to pay, and Rapanui found that they could pay their-levies to the old centre in Palmerston and still carry on as a branch. If they had to pay through Wanganui, and then to Palmerston, as was the case then, £1 a year was not enough. It was immaterial really where the subscriptions were paid, so long as they did good for the union. Continuing, Mr Ross said that ho had recently inetrviewod Mr Parsons, who had explained that matters in connection with subscriptions had been changed. Wanganui was now dealing direct with headquarters. There was no doubt that the Farmers’ Union had been of great assistance to men on the land in ways which very few farmers realised. The president of the union and liis executive officers were in constant touch with the Government, and were getting things done. Although the union did not actually form the Meat Board, and the Dairy Produce Board, they assisted to do so, and that alone justified the union’s existence. In the union all farmers were treated alike, the sheep farmer, the dairy farmer, the orchardist, the bee-keeper—the union should embrace all occupiers of land. Whenever anything affected the producers, all hands should be ready to defend. If all the farmers in New Zealand were in the union, it would not piatter whether the subscription was five pounds or five shillings—the union would be the strongest body in New Zealand. There was an impression that the union was for the rich man. Such an idea was ridiculous, for the men who were in good positions were more capable of standing losses/ and of looking after their own destiny than the small man. The big man might be able to do without the union, but not so the small man. The union was for all farmers alike, whether they were rich or poor. The speaker had been a member for thirty years, and if the farmers took the trouble to follow the union’s doings from the time it started they would realise that it was quite good enough for any man. “ Every farmer should be a member of the union, and he should be loyal to it,” said Mr Ross. The sub. they had to pay was not much and even if they had to pay more it would be worth it. (Aplause). Mr D. Strachan traversed the work of the Provincial Executive during the past year. Mr E. Parsons thanked the members of the Rapanui branch for their invitation to attend the meeting. It would greatly help the Wanganui provincial executive to get the policy of the union carried out if Rapanui came in with the various other branches and lent a hand. Some branches had been discouraged by small meetings, but the union could be carried on if the keen members came out to meetings and kept in touch with what was being done. The union was a sound and solid organisation which could be put in motion from one end of New Zealand to the other within twenty-four hours. Mr Parsons went on to refer to the work the union was doing locally, and gave the meeting details regarding subscriptions. After one or two questions put to the speakers by Mr Jas. Hodges had been answered, the meeting resolved to defer consideration of the proposal to link up with Wanganui to a later meeting. It decided to hold such meeting on Monday next.