FARMERS' UNION.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18413, 20 June 1925, Page 17

FARMERS' UNION.

MID-CANTERBURY

DISTRICT

ANNUAL CONFERENCE.

The annual conference of the MidCanterbury Pror.'incial District of the Farmers' Union was held yesterday when 31 r John Brown' presided over an attendance of 30 delegates. The balance-sheet showed a credit of £3 Gs Bd.

, In bis annual report the chairman - said bo thought lit could be fairly stated that the Union bad held its own in regard* to the -wheat .question, due largely to tho support .'given to theloaders by members. Agreement could not have, been reached without the assistance of. the Government officers and the Union's best thanks were due to Mr Collins ;in-this-respect. -He believed, a greater ' acreage would be /sown, but every '.fair-minded man would agree that even if next year tho yield were below the Dominion's requirements the farmer who had done his best to 'increase his yield should not bo penalised for doing so. To growers of oats tho season had been disappointing. As regards lamb and mutton, prices had been and most 'farmers had sold their wool/when high.prices were ruling. On the- whofo farmoVg had done very well .tins' year and they could hardly look for such prices next year. Mr Browir made appreciative refer'"encd'to .tho work of tho fields divisiou, nnder Mr Cockayne and his staff, and then dealt with tho question of agricultural education. In his opinion little should be attempted in agriculture iu the primary schools, elementa-iy training being commenced in tho " Junior High Schools and.consolidated country schools. The work should be carried on in the High Schools, 'more 'especially in subjects at present taken by Lincoln College. • Tho matriculation examination should be in three subjects, with English as the compulsory subject. After leaving. the High Schools, whether matriculated or not, tho student should take at least two years on a farm working.under ordinary farm conditions. Then,'if ho so v.ished, he. could enter .an agricultural college for a diploma course, and on gaining this diploma there, should'be no reason why tho student should not proceed to degree standard and research work and receive the degree of Bachelor of Agn-. culture- oven though ho may not have matriculated. '

Reference was.made to.the proposed Marketing Association, and the chairman stated that they wanted an organisation that would protect the oatgrower as well as the grower of -wheat. Mr J. Bruce (SeaficM moved that they adopt, the principle, of a Marketing Association, and that tho president, vice-president (Mr A. P. Bruce) and Mr J. Carr,'be deputed to attend the'ilieeting;"in Christchurch to complete the scheme. .Mr A. "P.-'Bruce said the Association toad no intention of buying produce, but would lx> merely a bureau .for distributing information. The. motion was carried.

With regard to the Union's letter to the- New Zealand Meat Producers' Board respecting- the grading of Down lambs, a reply was received to the effect that where there were .sufficient killed, they were kept separate by thefreezing companies and graded as Downs. The Down cross-lambs in the North Island realised a higher price than ordinary prime lamb, and tho same applied to £outh Island Downcross lambs. No account talcs for fciouth Island Down-cross lambs had been seen of late, but tho information will be forwarded to the- Union upon its receipt from the Board's London manager. . . Mr W. Goodwin said that on his visit to the Wembley Exhibition, nothing but Down Jambs were on view, and*2B's were the lambs that .wero most in demand. . . It was decided to demand a revision of the taxation on Heavy traffic, under tho Hcavv Motor Vehicles Act. The fixing of a wheat standard, and tho appointment of a» independent "■rader were held over pending a conierenco between the Millers' Association and the Wheat Board. -It was decided to draw tho attention of tho Agricultural Department to tho high prices being asked for manures and fertilisers. It was agreed to support the following remit in respect to Agricultural Education and Research, passed at tho Christchurch conference:—"That the funds provided by the Government for research aro inadequate and that the number of - Agricultural Instructors should be increased, it being impossible that the staff as at present constituted can earn- out the essential work of supervising" experiments and dissemiuatiu"- tho information gained from such work in tho districts which they have to cover." . Mr J Bruce said he wished to protest against the present motor-car tax. He favoured a tyre-tax, which be considered was a fairer method of taxation. . , • The motion was earned. ■ ' The election of officers resulted as follows:—President, Mr J. Brown;

vice-presidents, Messrs A. P. Bruce and J. Carr; treasurer, Mr C. Keid; auditor, Mr J. "W. Bowden; executive, Messrs J. McAnnlty, A. Maguinncss. and A. Man- (MeUivcn), *C. Scwcll, and •T. Fleming '(Mavfield), W. MeKeage, W. Bruce, and T. H. L. Cross (Loweliffe), V. G. Evans, and S. W. Lillev iGrcenstrcet), TL L. Driscoll (Seafield), S. P. Taylor. (Kiffelton), B. C. Withell (Ealing), A. Moore (Hinds), S. H. Lill and F. Frampton (Ashburton).