FARMERS ADDRESSED

Wanganui Chronicle, 22 February 1947, Page 4

FARMERS ADDRESSED

PROVINCIAL SECRETARY i ( AT OKOIA c MEMBERSHIP INCREASE ' In his address to the members of 1 the Okoia branch of Federated Farm- 1 ers on Thursday last, the provincial 1 secretary, Mr. A. R. Donaldson, said « that the steady growth of Federated? Farmers had been maintained during!l the year throughout lhe Dominion,'* with the result that membership wasp now nearly 35,000. The g6al aimed j 1 at is 60.000 members, and the progress j 1 being made towards reaching that 1 total is most encouraging. ? In the Wanganui provincial district!' the membership now totals 783, an in- i crease of 240 since the amalgamation,l; despite the loss of 130 by deaths and I ’ transfers. i i Mr. Donaldson paid a very great': tribute to the work being performed)! by the Dominion officer., in Welling-! : ton. He said that the investigations; made by the research officer, Mr. D | ; L. Martin, covered a wide range of farmers’ problems, and in co-operation with the Dominion secretary and the- 1 Dominion president, all of whom had the fullest support of the Dominion executive, a marvellous amount of detail work had been collected amt : placed before the appropriate author!-: ties. *T appeal to all members to read I the various circulars which are re- L ceived from time Io time from the I Dominion secretary,” said Mr. Don* | aldson. The speaker said that on occasions| he had heard disparaging remarks as, to the value of membership in Federated Farmers. He assured his hearers that membership was essential to success. Federated Farmers was a valuable organisation which had the welfare of the man on the land at 1 heart. Mr. Donaldson stated that co-oper-ation with the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board and lhe New Zealand Dairy Board had been most i marked in recent years, with the re-< suit, that officers of Federated Farmers' had been co-opted to assist those organisations in respect to meat price schedules and the increased price for

i butterfat. The relationship between i the Meat Board, the Dairy Board and I Federated Fanners was never so j cordial as it is to-day, and it is a (happy augury for the future that the I co-operation of these three organisations is so pronounced. In connection with the dearth of qualified shearers which caused so much delay in shearing operations during the present season, Mr. Donaldson stated that it was hoped at an ; early date to commence organising to 'prevent similar delays in future !shearing seasons. To this end the, i National Service Department desired | to co-operate with the Meat and Wool I Section of Federated Farmers throughout the Dominion in trying to [find a solution to the problem. a ' comprehensive survey will be taken in each district and it is possible that | a scheme will be formulated which [will ensure an adequate supply of (new shearers who will be trained in I special courses of instruction. The I scheme will have the wholehearted (support of the sheep farmers, who I have heen under great difficulties | since before the war. Referring to the tyre position, Mr. Donaldson said that a recent announcement by the Minister of Supply, Mr. D. G. Sullivan, had warned the people that tyres would be difficult to procure for at. least anothed 12 months. It is important that all 'users of motor vehicles should take (the greatest care of their tyres, have II hem repaired as soon as damage is noticed, and above all no user should [overload his vehicle. | “I have found that the Tyre Controller is most helpful whenever I J have submitted an application for 'new tyres to him, and on 63 occasions during the past year I interviewed him on behalf of , farmers. Very few of those for whom I acted were refused, because in most cases I was able to give irrefutable evidence of lhe need for prompt action,” said Mr. Donaldson. 'ln all cases it is absolutely essential that the fullest information is given to me when I am asked to assist members in this | matter.” I Mr. Donadson replied to many 'questions asked by members on various subjects, and at the conclusion of his address was accorded a hearty vote of thanks by acclamation.