DAIRYING MATTERS

Waikato Times, Volume 92, Issue 14368, 21 May 1920, Page 6

DAIRYING MATTERS

THE PIRONGIA UNION. A DEFINITE BASIS ASSURED. The Pirongia dairy farmers have definitely fnrnip.l a Dairy Farmers' Union, as indicative of the separate needs of dairy farmers as distinct from oilier branches of the agricultural profession. This matter has been under consideration for some lime, and has been dealt with rrhaustively, and appeals to the farmers concerned as the only means for effectively organising dairy farmers in the Dominion. At a meeting- held recently at Pirongia il, was derided that the niattjr be gone on with, and that the -iO farmers concerned term themselves, in definite title, "The Pirongia Branch of the New Zealand Dairy Farmers' Union." The election of officers of (lie new union resulted: —President, Mr A. E. Fear; vice-presidents, Messrs ,T. C. Grace and W. McCarthy; secretary and treasurer, Mr J. Livingstone. Regarding the New Zealand Farmers' Union, Mr Fear said that ths object <>f the new organisation was not' to break away from the New Zealand Fanners' Union, but simply to ensure the separate working of the meat, wool, and dairy producer, and in fact all other agricultural branches, to the best and most advantageous end. Trying to Organise.

Mr Fear added that Ihe Farmers' Union 'had been trying to organise for the past 20 years under the one heading—the New Zealand Farmers' Union. Under the system of foundation they had failed. It was hoped that und n r the componet system, as inaugurated by the formation of the Pirongia Union and sister branches, the problem of systematic and effloacious organisation would be solved, to the mutual 'benefit of all farmers concerned, and would undoubtedly benefit the general public as a consumer.

■ '.Tho farmers realise," said Mr Fear, •that the upward tendency of the cost of living must be balanced, and the only Way seems t-o be that the farmer, as the producer, and the public, as the main consumer, should be more united and in doing away with the profiteer Should achieve an equitable (and restrictive as far as high prices are concerned) basis of supply and demand J h relation to cost." Mr Fear referred to the present [chaotic state of the beef market in relation to the commandeer, lie considered that had the beef men been organised as a union of the! r own they would have had a say in the distribution of moat and export facilities. Had they had their own distributing centres in London and a qualified agent accredited to look after their interests, the present state of affairs could never have happened. "The Imperial Government," added Mr Fear, "seems to have taken advantage of the farmers' inorganisation, and has simply left their meat because other countries employed better means of distribution for their produce. Hence the glut and.downward tendency of prices that should never have occurred." The Wool Question. The dissatisfaction anions wool producers was referred to by tne president, who stated that the Imperial Government had made £64,000,000 on the wool clip during the war, and it was promised that half should be distributed among the wool producers. The latest news was that only £(100,000 was available for New Zealand, showing again the need for the organisation of woolgrowers so that victimisation could never have occurred. "The Imperial Government has simply traded on our Jnorganisation," added the speaker. At the meeting it was resolved lo form suitable rules and regulations and to have the union registered, subscriptions to be paid through the dairy companies. One of the rules is that "subscription fees shall be a minimum of ss, fid addition on every cow up to 40,.and 3d per cow for the succeeding 40: thereafter 2d per cow. The subscription shall be deducted from the monthly cheques of the several operating dairy companies, a scale to be comnuted on ft 2001 b butter-fat basis."