FARMERS’ UNION.

Matamata Record, Volume II, Issue 92, 25 July 1918, Page 2

FARMERS’ UNION.

Matamata Branch Meeting. The monthly meeting of the Matamata branch of the N.Z. Farmers’ union was held on Friday, the president, Mr H. Rollett, presiding. Messrs E. C. Banks, W. Livingstone, J. Cranswick, J. W. Simpson, M. Madill, J. E. West, F., E. and A. A. Bowler were also present. THE SALE YARDS. The chairman slated that Mr Bowler and he had interviewed Mr liume in connection with the bad state of the yards. Mr Hume had stated that there was no need to circulate the proposed petition, and had expressed amazement at the state of the yards. His sorrow seonvul to be that the farmers had had to ask for improvements before they were carried out.

Members expressed themselves as being quite willing to leave the matter in Mr Hume’s hands.

THE DRI ED MILK INDUSTRY The Uobsonville branch forwarded several inquiries 're the dried milk industry. On. Messrs Cranswick and Bowler’s motion it was decided that the answers be drafted by Mr E. C. Banks. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENTS. An Education board circular re the basis upon which experiments would be carried out was discussed, and members seemed lukewarm regarding the proposals. In the first place the branch considered that it had not been treated fairly by the department in connection with the previous experiments, and, secondly, labor was too scarce to enable farmers to give the time required for experiments for the time being. It was decided to reply on the lines of the latter remarks. UNION PROGRESS. The provincial secretary forwarded figures showing the progress made in membership since the union was first organised by Mr A. G. C. Glass, at Whangarei, in 1907. During that year 688 members were.enrolled, and each year this had increased until the membership in 1918 was 5,006. SUB-PRO VINCI AL AREA. The chairman said the letter again brought up the question of joining a sub-provincial area. He had studied the question, and he could see no further advantage to be gained, with the exception perhaps of a general increased membership, as a result of the organiser’s work. Mr Simpson said if a vote was taken in the room —from members who were consistent in attending meetings —he was sure a proposal to join the sub-pro-vincial area would be turned down. A proposal that the members be circularised was not entertained, it being considered that the members who did not attend meetings were not conversant with matters as they now stood. Mr Banks suggested that the question be deferred for three months, and in the meantime the chairman should attend the meetings of the sub-provincial executive and then report to a meeting of the branch. Mr A. Bowler said the reports in the local press were fairly full, and members should he capable of forming a judgment from the reports. A general discussion on the new trend of affairs followed, and the remit brought forward by the Waikato sub-provincial area at the conference was referred to. It was explained that the remit, which was not spoken to by either the delegates from Clevedon or Matamata, was a move to force branches into subprovincial areas. The remit was thrown out, receiving very, very little support. It was decided that the question again be deferred until the annual meeting, ihe secretary to notify all members that it would be brought up for discussion. EXECUTIVE MEMBERS. The chairman, in introducing his report of the annual conference, said it should be noticed that the personnel of the executive had greatly altered. Matamata had had two members on the executive, Messrs A. A. Bowler and E. C. Banks, but both had declined to stand for a further year. Both members had been most enthusiastic in the union’s interests, and had also been most energetic branch members. Mr J. W. Simpson, called upon by Mr Rollett, also spoke of the services rendered by both the gentlemen mentioned by the chairman. They had been amongst the earliest members of the branch —Mr Banks had been first president, and Mr Bowler had been president for many years —

and it was mainly due to them that the branch had become one of the most prominent of the union. In addition be would like to monthm that all their travelling on the union’s behalf had been done at their own expense. He had the greatest pleasure in seconding the chairman’s proposal that votes of thanks be accorded both members. The vote was carried by acclamation. Both Messrs Bowler and Banks returned thanks, the former giving an outline of work done. Mr Banks said that they could not take all the credit for this, but should confer much of it on the branch secretaries. Messrs G. Gunn, J. W. Simpson, and latterly Mr B. Blennerbassett, had rendered the branch excellent service. Both members spoke of the pleasure derived in endeavoring to further the interests of tho- union. Mr Banks concluded by referring especially to Mr Bowler as one of the unselfish public men that he had ever met. Mr Simpson added a word on the matter of the pig industry, and the branch’s and Mr Banks’ endeavor to get it placed on a sound basis. The branch an,d its member could take credit in connection with tho co-operative company now formed. THE CONFERENCE. The meeting concluded with the report of the annual conference given by Mr IJ. Rollett.