FARMERS’ UNION.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5292, 27 June 1928, Page 2

FARMERS’ UNION.

NGATEA BRANCH RE-FORMED.

MEETING NOT ENTHUSIASTIC. Although notices had been posted to 120 farmers that it was proposed) to hold a rally of farmers: a,t Ngatea yesterday afternoon to hear an address by Mr A. E. Robinson, organiser and provincial secretary of the N.Z. Farmers’ Union, only seventeen farmers turned) up at the meeting. Two were from Turua, one from Kopuarahi, and the remainder from Ngatea. Mr J. Darlington presided. An interesting, and instructive adtdress on. the difficulties., confronting the farming industry, and the neces<s'ity for. farmers to unite to better their position by presenting a solid front so that they would carry sufficient weight to determine the trend of politics, was given by Mr Robinson. At the conclusion, and after some questions had been ansjwered, the chairman urged that the Ngatea branch of the Ngatea branch of the Farmers.’ Union be re-formed. Mr McDuff asked the position of the branch. Mr E. Martin, the, secretary, explained that no meetings had been called for three years, as only three oi- four members had regularly attended the meetings when they were held. It useless attempting to carry on with the branch unless', more enthusiasm was shown. The branch hadi no funds, but there was something due from the provincial branch. He understood that there were still twelve subscribing members «in the district. Mr G. T. Davidson said he understood that some time ago the members lia.d decided to. break away from the parent body, as they could hot see the force of paying it 25s of the 30s subscription. A new body had been formed with a nominal membership fee. Mr Martin said that this body did not, last long, and the ' O ld members of the union lia.d continued to‘pay subscriptions to the Auckland executive. Mr AV. McDuff 1 moved that the Nga r tea branch of the N.Z. Farmers’ Union be re-formed. Mr H. F. Loueh seconded.

Mr G. T. Davidson asked what would be the position. The branch could hot expect to keep active unlqssi it was kept informed .of what the parent body wa;s do’ng. It was necessary, in his opinion, for the parent body to provide information that would create interesting discussion, for unless the meetings were interesting the members would not attend. He had put this aspeqt to Mr Colbeck at a conference at H’kutaia some time ago, and he had retorted that the branches were the tail which apparently wanted to wag the dog. Mr Davidson asked if the Auckland executive, would send a representative along now a,nd again to assist the branches to drive the life-blood of farmers through their veins.

Mr Robinson said it would not, and that if the branches did not have the heart for such work the Auckland executive was not going to’do it. It was not even sufficient for the branches' to keep themselves alive. They should have energy enough to awaken interest in other districts and thus create new branches. There was the quarterly meeting of the Auckland executive winch a delegate could attend and 1 bring forward remits. In addition a monthly circular was sent to branches from the AUckand office. Mr Davidson remarked that it wa.S extremely difficult to ma'ntain inter, est. The present meeting, for which 120 invitations had. been sent out, showed the amount of interest in the uiniiqn.

The motion was put and carried, there being nine voters. Mr C. AV. Schultz remarked that there was quite ,a lot of enthusiasm when one of the heads of the movement was in the d-istrict, but it was a different matter when It came to leaving a warm fireside to attend meetings. . .

Mr. R. B. Paul summed up the position to be .all right so long as members paid a subscription so that the head office could carry on.

On Mr Davidson declining, to be president of the branch Mr J. Darlington was persuaded to accept the office.

After two men had declined to be secretary, the cbairma.ii. addressing the provincial organiser, said that he could see the difficulty of carrying bn. The matter had been well tried out and had failed, and under the circumstances the only thing he could see to do was to pass, a vote of thanks to Mr Robinson and go home. The vote was. carried' by acclamation.

Mr Davidson deplored the hasty action, a iid after nominating several others for the, secretaryship, eventually succeeded in getting Mr F. Speedy to accept. It was decided that meetings be held monthly, bn the first Monday, and votes of thanks to Mr Robinson apd the chairman concluded the meeting.