Federated Farmers’ Annual Meeting: Long Discussion On Domestic Policy

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 29, 12 March 1948, Page 5

Federated Farmers’ Annual Meeting: Long Discussion On Domestic Policy

The bulk of the time at the annual general meeting of the Federated Farmers of New Zealand (Auckland Province) (Inc.) held in the Whakatane Winter Show buildings on Tuesday was taken up with discussion, in committee, of the Federation’s “domestic policy.” Other items of importance to farmers at the present time were discussed, including petrol licences, hill country subsidies, and land for the re-settlement of returned soldiers. It was pointed out to the meeting by various speakers that there was an appreciable difference in the value of the petrol licences issued by different Oil Fuel Controllers. This point raised a storm of indignation from the meeting, but it was pointed out from press reports that these licences were only basic allowances and applications for increases could be made to the district Fuel Controller.

The motion that had been put forward asking that a special committee be set up by the Auckland Executive to go into the petrol licence position fully was finally discarded. The next subject on the agenda was discussion of the subsidies to hill country manure users. This question was raised when the Government removed the subsidy on fertiliser last year..

It was agreed by the meeting that, if farmers were to be subsidised again to maintain stabilisation generally for the benefit of'the country as a whole that subsidy should be drawn from the ConsolidatedFund and not from the funds of one particular section of the community. The last item of general business concerned land for the re-settle-ment of returned servicemen. Those present were asked to let the secretary know what land there was in the district that could be made available for settlement. Officers elected were: President, Mr R. W. Dunning; vice-presidents, Messrs J. Nielsen and E. J. Whyte; delegates, Messrs H. T. Angus, J. N. Blaymires, H. O. Lloyd, E. J. Whyte, J. Nielsen, W. Nicol, J. S. Geragthy, A. Te Whetu; members of the subprovincial executive, Messrs J. N. Blaymires, H. J. Angus, M. Boyes, A. O. Meredith and one member to be co-oped from the Opotiki district as soon as possible.