FARMERS’ UNION

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIV, 20 December 1926, Page 7

FARMERS’ UNION

MEETING OF COMMITTEE. At the monthly meeting pf the Waimate branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, Mr A. W. Barnett presided. There were also present Messrs R. Sinclair, J 1. Hay, S, J. Bailey, E. Stokes, H. Ruddenklau, W. Bell, 'A. Wilson. Apologies were received from Messrs Mcßae, G. Baawlay, J. Milne and J. C. Hay The chairman moved & vote of sympathy with Mr G. Baraiav m the death of his sister. The motion was carried, members standing.

Mr A. Grant was elected a- member of the committee in the- place of Mr I. Andrew, who has left the district.

The South Canterbury Executive forwarded remits supporting the proposals for the certification, of. pa tatoes and the existence of one agricultural college with one branch- aLincoln and one at Palmerston: North; and protesting against the Daylight Saving Bill.—Received,Mr Sword, the stationmaster,, waited on the Union and addressed! them on the subject of a farmers winter excursion. Ho appealed to. the farmer to give the railway ail. the support they could, and stated! that with the amount of interest; they had to eam they had to take everything. There was nothing too big, and they had just completed one of the biggest feats of transportation in New Zealand : they, had conveyed rotor rings for electric generators in the North Island and in one case the lines had to be shifted. The Department was out. to do everything passible it could to meet everyone. In regard to' wool, last year thev had handled 2,000 bales, while the previous year only 300 bales had been handled. Il was impossible to get the benefit of a cheap rate with two services, road and rail, therefore the one should be patronised. He stated that his real reason for coming was to bring before the Union the possibility of running a farmers’ excursion to the Dunedin Winter Show. The return fare would be single fare plus 25 per cent. The. speaker stated that a farmers’ excursion tram would be taking Ashburton farmers to the Dunedin Show in June and the Waimate farmers could join them. In answer to Mr Stokes, the stationmaster stated that it would not be a one day trip.

The Chairman mentioned that at present fat sheep could not be got away from the Morven Railway station for the north in the evening, and this caused the farmer

good deal of trouble and expense, as he had to send down men again next morning to truck the sheep The speaker w-ould like to; see the stock taken away in the evening.

Tire stationmaster said it would need only a little alteration in the timetable to get an evening train twice a week from Morven for the north. The Railway Department would meet the farmers in the matter.

The chairman then thanked Mr Sword who retired. The chairman also' mentioned that Willowbridge needed an evening service.

• Mr Bailey moved that the Railway Department be asked to have fat stock lifted from the Willowbridge and Morven railway stations for the north in the evening- at least twice a week during the freezing season. —Carried. The matter of the farmers excursion was deferred.

The chairman stated, in regard to adulterated bran, that there was no law governing it. They would have to prove that the miller wilfully adulterated the bran and that was impossible. He would like a let ter to be sent to the South Chatterbury Executive asking them to deal with the matter and ask that legistlation be brought down and millers be compelled to brand their bran bags

Mr Ruddenklau: We ought to ask that bran and pollard be I rand ed.

It was unanimously decided that a letter with a sample ef adulterated bran be sent to the Executive asking them to endeavour to have legislation brought down prohibiting the adulteration of bran, and that the bags should be branded.

The chairman said he had sent a specimen of hemlock to the De partment of Agriculture to be classified and had received the answer that the plant, which was loosely called wild carrot, or wild parsnip, was a biennial common in many parts of the South Island. It wa c extremely poisonous especially its roots and seeds and stock rarely ate it because of its foetid odour. But when it was cut and allowed to wilt for a few days horses and sheep had been known to eat it with

fatal results. The weed should be eradicated. It spread rapidly and had been declared a noxious weed by many South Island Unions.

The chairman remarked that the weed was fairly prevalent in the district.

Extreme dissatisfaction was expressed with the present system of grading produce, especially potatoes and it was decided to call a public meeting of farmers in Waimate on. January 8, to discuss the question. The chairman reported that the Executive had resolved that the Union should pay its share of the installation of electric light in the rooms, and the action was endorsed.

The next meeting of the Union was fixed for January 22nd, if a fneeting was necessary. Mr Wilson reported that he had spoken to the Editor of the,' local paper in regard to running a Farmer's Union Column, and the latter bad expressed himself quite willing. He moved that the president, the two vice-presidents (Messrs J. Milne and H, Ruddenklau) and Mr R. Sinclair should be appointed, a, subcommittee to go into the mailer.—• Carried On the motion of Mr R.. Sinclair it was resolved to protest against the increase of bales in “star lots, ’ the protest to be forwarded, to th* South Canterbury Executive

The Dominion Executive forwarded a report of the proceedings at their meeting which showed that it had been decided to continue to agitate for legislation embodying the recommendahians mado by the Rural Credits Comsiission in its renert, and that provisscial committees be set up to cany on the movement; to ask the Government to take drastic action, immediately to check the importation of grubs and insects in imported timber, and to defer the Southland remit, ap posing the raising of the- tariff on agricultural implements. The com muhication also showed that the Meat Producers Board had replied in answer to their suggestion to alter the grades of lambs that it would be unwise as the present, grades suited the requirements of Smithfield customers. The communication was received.

Accounts amounting to £l4 8s Id were passed for payment. The meeting closed with the exchange of the season’s compliments.