FARMERS’ UNION

Hokitika Guardian, 19 September 1928, Page 4

FARMERS’ UNION

At a meeting of tho executive of the West Coast Farmers’ Union held at Greymoutli yesterday the matters dealt with included:— HAIM lIAIM LEASEHOLDS.

‘Mr Mulcaro reported having been one of the deputation to tho Hon A. I>. McLeod, Minister of Lands, regarding tho Hari Hari block, which was the subject of a special complaint from the Ilari Hari branch,, regarding the proposal of the Land Hoard to leaso .tho land. Mr McKay, of the Hari Hari branch, put the matter clearly before the Minister. Owing lo tho representations made by tho deputation, it was stated that tho block was to ho suh-divided into two. Tho Fergusons, to whom it was stated the land was to be leased, were not known in the matter. It was tho Minister’s intention to send an officer down to inspect the area. A petition had been presented by Mr McKay, containing some eighty odd signatures of settlers at Hari Hari, asking for the subdivision of the block. Mr Clayton, who is a member of tho Land Board, stated that the picsent lease would not run out till next year, but that in anticipation of the leaso running out, the Commissioner of Crown Lands at Hokitika had a rough subdivision plan of the land mado, which provided for six sections. It was found that the cutting up and ronding ineeessarjf to give proper access to the sections was going to be very heavy. Some of the land was good land, hut the cost of surveys and loading was such that prospective settlers would hesitate to buy. If settlers were willing to pay the upset price, the subdivision would be gone on with. Mr Mulcaro thought it was not fair to load the settlers with the cost of loading the land, as they would be rated on the capital value. It seemed to him that the cost of reading was going to put tho settlers, who wanted the land, out of Court. Mr Carter said one thing tho agitation had done was to expose the present method of the Land Department, in opening up land for settlement. If settlers were to have this handicap placed on them, it would prevent second-class country from being taken up. Mr Clayton .said the policy oL the Lands Department, and ho considered it wise, was to open up blocks by reading before farmers were asked to go and settle on them. Mr O’Neill stated that in this particular case men could go on tho land, and start milking right away. All tliai was wanted was a hut to live in.

Mr Clayton said that so far as the West Coast was concerned, most of the (roads bad been made for mining purposes. Now that farming was talcing the place of mining, land bad to be. opened up by reading, and "'it' l ' out special grants -'being made, the policy lmd to lie to make roads, and load tho land so roaded, accordingly. Mr Muir thought if the policy was followed generally, it would kill farming settlement. Mr Mulcare said as far as lie could learn, the Westland Land Hoard was against tile subdivision. Mr Clayton said the lease had not yet expired, and the Land Board had not yet discussed the position. The Board was sympathetic towards the Hari Hari settlers, and if they really wanted the land they would get it. Mr Mulcare said Mr McKay, who bad keen moving in the matter, had met with a good deal of opposition, and ho had been refused information regarding the land, while at the same time he had been told that the Fergusons were to have two sections reserved for them, as they wore the present lessees. Mr Carter moved and Mr Muir seconded,' that the Land Department be asked to make its investigation as soon as possiblo and furnish n report to the West Coast Executive.—Carried. BOSS LIME WORKS.

The Minister of Agriculture wrote regarding the question of improved access to tho Boss Lime Works and his conference with the Minister of Public Works, and investigations showed that a road with less steep gradients than the present one, would cost £SOO. In the opinion of the Public Works Department the .volume of traffic on the road did not warrent the outlay. He considered the limited funds at his disposal should lie conserved for settlement roads requiring urgent attention rather than in assisting the road in question, which was entirely to a private concern. The Company had • already received £l4O ■ from the Government in subsidies etc., and the Department was not prepared to go. further. Mr Murdoch explained that if the road could be got it would place the Lime Works in a position to make building lime for the Christchurch market. This would ho a more payable proposition than making lime for the fanners only. There must be facilities for turning out cheap lime if tho works were to be a success. Since ho took charge, five years ago, a good reduction in the company’s old liabilities had been made. The estimate of the Public Works Department for the road was much in excess of what the Westland County Foreman estimated the work could be done for, viz, £3OO. The present read grade was so steep that taking coal up was tearing tho life out of the Company’s lorry. The Lime Company had tho sympathy of the Westland County Council. Mr Mid care said tho contention of tho Minister of Agriculture was not quite correct in claiming that the Company was a private one. All the farmers on the West Coast were participating in the advantages, and there were no prospects of dividends, iti fact the farmers never expected to get their capital invested, hack again. Mr Murdoch said there was lime in sight for 500 years. Mr Mulcaro said that he was up against the erection of brick buildings for the Government departments in Grcymouth, when such important roads were Irequiredl. Tho {Government was sharing in the progress made in tho farming industry, and should therefore assist in this particular direction. THE PHICE OF BUTTER.

The Grey Valley Branch wrote drawing attention to the practice of price cutting, by dairy factories on the West Coast, and asking if something could lie done to improve, the present method of marketing, which was detrimental to the interests of the fnrm-

Mr Clayton said that a number of factories on the Coast were cutting prices with tho result that tile producer would got less. Mr T. O’Neill referred to the fact that the small association which had been formed bad saved the Coast £7OOO last year. As far as he knew price cutting was only being done by one factory, but it was under-selling in Christchurch with tho result that one factory there was sending butter to tho Coast at a lower price, it being claimed that as the agreement not to under-sell each other had been broken, they had a right to do so. They were selling it here at Id a lb. cheaper. That sort of thing should be stopped.

Mr Clayton said it was difficult to see how they were going to maintain a fixed price when they bad competition from Nelson and Christchurch. If they formed an association there was always somebody who would bi’efik it Wit sl.

Mr O’Neill said he did not want it to get out that they were trying to fix prices. They merely wanted to prevent price cutting on the Const. Mr Dnlzicl pointed out that if the factories were going to fix prices, it would sot up a sort of combine, and the farmer would not be able to compete in the best market.

Mr Haskell Raid he knew of one factory which had sold its output at Is 3{<l per lb all through the season and returned the farmers Is lid Mr O’Neill mentioned that the .farmers in his district had been paid an average of Is Cd. Mr Clayton remarked that there was considerable overlapping in tho method of collecting cream on tlio Coast. The farmers lost by it and they should take steixs to have it remedied. THEE PLANTING.

Mr O’Neill stated that ho had been authorised by Mr A. D. McGavoc-k, Conservator of Forests at Hokitika, to invite members of the Farmers’ Union to visit the Government treeplanting farm at Woodstock, when he would personally conduct them over the nursery and explain what was being done by the Department.

Jlr Clayton stressed the advisability of making plantations on farms. Mr .lellie said lie had purchased from the nursery at Woodstock much cheaper than from any other source. ji* any of the trees "missed” the nursery would supply others to fill their place free of cost. Jt was decided to thank Mr M - Gavock for his invitation and to visit Woodstock when the time was opportune.