FARMERS' UNION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1098, 10 April 1911, Page 8

FARMERS' UNION.

PALMEKSTON ANNUAL MEETING

The annual meeting of the Palmerston Aorth_ branch of the Now Zealand Farmers Union was held on Saturday morning,, there being present Messrs. J. BalsilliD, (chairman), L. E. Brvant, A. Farmer, A. Slathoson.'E. Gardner, H. J. Barber,, J. Wingato, P. T. Danvers, Captain Hewitt, and A. Harding. Tho Canterbury Provincial Executive wrote asking this branch to support the project .that only New Zealand-grown wheat be used in the district. No action was taken.

In his annual report tho chairman stated:— In no previous history of the. union is our existence as a union of farmers moro justified than at present, and 1 certainly think our union is deserving of far bettcu- support than has hitherto been accorded it by the general farmer. What with shearers'; shedhands', drovers', agricultural labourers', woolclassers' demands already hanging' over our heads it is, hard: to where the end will be,,and it will bo no easy task to work - oiir 'farms with so many different awards to ke complied with. The branch took the initiative in trying to form a co-operative freeziiv company for the district, and several meetings of representatives from various branches wero held, but the support promised did not warrant out going" further which is much to be regretted, as 1 think there is anmle room for such a company to be in operation in'ihe Maria•lV i co-operative comnany formed in the Unirarapa has had a successful year, and already finds the works erected too small to cope with the stock offered I am pleased to report that the Farmers' Mutual lire Insurance is making good progress, and during the financial year just ended has not had to nay a single claim for losses by fire. Excellent support is now being accorded the Farmers' Mutuals in Wellington,. Hawke's Bay ■laranaki, and Otngo. Our membership remains about tlie same as tho previous year Members will be asked to elect their representatives for Parliament this year, and it will be our duty to try and elect not only supporters of our union but practical farmers-as our representatives." Ihe report was adopted, it. as the representative of the Palmerston branch of the Farmers' Imion to the Now Zealand Producers' Association, reported on the work that was done at the conference in AVellington early in March, and the result of tho deputation that subsequently waited upon the Minister. In speaking of the report, Mr. Uingatc stated that he-was not in favour ot sending a man Homo to look aiter tho trade, as tho London Port authorities would not tako any notice of him. He thought that the High Commissioner's office should be 'the proper body to deal with the matter. He was convinced that something ought' to bo dono to improve the prices and the conditions under which New Zealand meat was said in England. Tho election of officers resulted as follows:—Chairman, Mr. J. Balsillie; vicechairriian, Mr. L. R. Bryant; secretary and treasurer, Mr. AV. Hunter; lion, auditor, Mr. A. Guy; committee, Messrs. ,T. Tennant, R. Gardner, A. Buchanan, H. Barber, A. Harding, A. Motkesoii, A Farmer, F. Maule, .T. Wingate,. G. Rix U. Moore, W. W. Wilshen, and Captain Hewitt.

H was decided to adjourn the meeting till May G, when the delegates and the remits for the Provincial Conference will be dealt with.