FARMERS’ UNION

Hokitika Guardian, 20 June 1928, Page 1

FARMERS’ UNION

; GREYMOUTH, June 20. The annual conference of the West Coast Farmers’ Union was:held yesterday, when the business dealt with included the follows remits:— From Ngahere: “That.the matter of

the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board he again discussed, and a recommendation be made to this Conference to formulate some scheme that will bring partial relief.” 'A Kokatnhi-Koiterangi remit concerning same was dealt with simultaneously. Air Fisher said that the farmers had discussed every aspect of the matter for a long time. Under the present conditions, if an individual farmer went to the hospital, he had to pay at the rate of 9s per day, yet other people could get in for 6s. Sawmill hands and miners got some measure of relief, hut the farmer did not get any. He knew they would not get a reduction in the rate, but it was a. question whether they could devise any scheme to give relief to tho farmers, on the same lines as that of tlie sawmill workers and miners. Mr O’Neill said that at the last Dominion Conference a promise had been made to endeavour to have half tho rate taken from the Consolidated Fund, and half levied a# at present; so they had admitted that something was wrong with the present conditions. Tho fanners had to pay rates and also the increased duty, and . “ were mortgaged right through the piece,” and yet when they went to the Hospital they had to pay the full amount. Mr Chinn said that the only way was to combine to bring pressure on Parliament to force them to see tho injustice that the farmers suffered.

Mr Mulcare mentioned a case in which a widow had been paying her rates with difficulty for years, and when she was ill, and had to .go to a hospital, she was charged full fees. Mr Murdoch suggested that the formation of a Farmers’ Friendly Society would meet the case. Tho timber workers had recently received special concessions and the farmers could do the same.

Mr Jellie said that a year ago lie had advocated tho formation of separate hoards—the Hospital Board to be separate from the Charitable Aid Board, and that all the cost of the latter ho borne by the Consolidated Fund. This would mean that if a farmer could not afford to pay, his expenses would be met out of the Consolidated Fund, instead of by way of rates, and farmers would then he on the same footing as other people. Mr Ditoly said they could not get away from the fact that the Hospital rate had got to he paid. Somebody had referred to tho fact that other organisations had obtained concessions, in other words, they had carefully shuffled their expenses on to the farmers. It was obvious, however, that if they all paid only 6s a day, the hospitals could not carry on. Tlie unfairness of the present system was that a member of say “The Stargazers’ Union,” only paid while lie was in hospital, but the fanners had to pay rates nil tho time. , The farmers accounted for 90 per ’cent, of the country’s produce, and no matter what they did, the farmers would have to pay. Tho only thing that could be done was to have better control.

Air Haskell said that in his opinion the only satisfactory solution would he tho nationalisation of hospitals, and everybody pay pro rata. The remits were approved, it being agreed to forward same to the Dominion Conference; and also that a Committoe, comprising Messrs Aluleare, Jellie, Alurdoch, McKay and Carter, consider tho matter, and approach the Hospital Boards in the district with a view to soliciting their support. From Hnrihnri, urging the Government to extend the railway south from Ross.

Air J. J. Alc-Kay stated that the farmers had been urging tho completion of the line for years. Air D. Chinn mentioned that the Premier, when visiting the Coast, had said that they would not need a railway for five years, and then only a light railway.

Air D. Jellie said that the matter was a most important one to settlers. The Department had a “one-eyed” view of it, and wanted to see figures and how much revenue they were going to get before anything was done They had a far better way in Canada. There they built railways to open up tlie country, hut hero they wanted to see the district grow before they put the line through. He was sure that the line would pay handsomely in a few years. Afr H. G. Carter said that tho last he had heard of it was that Mr Coates had promised that the line should be surveyed. It should be brought under the notice of the Government again. Air T. O’Neill stated that' Alessrs Stewart and Chapman (sawmillers) had been given permission to construct a line in South AVestland, on condition that settlers’ produce was allowed to he carried on it, but they had got out of it by asking tlie Government to let its rolling stock he used for that purpose, which was too heavy for their line.

Mr D. Chinn, at the request of the Conference, gave details concerning negotiations preceding the building of tlie sawmill line. The Company, h said, had not applied for Government lolling stock. It was the County Connell which had done so. Afr Chinn spoke at length regarding the efforts which had been made by the settlers to have the line completed. The remit was adopted. . Rotomaiiu: “That auctioneers operating in Westland he asked to reduce their commission charges, so ns to fall into line with auctioneers at metropoli tan yards.” Mr O’Neill said that the only solution to the difficulty was for the Union to have its own auctioneers. He thought that the charge on the Coast, of 2) per cent, for paddock sales was too high, and something should tie done to get a reductionAH Jellie mentioned that the 21 pel cent, charged on the Coast did not include such expenses as railage and insurance, as the 2’ per cent dfd in Canterbury. The motion was approved. A remit from the Ngahere Branch of the Union was as follows: “That County ratepayers having votes in two or more ridings be allowed to record their votes at the most convenient booth,”

Another remit urged: “ That the Conference discuss pig husbandry, With a view to securing an instructor for the South Island.”

