INTERESTING DISCUSSIONS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 11 April 1910, Page 4

INTERESTING DISCUSSIONS.

BY HOROWHENUA FARMERS

REMITS FOR THE FARMERS' PR OV J XCIAL COX FER EXCE.

After the routine business of the Farmers' Union (Leviii Branch) had bevn completed ihust Saturday, some, exceptionally interesting discussions tcok place on matters of interest to the whole community, and of special importance to farmers. Some of the subjects that came up for discussion were made the subject of resolutions for the annual provincial conference of the farmers' I'n.ion, to be held in May next. FKANCIIISIO MATTERS. The discussions were opened by Mr Saxon, who suggested that the branch should make a vigorous stand against being dictated to by any Shearers' I'liion, as had been attempted; also that strong objection should be taken against any and every effort made to extend tho voting rights given to electors in regard to the election of boards to control hospital and charitable aid administration. Mr IT. J. Richards agreed that it wi'.s objectionable to have householders in boroughs given two votes, while the County Council electorates had a very much more restricted franchise. * But the union, he thought, might with'advantage pursue the policy of "let sleeping dogs lie." If it did not, it might have the experience of having ''one man one vote." applied to the whole of these- local elections, which would be a much worse state of things. (Hear, hear!) Mr Richards thought it would do no harm to point out the existing anomalies, but tho union should make clear, also, that it would fight any proposal to place the counties on the same basis as the boroughs were in regard to the hospital board franchise. Several delegates agreed that it would be well to inform the union executive that its action in fighting the Shearers' Union agitations to impose troublesome conditions on '■beepl'ariners had the hearty approval of the IjL'vin branch. Eventually it was formally resolved that the Levin Branch of the union back up the executive t,f the New Zealand Farmers' Union in ti-e stand it had taken on this matter. A little later on further discussion took place regarding the county versus borough trouble in re[<pjct of the hospital franchise. It was pointed out by Mr Richards that a bad feature of the hospital board's new franchise was the basing of it on a population basis. This meant that in Levin borough there were 900 electors holding n -apital A-alue of L'2o(i.OOO. while in Uie Horowlicnua County there was a verv much smaller number of vot-"l-s, though the capital value of the county was £2.."500,000. Another member of the union '••■lid that under the existing frnn-"hi«-e. the Levin b;>rou<rh elections • n ould have swamnr-.'l all the outside voters, though the latter were representative of n population that exceeded many times that of Levin boron?]). Mr -Tames Pit.use contended that the legislation of New Zealair! P.'!rH:imMits during pnst years had b'en in the interests of parasitism, sirid it behoved fanners and all producers to have that policy altered. Until thev made an effective combination there would \v> a, cmitinu""ce of the present policy of pandering to the ii(»n-iirodnc?r. Mr Wilson moved, "That in tho opinion of this branch the- present method ■of decting delegates to the Wrsi'itii! R''>:'rd.s w:'« unfair, seeiiin: that counties voting nowers are s-Wiimiv.-'d by the boroujrh votes: to '•emerlv which, this braiv-h suggests f'v't seivirilr. ivniTsentatives be elected for counties, thus nvtiidi.Mir the nresent svstein of a joint 01-*e-tinn." This wne RncMiided by Mr Proline, a I'd aereivl te.. ABSENT VOTERS. Tf wns moved bv Afr McLrnvev. "That in nil 10-al bivly rV-Hnns. tho principle of "llowiiur .■•bse"t voter* to r-m'stpr their voles bv Hi" mc-,1 nf '<li«("it •'■•*r , rs pernios sheuH l>,, ofto'i iip-n." Mr Kin< r ''on .eeco'i'l'"! the motion, a:rl this w.rs carried. NONTOUS WKKDS. AND OVEinVOUKKD INSPECTORS. Comment was made on tho fact that noxious weeds inspectors need assistance, during the "busy season" for noxious weeds. Inspectors are required to go over tlie whole district allotted to them, take notice of the needs of each farm or run, and afterwards see how the necessary improvements were being carried out. As the inspector for the district which includes Horowlienua- has a stretch of land extending from Paokakariki in the south up to Keilding district in the north, opinions were expressed that the inspector should not be blamed for the present state of Ins district; his district was altogether unwieldly. Mr Kebbell agreed with the latter view, but said that it would l:e something helpful if ony the roads were kept clear. Wild roses grew on the roadside, also hororound and pennyroyal; and tho cattle ate them and spread the seeds over a wide radius. On the nmtioiii of Mr Richards, it was resolved that the Government be requested to increase the staff of noxious weed inspectors; the areas now under the charge of individual inspectors being far too large, and the work too great for the present inspectors to cope with. Mr Wilson contended that the farmers should not cry out for more inspectors; what tiiey needed to do was to attack a noxious weed whenever they saw it. That was the only effective way to remedy the trouble. Mr Prouse agreed with Mr Wilson, and said that the best way to get the remedy would be to give farmers an unrestricted freehold. The resolution was carried. NASAL BOT AMONGST SHEEP. Mr Adkin spoke of the trouble caused amongst sheep by nasal hot, n,nd mentioned that it was caused by the sheen hot fly depositing eggs on the nasal cavity of tho sheep, which when hatched crawled into the brain and eventually drove the sheep mad. They made their home in the air cavity of the brain, and from there preyed upon the nerve cavity. These results were ascertained by bis (Mr K-aye) and himself, ns a result of a post mortem. They had ascertained that this wns the cause, and s>ho that the trouble known as "facial excema" was caused simply through the sheen, in its agony, rubbing its ov-es and hen'l ncrf-iinst r>b«t.i *!«s. There was no doubt that if the mag got trouble was cured the exeema trouble would cease. iMr Snxon said thnt the. trouble was not- n new one: he had seen n ease of. it fnrtv yenrs aero. Tt tus onlv very lately, however, that it hnd J-p'-nmp common. Mr Wilson .spoke of having seen tho same thino; ever since he came to this district, j

It was mentioned that the trouble occured in March eacli year, and that it might be necessary to carry out spraying each year. A formula had "ben prepared by the government specialists. Some further details of this matter, and the methods of applying a chemical remedy, are to be .supplied for benefit of farmers and others interested, by Mr Ad kin. in a letter to the editor of this journal.