The Farmers' Union.

Press, Volume L, Issue 149814, 30 May 1914, Page 10

The Farmers' Union.

Tha New Zealand Farmers' Union has been holding its provincial conferences during the past, fortnight, and it is evident that much more interest is now being taken by farmers in this organisation. There as no doubt that the strike last year did much to bring farmers together, and to show the need for combined action. It has been a great advantage, to the Union to havo as its Dominion president a broadminded and cultured man like Mr J. G. TVilson, who is thoroughly rersed in all that pertains to practical and scientific agriculture, and who naturally pays considerable attention to the subject ol agricultural education. What has also given the Union encouragement in its work 'Juring the past two years is the fact that the party in power is entirely sympathetic towards the farming community. "When the Board of -Agriculture, established by the Government, is in full working order, wo hope to sea it acting a.s a connecting link between the Farmers' Union and *the Government. Many matters might bo first discussed by tho Farmers' Union, passed on to the Board of Agriculture, and, where necessary. Government assistance then asked for to enablo tho proposals to be carried out. The subject of agricultural education, has not been sufficiently considered by the Farmers' Union, fi nor has tho .question of experimental farm work. Tho Union has not hitherto given us any definite idea as to what it would like to sco done in the way of training youths for farming, nor has.it given a pronouncement as to whether experimental farms or field experiments arc the more suited to tho requirements of the practical farmer. Now and then a demand is made by a certain district for an experimental farm, hut tho main argument usually used is that there aro such farms in another part of theDominion. Now that there is a Board of Agriculture in existence, the (Farmers' Union should pay more attention to discussing tho general requirements of tho farmers rather than merely passing remits that affect certain districts only. Tho branches, of course, mnst naturally attend to their local affairs first, but tho provincial conferences should have a much wider scope, and the Dominion Conference should seek to crystallise the main ideas that interest and affect farmers generally. With the splendid prospects before the . producers of meat, wool, dairy produce, and exportable fruit, the outlook for tho man on the land is full of promise, but the high prico of land and the cost and difficulty of securing the necessary and •suitablo labour implies that the systems of working the soil and managing flocks and herds must be brought to the highest possible standard if the industries mentioned are to be made to produce tho most profit. We hope, therefore, to see the Farmors' Union taking

broad-minded views to attain, this end