FARMERS’UNION

Hokitika Guardian, 30 September 1931, Page 5

FARMERS’UNION

WEST COAST EXECUTIVE.

QUARTERLY MEETING.

The quatrerly meeting of the West Coast Farmers’ Union was held yesterday at Greymouth. Present: Messrs D. P. Shannahan (chairman), W. Fisher, H. G. Carter, A. Muir, J. Mulcare, T. O’Neil, L. A. Ditely, J. McKay, A. Dalzell, W. Begg, and the secretary . Mr F. W. Baillie, A deputation consisting of Messrs J. O’Brien, M.P:, and J. W. Greenslade, Mayor, was received from the local Unemployment Committee. Mr Greenslade said the Unemploy-' merit Committee understood that the farmers were looking for a scheme s by which Crown lands would be brought into production for the general good. They felt that if , the farmers could propose any such scheme which would increase production and employ-the unemployed on the land, it coulifl be suggested to the Unemployment Board with a recommendation, from the local Committee. Mr Fisher a member of the Union, had brought - the matter forward at a meeting or the Committee, Mr O’Brien said he was in favour of the proposal, as 'it would mean ultimately the. spending of money on Woiii which would be, re-productive. Wherever there Was suitable land the unemployed should be put eh iti Enormous stilns of money Were being wasted in putting unemployed on work which was not productive in any shape or form. If all the money , spent in unemployment relief had been spent on productive work, the country would have been “round the corner by now." (Hear, Hear). The whole of the land in the Dominion had to be broughtinto production, both first and second class lands. He would do his very best to have the Minister of Crown Lands come down to the Coast. He felt sure that if the great majority of the unemployed could be employed on productive work, the country would spoil be rid of the taxation now being levied for the 'relief of unemployment. The following motion moved by Mr Greenslade, and seconded by Mr McKay, “That the; Minister of Lands, and Agriculture, the chairman of the Unemployment Board and Mr McGillivray be requested to visit the West Coast and confer with the Unemployment Committee to devise ways and means whereby the unemployed could be utilised in work of a productive nature, essentially in the improvement of first and second class crown lands,’’, was carried unanimously. On the motion of Mr McKay it was decided that the secretary circularise the various branches, which could discuss the matter and submit their plans to. the Central committee, when a. Workable scheme could then be formulated. .at-TheftfoUoWiilgi colniifittCe Was elected to cbtisidef the plan to be submitted to the Ministers of the- Crown t Messrs J. W. Greenslade) D. P, Shatmahnh, A, Dulzell, W, Fisher and W. Clayton. A vote of thanks was accorded the deputation for their attendance. HARIHARI REMITS. The following remits were received from the Harihari Branch:—(l) That the Commissioner of Crown Lands be asked to support the cleaning out of the road drains through the La Fontaine Swamp area by unemployment re lief work.

Mr McKay said the Commissioner of Crown Lands was in charge of the area and nothing could be done without his consent. The remit would fall in with the work under the unemp’oyment relief. He moved that the remit I be adopted and the motion was seconded by Mr Carter and carried. (2) That the Minister of Lands be requested to appoint a bwamp drainage expert to report on the whole of the La Fontaine Swamp area before it is finally abandoned. Mr McKay said the Commissioner of Crow n Lands had practically reported that the area should be abandoned About £6,000 had already been spent on drainage, and he thought that the drainage expertg should be consulted before the work wms abandoned altogether. He moved that the remit be adopted and the motion was seconded by Mr Carter and carried. (3) That the Unemployment Board be approached with a view of getting the 33 1-3 per cent, subsidy in Scheme -48, increased to at least 50 per cent.

Mr McKay said that the West- Coast farmers v'ere not taking full advantage of the scheme, but if the subsidy rvere increased farmers would be more inclined to take it up. He moved that the remit be adopted a.nd the motion was seconded by Mr O’Neill and carried.

KOKATAHI REMITS, The Kokatahi Branch forwarded the following remits: (1) That the railway Department be approached reproviding cheaper freights on stock foods for back loading, especially dur-: ing the winter months. f Mr O’Neil said they must have; stock food for the winter and in such a stress year as this, cheaper- .freights ■ would be of great benefit to the farmers. He moved that the remit b a adopted and the motion was seconded by the chairman and carried. (3) That the Provincial Executive use their influence to secure a special through passenger train to the Coast on the Saturday night after Matson’s Bull Sale in Christchurch during carnival week.

Mr O’Neil said that numeryn* farmers wanted to stay far the Bull Sale after the show. Last year they we-o carried on the goods train, but it was not very convenient. Almost two hundred passengers camq. over on that train and it would pay the Depart-

ment'to run a through ft<nu He mqved that the remit be adopted and that copies be forwarded to the leading auctioneers of Christchurch, The . motion was seconded by Mr Carter and carried. That the Railway Department be • approached re farmers consigning three trucks of stock or more, be allowed to travel on a passenger train instead of, as at present, -travelling . with V —the j stock. ’ >; , ,n. •=. Mr O’Neil in mqving .the adoption of the remit said the concession should be given to the farmer whether he travelled with‘his stock or not. ;.w. Mr McKay said the'concession was offered only to farmers who travelled A. with their stock. Any farmer worthy, of the name would always travel with his stock. The motion was seconded by Mr • ■ Muir and carried.. > ,‘ h In reference to the recent conference at Wellington the chairman stated that he and Mr Mulcare had attended and ; had been given a good reception. No remits from the local, executive had been discussed as they arrived too late. Due mainly to the efforts of Mr Mulcare they had been successful .in having the organiser’s expenses ..cut down by a goodly sum—the whole, of the repairs allowance and half ■ the total of the organising cost. A N Mr Carter asked if the conference made any remit to the Unemployment : Board. . , / .y The chairman, in reply, that a comprehensive scheme had been pro- * posed by one member and ha«* been referred to a committee of six for their consideration. ‘ ‘ T A hearty vote of tha,nks was accorded the chairman and Mr iMulcare for {■. •their work : afc .the conference, i *.• Mr McKay said' that ,a man first negotiating with, the 'State- Adanves Department for a . loan and then changing, over to the Rural. Credits Board should Y not be put to the additional expense • of paying for a further valuation by . the Rural ‘Credits Board, if he had pre- • viously had, his • larid' yalued by the State Advances Department. 1 One department did not' seem .to recognise the ■valuations of the other, and' the position was similar with the Public Trust office. He moved that each of the three offices be circularised . pointing out the -unnecessary expense which the farm- . er was put to, and asking that an arrangement be-made, by which each department would accept the valua- . tion of the other. The motion was seconded by Mr Carter and carried.