FARMERS’ UNION.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 970, 17 August 1903, Page 3

FARMERS’ UNION.

PROVINCIAL EXECUTIVE. The Provincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union met on Saturday at the Club Rooms. Present ; Messrs A. H. Wallis (President), W. E. Somerville, C. J. Parker, J. C. McLean, L. Clayton, A. W. Hood, and P. Gallagher. Loavo of absence was granted to Mr A. Proudlock, Nuhaka.

Mr H. N. Lysnar tendered his resignation as a member of the Executive, and thanked members for the courtesy and kindness shown him in the past.

It was proposed by Mr Hood, and seconded by Mr Somerville, that the resignation be acoepted with regret, and that a vote of thanks be accorded to Mr Lysnar. The following resolutions from the Morere branch were submitted for consideration :—(1) That the Executive give the branches an opportunity to discuss all important business matters likely to arise ; (2) that the Premier and Native Minister be written to and asked to urge upon the Government the necessity of resuming the purchase of Native lands ; (3) that branches should consider the desirabilty of sending all communications through the Provincial Executive, exoept in matters of urgency or of puroly local urgency. With reference to the latter resolution the Executive decided to make it an instruction to the branches.

The Motu Farmers’ Union wroto that the prosecution of a tramway to the Motu would seriously affect the prospects of the cailway being pushed on, and forwarded the following resolution ; —“ That the Gisborne Railway League be written to endorsing their action in supporting the railway to the Motu as against the proposed tramway.” The Union also enclosed a copy of a letter forwarded to the County Council drawing the attention to the bad state of the road from Rideout’s onwards, especially in the Mangatawa bush. The Executive decided to ascertain chemists’ prices for poisoned grain for small birds.

The report presented at the Gisborne Farmers’ Union meeting on the previous Saturday was considered and replies framed to points raised on the legality of the constitution. ,

A deputation from the Gisborne branch was arranged in order to come to an amicable settlement in regard to questions which the branch was at variance with the Union upon, but owing to their not attending, Mr W. F. Somerville moved, and Mr Hood seconded, “ That the Secretary be instructed to write to the Gisborne branch giving them up to September 12th to comply with the directions of the Executive as regards the levy. Failing such compliance the Executive will be obliged to withdraw from all intercourse with the branch and to regard it as no longer part bf the Union, and that the whole metter, together with the correspondence failing a settlement, be forwarded to the Colonial Executive.” The motion was | unanimously carried, With reference to the report of the Gisborne branch, it was decided to reply that the Executive had the Colonial President’s ruling that the Provincial Conference was perfectly legal, also in regard *o the point of the election of members who were not delegates. The Colonial Conference had followed the same procedure, and the Colonial President likewise ruled that the election of President was legal. The exPresident (Mr Macfarlane) was within his rights in sitting at the Conference, but did not vote. It was deoided that as Mr Clayton was a member of the Executive representing the Tiniroto branch and secretary, and had nothing to do with the refusal of the Gisborne branch to pay its levy, that he should be present at the meeting. The Motu branch forwarded a resolution advising the registration of all agreements between neighbors as regards boundary fences.—lt was decided to forward the resolution to the other branches in the district.