FARMERS’ UNION

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21365, 8 March 1941, Page 16

FARMERS’ UNION

WAIKATO SUB-PROVINCIAL EXECUTIVE MEETING There was an unusually large attendance of members at the monthly executive meeting of the Waikato sub-provincial, N.Z. Farmers’ Union, in Hamilton yesterday afternoon. Mr G. T. Crawley presided. The first part of the meeting was taken strictly in committee, to hear an address by Mr S. G. Smith, liasson officer for the State Placement Office. With Mr" Smith was Mr C. F. Allen, placement officer at Hamilton. Aiter the address many questions were asked and answered. Tentative arrangements were made for holding the annual conference next month. The secretary is to inquire from the Auckland provincial executive whether the motion adopted at last annual conference, requiring that only duly appointed delegates from branches and sub-provincials can be elected to tin provincial executive, was to be operative at this year’s conference. Cartage of Pigs Huntly branch secretary asked the position of a farmer who carts his neighbours’ pigs to sales, a distance of about 15 miles. The farmer is debarred by the local carriers’ association from carting the pigs, and does not want a license to carry other goods. No licensed carrier gives service to the particular district. Mr Fumiss gave some details, and said the farmer had been told he must get a license from the Licensing Authority. It was suggested that the Authority be appealed to, with all the facts, to grant a special license. It may be necessary to get a wider license. One speaker remarked that it was strange that permits could be got to carry racehorses to Wellington, yet some farmers could not get a permit i to carry his neighbours’ pigs to sales a few miles away. It was decided to take the matter up with the Auckland executive and the Carriers’ Association. Military Training Reference was made to the suggestion that all appellants against overseas service, for maintaining primary production, should join the Home Guard, and it was asserted that the Appeal Boards could not make it a condition of exemption sine die that men should join the Home Guard, even though it was perhaps very desirable that they should join. This brought reference to the desirability of men drawn for territorial service for three months’ training in camp being allowed, instead, to attend regular weekly parades of the Home Guard, thus avoiding interruption of farm production. Advice was received from the Auckland executive stating that an investigation was being made regarding an invitation that had been extended for farmers’ representatives to inspect the work being done on the Auckland wharves. This followed an offer from a district branch to help to raise a labour corps to work on the wharves in case of emergency such as a strike or holdup in the handling of farmers’ produce for despatch overseas. Support was given the claim of the local bodies that the Government should bear the whole cost of Home Guard administration. Remits A remit from the Horsham Downs branch, in favour of fostering a Women’s Land Army, to help with farm operations in cases of emergency such as sickness or accident, was discussed, and the matter is to be referred to the Women’s Auxiliary for an opinion. The Gordonton branch’s remit, urging that annual licensing of motor vehicles should be discontinued as being an uneconomical way of collecting an unjust tax, was adopted.