FARMERS’ UNION.

Otaki Mail, 10 February 1919, Page 2

FARMERS’ UNION.

MEETING OTAKI BRANCH. j A meeting of the newly-formed Otaki branch of the Farmers’ Union was held at the Druids’ Hall, Otaki, on Friday night last, when there was an attendance of some twenty fariucis* Mr T. O’Rourke (president) occupied the chair.

Mr Tailored Cooper (organiser of the sub-provincial scheme) explained his object of calling the meeting—to discuss matters affecting the welfare of the farmer's, more particularly to watch the attempt of certain extremists to introduce into the country a state of affairs that would be very serious for farmers. After explaining the sub-provincial scheme. Air Cooper went on to say that a Air AV. J. Poison, of Fordoll, had recently returned from an extensive tour of Queensland, and had been Interviewed by a AVanganui news, paper, which gave prominence to this gentleman’s remarks. It would be remembered that at the recent by-elec-tions, said Air Cooper, the Labour candidates had specially stressed the stale of affairs in Queensland as being what was required in this country, and Air Poison gave them some idea of what this really amounted to. The great majority of farmers valued tlic freehold ' in New Zealand, but in Queensland the

| freehold tenure was unpopular; farmers | generally favoured the leasehold there, | j so that they might “get out of it” if { j things were made too warm for them. | : Of course, all people were entitled to i J their opinions, but, if these extremists | ! had their way. said the. speaker, tlic | ' whole of our land would be national- 1 ' jsccl, and with leasehold tenure farmers 1 would not take the same care of their | land, the farms would go back, and the | 1 production of the country would go | 1 back 100 per cent in a few years* They | I had had the example of the l.i.p, | i tenure of land, and the speaker in- | ! stanced how difficult it was to secure |

loans on such properties, and the dis- 1 I advantages such holders laboured tin- | i der. Air Cooper, however, impressed | ! on his hearers the necessity of treat- § iug these land nationalises with ro- | ! S pcct; many of them were sincere in | (heir opinions, and should not be j| treated as “blighters.” ; At Mr Ryder’s suggestion, Mr g Cooper road the newspaper report ol © Mr Poison’s opinion of the state of gjj affairs in Queensland. Air Poison, i't his interview, declared that things wore iin a chaotic state in Queensland, 0 where the extremists were in power, 1 and where the whole trend was towards Bolshevism. There was a feeling of |;| dissatisfaction and unrest; there was B uo security, and farmers were at the *

mercy of the State. jjjf Mr Cooper stated arrangements hudjf; been made for Air Poison to deliver auj ‘ address at Palmerston North on Satur-' day next on the political position in Queensland, and he urged that, Otaki branch not only send a delegate l to that meeting, but that all who pos-i|| siblv could should hear what Mr Poison t , had to say. The state of affairs in|g Queensland to day was that the Labour f ' leaders were agitating to establish i:i to know exactly what that meant, to ukow exactly what that meant. Lj The Chairman though „thefo werr other dangers greater than a Labour Government, such as combines, meat - trusts, etc., which the Farmers’ Union K ’ . .... . . .... Si;

would do well to fight against. Therejgjjj j would be industrial trouble ill Ncwofe Zealand, and if the farmers were pro- ! pcrly organised they might be able lop* get their produce away and kill nbygfj unreasonable opposition. It would bo||| necessary to have sufficient funds an emergency, and every farmer xkoul'ltSj be prepared to give something in orderjgg to reap benefits of united effort. Evcry||| industrial union had a lighting fund,® the farmers had none. He suggested® the Farmers’ Union might do souk-? dji thing towards securing necessaries a:||| cheaper rates. There was no need be antagonistic to labour, and nor.?(vl should grudge the labourer a fair wagciv’-l there was no reason why the farme»K|| and workers should not work . harmoniously. j Mr F. J. Ryder said if the farmer-’;'

were not up and doing they would have the same bad state of thing? here! •as obtained in Queensland. We needed] : more unity between man and master.; t and to secure a better condition or aiTafrs wc should start and amend curl laws. He thought they should Start a:j the top of the tree, and prevent fkr| accumulation of wealth, just as iheyi had checked land aggregation in thsj pa<-t. lie also strongly advocated rt State bank. It seemed impossible t>| rouse people to the absolute nreossiyj? of united action, but it-would have “f be done, if they wanted to improT?| matters. Mr G. H. Harper said he was a litthl disappointed at what had taken plae* at the past two meetings. There hz'A been a lot of talk about organisation! in theory, and he thought they shoulol get some concrete programme betotm them. He suggested a State bank, firs assurance, and trading association foil farmers as some planks of a platforslj •io%<r'£aken up. It seemed to him ibstm they were dealing too much in general;-® ties, and were inclined to be a bi'.l windy.

i Mr Cooper agreed that they wanted *j definite programme, but pointed ostj that this would come in time, after dot ‘ deliberation by the various branches .®f| the organisation. He referred to iiA mutual fire assurance already in vogueand also the federation of trading hi! various farmers’ organisations, It was resolved that the president represent the branch at Mr Poison V meeting at Palmerston North, wild j several others expressed their infentit- j of attending the meeting. There was considerable discussion V finances, Mr Cooper asking that spce&j donations be made to provide office sH eOEiinodatioH, etc,, without delay. Eventually it war- decided, .or. ti ? j motion of Mr Harper, seconded by >- r -' j Wells, that a levy of 10s per tr.exab? 1 j be Blade, for this year only. to provida I money urgently required at once. A

It was resolved to endeavour to . secure as many members as possible, . several names of new members being banded in at the meeting. |