Increased Membership of Ongaonga Farmers’ Union

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 41, 18 February 1937, Page 2

Increased Membership of Ongaonga Farmers’ Union

OFFICERS ELECTED. (Special to “Times.") ONGAONGA, Feb. 16. The annual meeting of th© Ongaonga branch of the Farmers’ Union was held on Monday. There was a good attendance of members. The chairman’s report on last year’s work was as follows :—“ln reviewing) the past year’s work of the branch, I think we may congratulate ourselves on the largo increase in membership, and I wish to thank members who have assisted us in this direction. We may also congratulate ourselves on the fact that our remit to the provincial conference with regard to the wool levy was practically unanimously accepted by the provincial conference and by tho Dominion conference and has since become part of the legislation. During the past year we have held seven meetings in the hall, aud one at Lluataniwha, and wo desire to place on record our thanks to the various speakers who have so ably assisted us to make these meetings a success. “One thing I would like to emphasise is the need for greater co-opera-tion betwen the local branches, and 1 think the best way to achieve this would be for the local brauchs to form a sub-provincial centre at Waipukurau. To do this we require a minimum of 200 members, and we must endeavour to increase our membership to the 100 mark.. “It is the privilege and duty of every the voice of the majority. The Government has, I understand, intimated that farmer to assist in making his union it expects to get farmers’ opinions from the Farmers’ Union, and it is only by 0)11 farmers joining the union that these opinions become the opinion of the majority.’» The following officials were elected for the coming year:—Chairman, Mr A. J. Parker; vice-chairmen, Messrs J, A. Kerr and G. F. Gunsonj delegate to the provincial conference, Mr N. It.. Jamieson ; secretary-treasurer, Mr F. C. Daniels. Mr W. E. Coles, the retiring chairman was accorded a vote of thanks for his yeoman work in carrying the branch so successfully through its first and most difficult year. Delegates were appointed to discuss the matter of a sub-provincial centre with delegates from the other local branches. Several remits were passed for consideration by the provincial conference.