N.Z. FARMERS UNION.

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 18004, 26 April 1930, Page 6

N.Z. FARMERS UNION.

MORRINSVILLE BRANCH. MONSTER RALLY COMMENCED, INTERESTING ADDRESSES. As part of a monster rally taking place throughout the Auckland Province, a well-attended meeting was held at Morrinsville. The speakers, Messrs R. D. Duxfleld and J. B. Jordan, were heartily welcomed and attentively listened to by a representative gathering of members of the union from Morrinsville and the surrounding districts. The president of the Morrinsville branch, Mr G. Pirrit, presided. Mr Duxfleld said he was pleased to meet the farmers, and to assure them that their interests were being well taken care of by the Dominion Executive. They had many difficult questions to deal with. Although prices had been good for a long time, and a good season had been experienced, there had been no extension of farming. There had been no increase in the number of people on the land during the past few’ years, which w y as a sad feature in a new country- like New Zealand. The new Minister of Education had said that he was going to give an agricultural bias in the educational system, but unless some good outlook could be shown the young men would not tackle farmings The Control Board had not functioned as they wished, and speculators were having too much influence. Hie towns had grown’, and motor cars had greatly increased, and the farmers had to keep them all going. One thing the farmers thought was the cause of their troubles was the high tariff. Changes could not be made in a day, but they must impress upon legislators that something must be done. The first thing they mu3t aim at was free trade within the Empire. It would not destroy local manufacture, but promote efficiency- They objected to the income tax and thought the land tax was the best. The reason they gave for favouring the land tax was that they thought the large landowners were not paying enough, and that it w'ould increase subdivision of large estates. But it was not an easy matter to subdivide, and there was not a lot of land suitable for subdivision. The Government had power to take land, and had « | done so in several cases, and bad not i made a success of it, and he considered it was not a just and fair thing. Subdivision could he overdone. They should get down to the three acres and a cow. It was not fair to the large landowners, as they had „been a great help to the colony in the early days of settlement. In his opinion the land tax was the most important question that they had to deal with. Personally, he favoured an income tax as the fairest way of raising revenue. Mr Jordan’s Address. Mr Jordan considered that the most important question to-day was the disposal of our produce. New Zealand was principally a producing country, and its exports had greatly increased. Twenty years ago produce represented 70 per cent- of the exports of the colony; now it was over 90 per cent. Marketing at home had altered very much; it used to be the practice years ago that people bought for themselves, now combines were doing the buying, and to meet this competition farmers must also combine. He would advise farmers to give their united attention to keeping down expenses. If South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand combined to sell their produce under a combine, it would do much to regulate prices. At present it was too much of a gamble, no one knew what his income would be. Rating of agricultural land was also an important question. At present rates were so high that they amounted to a rental, and they must be reduced. Subsidiary industries did not confer a benefit to the whole country. One branch should not be asked to carry the whole responsibility. The speaker said that some 80,000 tons of blended butter was being sold in England, and it was only fair that this should be distinctly branded, so that consumers would know what they were getting. The questions of marketing produce, taxation, unemployment, advertising, subdivision of large estates, and the occupation of Crown lands were freely discussed. A hearty vote of thanks to the speakers was carried by acclamation. TE KOWHAI BRANCH. THE ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the Te Kowhai branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union was held in the hall. The president (Mr E. C. Hockin) presided over a fair attendance. In giving an account of the branch 3 activities for the past year Mr Hockin thanked those who had worked with him' to hold the branch together and make the meetings interesting. The secretary (Mr R. S. Gox) presented the balance sheet for the year, which disclosed a satisfactory position. The supper account for the year, a 3 presented by Mr G. Hockin, jun-, showed a credit balance of 10s. Both were passed. The election of officers resulted: President, Mr E. G. Hockin; vicepresidents, Messrs E. Harris and T. Onion; secretary, Mr R. S. Gox; assistant secretary, Mr G. Hockin; delegates to sub-provincial union, Messrs J. T. Furniss, R. S. Cox, and T. Onion; committee, Messrs E. Harris, C. A. Magner, V. Hinton, A. porter and G. J. Corboy; auditor, Mr G. A. Magner. The Monthly Meeting. The monthly meeting was held forthwith. The proposed alteration in the status of the Waikato area was discussed at some length, the consensus of opinion being that the suggested change was in the best interests of the union movement. It was decided to try and secure a good representative attendance at the rally meeting to be held on Saturday evening, when addresses will be given by Mr A. E. Robinson (provincial secretary) and Mr William Boyd (of the ■ Provincial Executive), j Mr W. L. Magner drew the meeting’s attention to the need for having a dangerous culvert widened on the Te Kowhai-To Rnpa road. —It was decided to write to the County Council on the matter.