FARMERS' UNION

Otaki Mail, 4 October 1922, Page 2

FARMERS' UNION

AN OTAKI—TE HORO BRANCH FORMED. Only fourteen farmers attended the meeting, held at the sample-rooms, Otaki, on Monday night to listen to an address by Mr X. Buxton, representative of the N.Z. Farmers' Union. Mr 11. L. Bcauchaiup was in the chair, and in his opening remarks regretted that the attendance was so disappointing, and pointed out that farmers should be more alive to their own interests. Mr Buxton also regretted that the tittendance was small, and regretted that he had been unable to get about the district mote. The farmers' Union organisations, he said, included, indirectly, the Dairy Farmers' Uniou. while the position was that farmers in New Zealand were represented by various sections instead of by a large organised body. The dairy, sheep, poultry, fruit, and bee-farm.'r till acted independently of each other and in ionsequence deputations that waited on Ministers did not carry the same weighi as if till were combined. In New Zealand there were SO,OOO farmers, only about- 10,000 were organised, while the remainder went oil complaining and doing nothing else. They complained because the worker received a deal of consideration but. said Mr Buxton, the workers were entitled to it—they were well organised and could not be blamed. There were no less than 40, organised workers in New Zealand, and i thev were careful to see that their

members were financial. Partners were liable to forget that without organisation they would not get from the Government what ihev desired —they must become part of a body that would be taken* notice of. Through there being no co-operation fanners had suffered. and Mr Buxton gave tut instance of where farmers received Fd per lb for their, lambs while al Home the price received was Is Ltd, and this, despite the fact thai the producer hud till the trouble and charges to pay. The middle man got as much as the tanner, and did practically no handling. He considered it was time the fanners lookeu more to their own interests, and emphasised the fact that this could not be brought about till they were fully organised. Someone on the other side of the globe would have to lie secured to handle the goods for the I'armci solid organisation was what was waul

ed. but the trouble was to convince branches of the benefit to lie derived. ]f the farmer- combined they would get reduced freight, railway ehnigos, freezing charges, etc. The Canadian Shipping Co. were offering, said Mr Buxton, to carry wool from any port in New Zealand to any part of \nici.ea for one penny per lb, and front this itlooked as if the wool grower was going to reap some benefit. If the Company could do this for the wool product [ surely it would be tdde | 0 do the same for other branches „{ the farming industry. Mr Buxton paid a liigli tribute to Mr Poison, who ens at the head of affairs in New Zealand. He then referred to the fad that tie- Farmers' Union was not a political organisation —it was uon-political and uon sectarian—while the platform of the Union was to have the producers fully organ ised. to have co-operative marketing at both sides of the world, to impiovc shipping and tran-dt. and to have agri culture bank-. Although the Union was. not a political organioation then was no reason why que-'ion- should not be asked Parliamentary candidates on various subjects, after which farmers could form their own opinions. There was no doubt, said Mr Buxton, that when the farmers' organisation was stronger it would be more re-peel-ed, lit the meantime he suggested that farmers present form themselves into a branch to be known as the Ota-ki-Tc Horo branch and that meetings be held alternately tit each [..ia.ee. In answer to a question Mr Buxton

said it was hoped to secure goods for farmer- :.t greatly reduced price.-. Mr Ryder said lie agreed in tire main with the statements made by Mr Boxton. but bow farmer- were going to be brought together tie did not know. Personally, he had been ahno-t on his knees to some of them. Unity, in hiopinion, was never more needed than at the present time, and without unity he did riot know what was going to happen to the farmer. The trouble with the farmer was that after a long I and arduous day’s work he n- too tired to attend meetings for organisation purposes, while on the other hand the ordinary worker took a delight in going out at night to attend meeting,- for his benefit. In answer to another question Mr Buxton said if the Farmers’ Uniontwas made a political one there would be dissent. Mr Jensen said he had 0..-..-!! a n;ember of the Farmers’ Union for -•> years, and gave credit to those who formed it. Hoyever, some matters were not carried out in a business way. Mr Buxton said it wa- hoped to improve matter- and to have an organiser round about once every six months. He went on to state that something; should be don. whereby farmers in an j organisation should get the benefit of cheaper good-. but did r.o: think it woaid he right for root* not joining to get the tame benefit. He alto be* _ iiev-d in each member of the Union giving a -billing or. the death of a wid-. ow. By doing so an amount of some

to hj -rrcuia r,e nanded over. In answer to Mr I). Noble Mr Bunton stated that the membership fee to a branch would be £1 per member, but that it could be fixed on a sliding -oak-, if desired. The brsr.eh» would get a certain amount of the £1 returned. C. D. Sutton, seconded by Mr F. .J. 0. D. Sulton. seconded by Mr F. j. Byd-tr. that a branch of the Union be formed, to be known as. the Otak<-Te K/sro branch. Mr G. M. Letabridge was appointed secretary u-ro. tern. Tie foUow-m ■• were enrolled as e*n'p_er§:—!£*§£*» 5h L. B*aue*»*mj, G. i£.

Lethbridge, H. B. Lethbridge. R. YV. Jenkins, T. AV. Synnott, C. Kilshy. j, Blackburn. T. B. Hilias. R. Patching. C. D. Sulton, P. J. Ryder. C. T. Jensen and D. 11. Ryder.