FARMERS’ UNION

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20026, 26 August 1939, Page 16

FARMERS’ UNION

ATTACKS BY GOVERNMENT FUSION WITH FEDERATION REPORT BY PRESIDENT In a reuort to a meeting of the Poverty Bay provincial executive of the Farmers’ Union yesterday afteroon the president, Mr. J. E. BensOn, reviewed the business of the last meeting of the Dominion executive. "The frequent attacks by the Government on the Farmers’ Union must be countered,” Mr. Benson said, “and we feel that the time lias arrived when the farmers’ policy 'should be made known to the country, it being the opinion of the executive that a deliberate attempt is being made 1o split the forces of the union. “The question of increasing the strength of the Dominion executive by five moie members was considered on account of the increasing work, and it is ’.ery likely that Hawke’s Bay and :?/ u them Hawke’s Bay will be one group. Personally, I am in favour of this move. It will still give Wairoa and Poverty Bay representation on the executive. “A Wairoa remit asking mercantile firms to withhold from stock sale proceeds the subscription fee to the Farmers’ Union was withdrawn. Another Wairoa remit, regarding reductions in telephone charges, is to be again taken up with the department.”

Proposed Amalgamation

On the matter of the proposed amalgamation of the Sheepowners’ Federation and the Farmers’ Union, a a, mission took .place, and it was resolved that all provinces go into the question and report to the next Dominion executive meeting, when a day would be set apart to meet delegates of the Sheepowners’ Federation and thrash the matter out. It was hoped that some finality would be arrived at.

The Dominion executive also agreed to press for a scheme covering the sale of wool, such scheme to give producers a measure of security agams t price fluctuations without the loss of producer control, and to refer the matter to the Wool Publicity Committee

Pig Industry Council

Mr. T. W. Sewell sought the backing of the union in urging the elimination of any suggestion of proprietary interests from the National Pig Industry Council, which contained a number of men representing non-pro-ducing interests, the non-producers often being in direct conflict with the actual producers. Government and departmental representatives also should be reduced in number. The council members totalled 27.

On Mr. Sewell’s motion, it was decided to urge that the membership of the National Pig Industry Council be reorganised to give the industry the r.ght to guide its own destiny.

High School Plots

Mr, G. Thorp, agricultural master of the Gisborne High School, advised that, in response to the Farmers’ Union decision to accept an invitation to visit the experimental plots at the High School, he had fixed September 1 as the date for the visit, when members of the A. and P. Association and Sheepowners’ Union also would be present.

Those present at the meeting were: Messrs. J. E. Benson, president, W. E. Honey, T. R. Jones, A. F. Fitzgerald, T. W. Sewell, E. U. Richardson, R. F. Holden, R. D; Dymock, J. E. Brosnahan, G. S. Bridge, R. W. Coop, and W. T. Veitch.