INCREASED MEMBERSHIP

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 28, 17 February 1937, Page 3

INCREASED MEMBERSHIP

Our Own Correspondent.

Ongaonga Farmers' Union

From

ONGAONGA, Last Night Tbe annual meeting of th© Ongaonga branch of the Farm ers' Union was held on Monday. There was a good attendance of members. Tbe chalrman's re» port on last year's work Was as follows -£ln reviewing) tbe past year's work of the branch, I think we may congratulate ourselves on ihe large increase in membership, and I wisb to thank members who have' assisted us in this direction. ' We may also congratulate ourselves on the fact that our remit to the provincial conference with regard ; to the . wool levy was ,practically unanimously accepted by the provincial conference and by the Dominion conference and has since become pai't of the legislation.* During the pa&t year -we have held seven meetings in the hall, and oue at Ruataniwha, and we desire to place on record our thanks to ; the various Bpeakers who have so ably assisted [ us to maka these meetings a success. "One thing' T would like to oihphasise is the need for" greater co-opera-fcion betwen the. local branclies, ahd I fchink' the licst way to achiove [this would he .for the local branchs to forin a sub-provincial. centre at Waipukurau. To do this we require a uiininmm of 200 members, aud we must eudeavour to-iucrease our membership to the 10O mark. "it is the priviiege and duty of every fche voic-e oi' the majority. The Governmeub has, I xiuderstaud, intimated that 1'armer to assist in making his union it expeets to get iarmers' opinions froio the Iarmers' Uuion, and it is only by all iarmers joiuingj the union that these eplnious become the opinion of tb© majority.'' The following officials were elected for the comiug year: — Chairmau, Mr A. J. Parker; vice-chairmen, Messrs J. A. Kerr aud G. F. Gunsou; delegate to the provincial conference, Mr N. R Jamieson ; secretary-treasurer, Mr FO. Daniels. Mr W. E. Coles, the retiring chairmau was accorded a vote of thanks fnr his yeoman work in carrying the branch so successfully through its first and most dimcult year. Oelegates were" appointed to discuss the matter of a sub-provincial centre with delegates from the other local branches. Several remits were passed for consideration by the provincial conf erenoa.