N.Z. FARMERS UNION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 25 August 1909, Page 20

N.Z. FARMERS UNION.

KAITANGATA. BRANCH. ' \ At a meeting of the ' Kaita«g»6a branch of the N.Z. Farmers '■ Union-, the following- ■ resolutions weie carried t — Moved by Mr A. Blac&e, 'seconded Jsy Mr G- Aitehison— "That this Union ex--press their satisfaction in th© way that the Minister for Agriculture i& dealing with the importation of potatoes." Moved by Mr Jae. Smaill, seconded by Mr D. Mitchell— " That this branch' agree* ■ ygith the Baloiutb* Branch in condemning

the way in which the co-operative system is being carried on at present in railway construction'; that there is serious mismanagement in the working of the system, ( whioh is causing heavy liabilities to the country." Moved by Mr Jas. Smaill, seconded by Mi J. P. Rutherford — "That an appreciation be sent to the Hon. Thomas Mackenzie for his proposal before the Farmers' Union Conference, Wellington, in the interests of- the dairy industry." Messrs J. Rutherford (president), A. Blackie (vice-president), G. Aitehison, and R. F. £maHi (secretary)^ were- appointed to consider in detail the demands of - the Labour Councils, and report on the earns. SOUTHLAND EXECUTIVE. At a meeting of the executive of the . Southland Farmers' Union, it was decided ; to convey the resolution, of the recent N.Z. ■ Farmers' Union Conference relative to the removal of gorse from the list of noxious weeds, to the Southland County Council. The President (Mr Middieton) said that the council had' pewer^to declare a weed noxioas, but had no jrjrht to rescind such decision^ He ateo.- said that membess of the -council who' supported the inclusion "of goi-se on, the schedule: thought that the;,. would ge£ rid of their lesponsibility, 'but they were an. the seme- position as before. 15 Ti>& council sjaß .jbact to. tafce ; steps to g-oi goi&e removed from roodUnes and the- net. . result was; that, ihe- council had rendered j owners of land- subject to inspection within their fences. The Department, he added, ' now seemed inclined to let those things go. NORTH CANTERBURY. EXECUTIVE. At a meeting of the North Canterbury Executive of the N.Z. Farmers' Union, Mr , Richard Evans, who presided, reported regarding a deputation that had -waited on the Minister of Railways regarding the weight of groin m cornsacks. He said that the result of the deputation was that the farmers could use any size of sack as lons «s it -did not contain over 2001b. If a sack contained more than 4lb over the weight the freight charges would be four times the ordinary charges. Potatoes were ■ exempt. The deputation had urged that j the excess freight" should be only double, and the Minister had promised to consider the matter. Mr* Shea* said that the margin was too narrow. The filling of sacks-- was. ir the tends of che threshingmachine men, who were responsible for the weight It was not the fault of the farmer. Mr Clothier said that the Minister had assured the deputation that the Act would ' not be carried out in an arbitrary man- [ ner. So long as the farmers obeyed the spirit of the Act they would be left alone. The deputation was thanked for its set- \ vices. . ' | ' : — — • \ At a meeting of the Cheviot Branch of th© N.Z. Farmers' Union, the following ] resolutions were passed: — j "That in the opinion ol this branch j of the union, , the Government should -take some steps towards opening up markets for New Zealand- frozen meat in Canada, the continent cf Europe, arid other foreign countries." Mr Gell" moved and Mr E. W. Smith seconded: — "That in the opinion of this branch, the distribution of frozen meat in London is in too many hantfs, and the branch suggests that the executive of the Farmers' Union should go into this aspect of the •question^ and see if the -distribution of- the Dominion's frozen meat cculd not be placed in the hands of provincial agents ouly." Mr M'Pherson moved and Mr A. Harrison seconded: — " That this branch urge upon the Government the speedy completion of the railway to M'Kenzie Station, in time to cope with next season's grain traffic." The secretary was instructed to write to the freezing works and ascertain " if any concession -could be obtained by the ordering of large quantities of manure at a time, and distributing , it at tibis end."