AUCKLAND FARMERS' UNION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2815, 26 February 1908, Page 38

AUCKLAND FARMERS' UNION.

EXECUTIVE RESOLUTIONS. AUCKLAND, February 2f." " The time has arrived when politically iS means life or death to the farmer," said Mr Scruby at this morning's meeting of the Farmers' Union Provincial Executive. A year or two ago, he said, his branch numbered 40 members, tovr it had dwindled! down to 17. They were like children in swaddling clothes. He was tired of apologising to members of his branch that nothing ever came of their meetings. He moved that the colonial president (Mr Wilson) be invited to attend the next conference of the Auckland Provincial Union, so that lie might know how intent the northern branches vveFe on entering the field politically. As it was, the northern delegates wont to the colonial conference, and his suggestions on the political question were pooh poohed. It was decided to in\ ite the colonial president to the Auckland conference, in May next. The farm labourer difficulty, and the desirability of affiliating with the Employers' Association was discuesed by the Auckland Executive of the Farmers' Union this morning. The secretary of the union wrote toi ask the Auckland Executive's consideration of three questions in connection with the ahearers and agricultural labourers' dispute.! As to whether it would be advisably to join the Employers' Association, the acting-chairman (Captain Allen Bell) wrote urging that the question should not be dealt wiih until the Colonial Executive had the chance of discussing it. It was a very important question. Hitherto he had been against affiliation with the Employers* Association, fearing the creation of a strong 1 feeling between the farmer and the farm 1 labourer, but the manner in which the position was being forced by the Socialistio elemejit might make it desirable to affiliate. A resolution was forwarded by the Kaipara> Flats branches of the union as follows: — "That the effect of the Arbitration Acfc has been to create an unnecessary amount of friction, and to increase the cost of} living -without benefiting the wage earner 1 and, therefore, ite continuation on tha Statute Book Ls no longer justified.*' A further resolution on the subject from the Drury branch was as follows: — "That the Auckland Executive should take up thet question of assisting farm labourers from Great Britain, as the scarcity of farm labour is proving detrimental to the farm interest in general." Mr Flanagan thought theyi should defer action. He referred to wha.fi had taken place in the south, and safcß that a certain agitator has worked up the shearers in the Wellington province. Mr Garland thought they should not comraiti themselves on this point. If they joined) the Employers' Association they could ba called upon to appear at the Arbitration Court as one body. As long* as tiiey did) I not belong t<> any such association that farmers would have to be cited individually, and they would then do as they did irt Christchurch. fill any building, but as sure as they joined any association they oouldt be cited to the Arbitration Court as one body. It was decided to refer the matter for discussion at the next provincial conference. It was further resolved that this meeting approves of the action of the head! office in the shearers' dispute in declining to appear before the Conciliation Board aa at, present constituted, as in the opinion oB this meeting it is not an unbiassed tribunal* Referring to the question of importing farm! labour from ' Great Britain, Mr Flanagan/* said the question was considered by his branch at Drury to be an urgent one. He moved that it be referred to the provincial conference for consideration. Mr Bollen, in seconding the motion, said that he hact been trying for the last two d&ya to get a. man in Auckland to go up to his son's farm and do milking work- He went twice; to the Government Labour Bureau and me 6 with no success. In fact, he had been informed that it was impossible to get milkers, and was advised to purchase a milkingmachine. The motion was carried.