N.Z. FARMS’ UNION.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 281, 28 March 1929, Page 5

N.Z. FARMS’ UNION.

i PUTARURU BRANCH. Monthly Rleetizig. The monthly meeting of the Putaruru branch of the New Zealand Fanners’ Union was held on Saturday last, Mr. A. R. Vosper, the vicepresident, presiding over a good attendance. Mr. Vosper, who acted as spokesman for the deputation from the ■union that waited on the Minister of Lands and Agriculture on the occasion of his visit to Putaruru, soliciting the Government’s assistance in •dealing with the ragwort menace, reported that the Minister gave the impression that he was sympathetic and fully alive to the disastrous results likely to accrue from a spread of this weed. Mr. Forbes seemed to think that to appoint additional inspectors would be to raise a further "hue and cry from the farmers, • many •of whom thought that there were too many inspectors now. The Minister :apparently believed in local control, and seemed to favour the creation of “boards, though he was not definite on the point. “He did. not promise too much and this is a good thing in a Minister of the Crown,” concluded “Mr. Vosper. Letters were read from the Meat "Producers’ Board, Messrs. C. H. Clinkard and F. Lysnar, M.’sP., and the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. -G. W. Forbes, in reply to the branch’s protest against a proprietary freezing works in ’ Auckland in increasing their killing space. The Minister’s letter stated that “the company concerned had been informed that killings at their works must be kept within the limit laid ■down by his predecessor in office, viz., 3000 per diem. The letter went on to state “ during the late rush when "lambs off their mothers were coming forward in large numbers another “works could not handle all the lambs received in excess of the limit above mentioned, and on such days the Trillings at the company works about •whom the complaint was made exceeded this number. If these extra killings had not been done loss would have been incurred by farmers “through their inability to get their lambs away fit.” Mr. L. M. Nicklin : The secretary of the local branch said the letter -was no answer to their complaint. The fact remained that the firm had increased their killing space by 24 hooks. There was no need 'for the •extra lambs to go past the Ilorotiu works. Mr. Vosper said that they would no .doubt hear more about it later on. Mr. Nicklin: Another letter would do no harm. A member advised waiting until they got the reply from the Meat "Board promised after the next meeting of the hoard. Mr. Nicklin characterised it as a dirty trick, and Mr. Vosper closed the discussion by saying that the branch had done its duty, and that the secretary had stated the position in his "letter forcibly. It was decided to meet in future on the fourth Saturday of every month. Mr. Addenbrooke brought up the question of getting out a pamphlet -setting forth what the union has accomplished. “ I have asked farmers to join the union,” said Mr. Adden"broke, “ and they have in turn asked me what has the union done?” The chairman agreed it was a good Idea, and on his motion it was decided to write to the provincial secretary for a list of the union’s achievements. | ANNUAL MEETING, *} Election of Officers. Following on the monthly meeting, the annual meeting of the Putaruru branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ "Union was held on Saturday. The election of officers resulted as -follows: —President, Mr. A. R. Vosper; vice-presidents, Messrs. Scott rand Jones; executive, Messrs. Addenbrooke, Peters, Morris, White, Hamilton (Tokoroa), together with the president and vice-presidents ex officio. Mr. L. M. Nicklin v/as re-elected secretary, all the members paying a tribute to the efficient manner in -which Mr. Nicklin had carried out the duties of his office. Mr. J. R. O. Lochhead was reelected treasurer and °uditor.