FARMERS’ MEETINGS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 167, 18 July 1939, Page 6

FARMERS’ MEETINGS

STRICT IN-COMMITTEE BUSINESS MUCH INTEREST BEING SHOWN r.l , PLANNING FUTURE ACTION Considerable interest is being taken u throughout the Wanganui and W«")l- -, ington provincial districts of the New „ Z.aland Farmers' Union in the outs c me of lhe recent Dominion confer- _ cnee. Important matters arising from , the conference are being discussed u strictly in committee, a meeting was held at Raetihi on Saturday and another at Fordell last night. There . was also a meeting at Hunterville on ; Saturday, that centre being within the Wellington provincial district. Strictly “Secret" - No indication has been given by the I Wanganui provincial ollice as to tire ■ nature of the business discussed, cx- - cept to the effect that it is extremely I important and. in the meantime, y strictly "secret." A report has been t issued from Wellington, however, . frem h:a:l ollice of the union, bearing S on a discussion held in committee at - the recent Dominion c nference. The : report reads :-rs D: mini on Conference Report. The conference, after a lung discussion in committee on whai means could be used most enect.vely to e e uni ?rcct th progressive worsening , ol lhe larmers economic position, , adopted the following resolution:— ‘That the Dominion ex cut.ve binstructed to draw up a programme of . action —either ec .nom.c or political _ to be placed before a special Dominion , conference to be called immediately it deems advisable, having special consideration to the fixing of tne guaranteed price or the Government's expressed intention in respect to tl. ■ lindings of lhe Sheep-farming Com mission. "This conference is of the opinion that ultimately political action through the medium of a rural partv is the effectual means ol securing economic justice for the farmer an I the <:immunity in general. Therefore, the Dominion executive is instructed to examine lhe question from n.i . angles with a view to th? adoption by , next annual conference, or sooner, n ( necessary, of concrete proposals to [ give effect thereto." Comment by N.Z. Presideiil. The Dominion president. Mr. W. V.. 1 Mulholland, commented that Ihi.resolution would, in certain circunr 1 stances, become of momentous importance, and impressed on delegates the gravity of the implications that n contained. It was evident from the 1 very .serious attention that had been 1 given to the framing of this resolution by representatives of every district throughout Ne w Zealand that tin ■ farmers were determined to take ■ much more positive action than they had been prepared to do hitherto, rm- ’ less means were immediately fortircom.ng to rectify the very grave posi- ■ tion into which the industry found it1 self drifting, and the disabilities whi< h were coming upon it from a numbi" of directions. it is assumed that lhe meetings in tlie Wanganui district have been called to consider the report and to di - cuss a plan of action along the lines referred to. Register of Employers and Workers Urged. A report of wnat happened at a , m cling of the Hunterville branch has . been handed to the Press. The ob- . ject ol the meeting there was to see ■ whe;her a register could be formed o, - ail employers and farm workers .n s the district, so that if war came sud--1 deniy such register would be of great I value in assisting rapid organisation. The chairman of the branch, Mi. I V. F. Toulmin, explained that the purpose of suclr a register would be to try and ascertain as nearly as po.s 1 sible what man-power would be lei! r on the farms if war broke out. No ? one, it seemed, was endeavouring to compile a register of all industries, so he thought it should be the duty of j farmers to frame one of their own. Quit? four-fifths of the larmers in tl.. district would require to back such a ! course, he said and he regretted that ■ more had not attended the meeting. Meeting Postponed. "Farmers do not yet seem to be alive to the seriousness of the position," Mr. Toulmin added. On his suggestion, the meeting was postponed until July 29, when the matter will be gone e into in more detail "At tiiat meet- - ing,” lie said, "it will be vitally necexv sary tor all the farmers in the disd trict to be present." n “ e