Air Ditely remarked that the whole trouble was that they were breeding the wrong class of pigs. The right class would always bring in good money. The day was not far off when they Would have to breed for export. The remit was adopted.

IlarTliari: “That the principle of dairy control be upheld by expressing approval of Alt- Grounds’s attitude.” Mr McKay moved its adoption. Mr Murdoch remarked that tlie principle of control was all right, but its practice was wrong. Air Ditely said that at the present

time the Control Board was under the

Free Marketing League. Grounds was a diehard, but Goodfellow was the outstanding figun<{ in the industry. Tlieir only chance was to fall in with the Amalgamated Dairies, Ltd., which represented 70 per cent of the dairy farmers.

On a division, the voting was 9 in favour of the remit, and 5 against, several abstaining from voting. Thertollowing remits from tlie Inangaliua Branch were approved: “That the Fields Instructor be requested to arrange such a programme that all districts will be visited by him periodically.”

“ That the Government be asked what has been done during the recess in the matter of river erosion.” “ That the Government be asked whether they will give any reward for assistance for the eradication of bracken on birch hill country.

“That the Agricultural Department he written to regarding the fly pest that has worried the cows during this summer, asking if there is any cure therefor.”

Another remit from the Inangahua Branch urged: “That a protest he made to tho Government in the matter of the Forestry Department taking all the royalty from State Forest land, suggesting that a portion of the royalty be set aside for the draining and roading of these cut-out areas, so that when they are eventually taken up it will not be such a burden for the settler,”

was agreed to. Grey Branch: “That the Department of Internal Affairs be requested to institute some other plan of number plates for motor vehicles whereby the old plates could ho again used, say, every third year. The present system is economically wrong, inasmuch that at the end of the year, the plate, although ;ns good its new, is thrown away as waste.” ->ir Clayton moved the adoption.

Air O’Neil, in seconding, said that since tho 4d per gallon petrol tax had been adopted, they might easily bo able to retain the same plate for three years. The motion was carried. The Ivokatahi-Koiterangi branch forwarded the following remit: “ That the standing regulations regarding motor lorries carrying petrol, bo altered so as to enable them to run into tho country districts, thereby supplying farmers with petrol.”

Air O’Neil said that there were a number of petrol lorries running around the country, but they were not allowed, under the existing regulations, to fill drums, and so farmers could not obtain supplies. It should be possible for farmers in a district to arrange for the delivery of petrol on a certain day, even if they had to compensate the seller for coming there. At present a farmer who had his drums filled .from a lorry took the chance of. being fined £IOO. He moved that the remit be adopted. Air AlcDonald seconded.

In 'reply to a question, Air O’Neil said that drums could not be sent to Christchurch to be filled.

Air Ditely said that according to the Explosions Act, new drums of petrol could be sent from Christchurch here, but they could not send back empty drums. This was perfectly ridiculous. It appeared to him that there was something more behind it. Several delegates present referred to instances, where petrol lorry drivers had refused to fill drums, stating that they were forbidden to do so by tho explosive regulations. The motion was agreed to.

Afr Ditely advocated the setting up of a Committee, comprising one representative from each branch to advise farmers when it was intended to consign pigs to the Addington market. He pointed out that under the existing conditions farmers were handicapped, because when they had not enough pigs to consign on their own, they often missed the market, and a good opportunity to dispose of them' at satisfactory prices. Tho Chairman remarked that it would ho better if they had their own bacon factory on the Coast. Air Clayton said it was a question if it would not pay them to have a. man at Addington looking after their interests.

All- Ditely moved on the lines of liis suggestion, the motion being adopted. It was resolved, on the motion of Air Bradley that tlie Secretary be instructed to write to each branch, asking if it favoured the appointment of a man in Canterbury to look after their interests.

The Chairman appealed to the dele gates to assist as far as possible in entertaining the Otago farmers during tlieir visit to the Const.

Air 'O’Neill mentioned that during the Canterbury farmers’ visit last year, they had been refused assistance by the Hokitika Borough Council, and were told that it was a farmers’ affair, and they should do the entertaining themselves.

Various details in connection with the Otago farmers’ excursion were discussed, and the Conference then concluded.