NEW ZEALAND FARMER'S UNION.

Motueka Star, Volume I, Issue 16, 4 October 1901, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND FARMER'S UNION.

A meeting of farmers called by Mr W. D. Harkness of Richmond the Provincial Secretary for Nelson, was held at the Church of England school room on Wednesday evening to consider the advisability of forming a branch of the Union in this district. Owing to the short notice given and the fact that several other meetings were held the same night the attendance was not nearly so large as the importance of the subject in question demanded. As notified in the advertisement, Mr Oscar Fisher, assistant organising secretary attended to explain the objects of the Union. The chair was taken by His Worship the Mayor, Mr R. Hursthouse who stated that he sympathised with the movement, which was started some years ago in the North Island by Mr Glass. Considerable interest had been taken in the movement throughout the Colony and he could see that'lf the Union was properly conducted enormous advantages t > the farmers- would accrue tberefi-f in. At present, there were Unions cf almost every trade and calling, the result being that the members dictated to the employers, and made their own terms. There was no organisation amongst the farmers, he instanced certain transections in pota t;:es by which the buyer cleared "a handsome profit in a few weeks, a condition of things that would not have happened had they, as a body, been advised as to the state of outside- markets. There wasan old saying " united we stand, divided we fall," which still held good. He was of opinion much good could be done through an organisation such as the New Zealand Faamer's Union. Their representative, Mr Fisher, who would address them that evening, was a practical farmer and he would call upon him to explain the object of his visit. Mr Fisher stated that hd was pleased to meet those present. In his opening remarks he referred to the fac that farmers, as a class were the last in the Colony to combine to protect.their own interests. The spirit of the times insisted that they should band together; there were unions innumerable in New Zealand to whom the public good was of secondary importance. They had, by voting solid, returned their men to Parliament, and now held the balance of - power. The necessity for union was brought forcibly before the farmersby the Workers' Compensation and other Acts, about the provisions of which they were ignorant till they became law. The Union wduld place them in a position 'to safeguard their own interests,-and also constitute a political factor to be reckoned with. • Mr Fi'sher : gave a full acc6unt of the Union since some q.wo years ago when Mr ! Glass,' 'who had

hitherto taken no'part in public affairs, felt that something should be done to prefect the farmers' interests. - He also alluded to the advantages to be gained by orgunisation ; as a Union, their wishes would meet with attention, which otherwise would not be accorded them as individuals ; lie instanced the improvements that had been brought about in his own district since the formation of the Union ; organisation in Auckland had secured a jreduction of 'auctioneers' charges which were hitherto exhorbitant, and the yardinofees had also been lowered ; in Tara* naki they found the land valuations were going up, and at the request of the local branch the sittings of the valuation court had been postponed 'fdairdw of the matter being looked: into. Mr Fisher referred at some length to land tenure, "the political status of the Union, and spoke at some length on its objects, as set forth in the prospectus published. 'ln conclusion, he expressed his willingness to answer any questions put! ; ' • At the conclusion of the address, the chairrhansaid he agreed "withmost of what Mr Fisher had, although some of the speaker's remarks were debatable; as to freetrade, he had, as they were aware, advocated, and would continue to do so. The agriculturalists were making up to the fact that protection was not favorable to them. There w-as a great deal to gain, and nothing to lose by belonging to the Union. He suggested the formation of a Committee of say 5 to canvass tor members, the committee to be representative of the adjoining districts. After some discussion in which Meessrs Wratt, Guy, and Thomas Pattie, took part it was resolved on the motion of Mr Guy, seconded by Mr Pattie, that a committee consisting of Messrs Wratt (Motueka), T. Pattie (Ri.vaka), A. Strachan (Ngatimoti), A. Herrick (Central Moutere), F. Herrick (Lower Moutere), with power to add to their number, be aiopointed to canvass the district wifh a view of forming a branch of the New- Zealand Farmer's Union. A vote of thanks to Mr Fisher was passed for his interesting address ; also to the chairman for presiding over the meeting. . At the close the majority of those present handed" in their nomes as members, and their is'every likelihood of a strong branch being formed here.