FARMERS’ INTERESTS.

Putaruru Press, Volume II, Issue 32, 22 May 1924, Page 3

FARMERS’ INTERESTS.

UNION ACTIVITIES, The Putaruru Branch. The first meeting of {He Putaruru branch of the Farmers’ Union for over a year was held in the supperroom of the Town Hall on Wednesday afternoon of last week. Mr. W. J. Lilley, vice-president, was in the chair, and there were also present: — Messrs. H. J. W. Scott, J. C. Toma.lin, H. Robinson, A. T. Morris, W. Campbell, A. R. Vosper, R. E. Fitness, Chas. C. Neal, G. E. Martin and J. R. O. Lochhead, secretary. The minutes showed that the last annual general meeting of the branch had been held on May 6, 1922, and the last ordinary meeting of the branch on April 14, 1923, following which latter meeting the president, Mr. H. W. Bullock, had resigned. Mr. Lochhead submitted a statement showing the branch to have £26 19s 5d in hand. Some discussion took place as to whether or not the branch should be continued. ORGANISATION.

The question was decided in the affirmative and the following officers were elected:—President, Mr. Lilley; vice-president, Mr. Scott; acting secretary, Mr. Lochhead; executive member's (together with president and vice-president), Messrs. Morris, Vosper and Robinson. It was agreed that the executive should have power to add to its number if the Dominion rules required more than five member's, that the executive should meet monthly to deal with matters coming forward, and that it should call general meetings of the branch when desired. Replies were then read from the Minister for Agriculture, the Hon. Vv. Nosworthy, to the representations made by a deputation from the branch when on his visit to Putaruru last December. ' LOCAL RABBIT BOARD. The Minister advised that he had investigated the legal position as to the petition compiled for the formation of a rabbit board for the Putaruru and Lichfield area and found that the signatures thereon of ratepayers who were in arrears with their rates were valid for the purposes of the petition, though nonpayment of rates would disqualify ratepayers from voting at the election of the board. The secretary stated that the county clerk had returned the petition on the grounds that such signatures -were invalid. The chairman asked did members wish to proceed with the matter. In reply several intimated that they thought such a board would be a decided advantage in dealing with the rabbits. It was resolved that the secretary interview the county clerk with the object of having the petition given effect to. RAILWAY TERRITORY. “ I have to inform you that the matter of keeping down the growth of noxious weeds and rabbits on the railway line is dealt with as the occasion demands,” ran another reply. This letter added that the district en.gineer kept a careful watch on such matters, and in his opinion the work was carried out satisfactorily. The plantation reserve between Tirau and Taumangi mentioned by the deputation was at present leased and the question of clearing the rabbits from it had been taken up with the lessees. The branch resolved to reply that that it was the Taumangi station reserve that it had mentioned to the Minister, not the one between Taumangi and Tirau. CATTLETICK.

A third letter from the Minister read: “ With reference to the repre rental ione, made to me at Putaruru that a cattle-dip was required at Kaimai to treat cattle coming from the Bay of Plenty into the Waikato, I have had enquiries made, l>ut I regret that circumstances at the present time do not appear to warrant the Department establishing a dip at this point. The officers of the Bay of Plenty area are very alert in doing all that is possible to ensure that animals with tick do not go out of the declared area until they have thoroughly cleaned.” Mr. Morris said in any case the

branch should know what were the boundaries of the infested area. He understood that the boundary was just beyond Mamaku, and mobs of cattle from that vicinity came to the Putaruru sale. They were mostly in poor condition and were more likely to carry tick than beasts in good condition. Mr. Neal said his experience in the Bay of Plenty showed that the condition of the beast did not matter. Tick would attack a fat beast as readily as a lean one. Hares were said to be the readiest carriers of ticks, but it was claimed that ticks dropped from a Hare did not breed. This, he thought, remained to be proved. However, there was little likelihood of hares crossing from the

Bay of Plenty to the Waikato, and in any case the sharp frosts in the Waikato, he considered, rendered it practically immune from the danger of tick. He had noticed in the Bay that following a winter there with one or two sharp frosts there was but little tick the next summer. Also, he had known of cases of tick in the Matamata district some years ago, but they had died out. The boundary of the infected area, he thought, was the eastern boundary of the Matamata county. He probably had the definite information somewhere.

The secretary was deputed to obtain this from Mr. Neal, or from the Stock Department.

RELEASE FROM MORTGAGES. Mr. Neal submitted the following remits for forwarding to the Provincial conference of the union, commencing at Auckland: “ That as so many farmers have had to leave their farms, and cannot get a release of mortgages without handing in their little all and filing, a recommendation be made to the Government that an Act be passed enabling a farmer to receive a release of mortgages, say, 12 months after the date of giving up possession of the farm, right of appeal to be given to mortgagees in each case.” Members agreed that in cases where a farmer had sunk years of work and all his capital in a farm and then, through causes beyond his control, such as the financial depression, had had to abonsdon it, some provision for his release seemed only just.

Another member asked would this not be interfering with private contracts, pointing out that some people would probably be unscrupulous enough to take advantage of it to abandon a farm, although it was paying them, to obtain one at a cheapei price that might pay them better, the value of land having fallen of late years. Also, many mortgagees had liabilities of their own to meet, and were probably in as bad a position as the mortgagors. Mr. Neal emphasised that the mortgagees would have the right of appeal. The chairman added that proper safeguards would have to be included when the legislation was framed. The conference would see to this. It was unanimously decided to send the remit forward, and ask Mr. W. H. Allen, of Tirau, to introduce it on behalf of the branch. Mr. Neal also stated that he wouldalso ask Mr. L. H. McAlpine to support it.

55d. Prime woolly lambs: 421 b and under, 10s d.

Wellington.—Prime woolly lambs 421 b and under, 10»d.

Canterbury.—W ethers: 641 b and under, 71d. Ewes: 641 b and under, sld. Prime woolly lambs: 421 b and under, lid; 431 b and over, 10 id. Second-quality lambs: lOd. Southland.—Prime woolly lambs: 421 b and under, 105 d; 431 b and over, 9id. Second-quality lambs: 95d.

SOUTH AMERICAN SHIPMENTS. The New Zealand Meat Producers Board has received a cable from its representative at. Buenos Aires, South America, advising 1 lie following, shipments to the United Kingdom for the fortnight ended 3rd instant from Argentine and Uruquay: quarters chilled beef, 61,210 quarters frozen beef, 43,924 carcases frozen mutton, 63,436 carcases frozen lamb. The quantity shipped to the Continent of Europe during the same period totalled: frozen beef, 15,181 carcases frozen mutton, 3250 carcases frozen lamb.