N.Z. FARMERS' UNION

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 7, Issue 418, 15 October 1918, Page 1

N.Z. FARMERS' UNION

Franklin Sub-Provincial District

A meeting of the Executive of the above district was held in the Board room, Pukekohe, on October 7th, the following delegates attending, viz., Messrs H. 0. Mellsop (President), E. T. Frost (Tuakau), R. W. Johns, A. Bell (Mauku), L. Morgan (Pukekohe East), S. McCaw (Maungatawhiri - Pokeno), M. Ballard (Runciman-Rama Rama), T. Logan (Pukekawa), C. Hodgkinson (Glenbrook), J. Schlaepfer (Pukekohe), L. L. Allen (Onewhero), E. Piggott (Buckland), A. Hull (Waiuku), and J. Fulton (Whangarata). Leave of absence was granted to Messrs W. L. West and A. Jones. The President extended a hearty welcome to Messrs J. Fulton (Whangarata), M. Ballard (Rama Rama), and S. McOaw (Maungatawbiri) and congratulated their branches on joining the Sub-Provincial Area. A letter from the Good Roads Association and a copy of the report of the conference held in Auckland on March 22nd was read and fully considered.—The Executive expressed themselves as strongly in favour of the scheme of constructing the main arterial roads of concrete on the Victorian system and passed a resolution requesting a representative of the Association to address meetings to be convened by the Farmers' Union in the principle centres and inviting members of the County Councils, local Boroughs and Town Boards to receive full information and take steps to establish the system in this district. The Secretary's report and balance sheet was adopted. In dealing with the proposal to request the Government to establish a line of State owned ships as a means of stopping the present unjust profiteering by the huge shipping combines, the Executive passed a resolution, proposed by Mr C. Hodgkinson and seconded by Mr Piggott, strongly supporting the action of the Provincial Executive in urging the Government to either purchase or build a line of ships to be owned and controlled by the Government in the interests of the people of this Dominion.

Mr Mellsop proposed and Mr Alien seconded that the Executive should support the principle of a universal basis of subscription for all members of the Farmers' Union throughout the Dominion on a graduated scale computed according to the unimproved valuation of the land farmed by each member respectively with a minimum of £l. This was agreed to.

Mr Mellsop thought that in many cases farmers were justly entitled to be paid "sacks extra" for their produce and proposed that the branches be asked to convene meetings of grain, chaff, potato and onion growers to consider the best ways and means to bring this into effect. Mr Hodgkinson supported the motion and it was carried.

Mr D. R. Hamilton (Secretary of the Franklin A. and P. Association) waited upon the Executive and asked them to use their efforts to encourage the country children to enter the garden produce competitions at the next Pukekohe show. Several members spoke of the great advantages of extending agricultural education among the young and promised to support the movement. Mr Piggot moved that a letter should be written to the Manager of the Dairy Companies pointing out that if a greater difference was made between the price paid for first and second grade cream it would have the effect of helping to improve the quality of New Zealand butter. Mr Hull supported the motion.—Several letters were read from the different branches supporting the proposal but Messrs Hodgkinson and A. Bell spoke against the proposition.—The motion was carried.

A letter was received from Mr Baker (Rama Rama) suggesting that exchange on cheques should be abolished.—The question was allowed to stand over until next meeting pending further information. Mr A. Hull repotted having attended a Conference in Auckland to consider the cattle tick menace, at which conference it was decided to postpone the matter of enforcing the new regulations for six months so that information could be gathered in the meantime.

The Secretary reported the result of correspondence with Dr Reakes, the Director General of Agriculture, in reference to the Department appointing an Assistant Inspector to work with Mr Brittain to combat the rabbit nuisance in the District, wherein it was stated that thore was every possibility of the additional inspector being appointed. A remit from Buckland moved by Mr Piggott having for its object the furtherance of the cooperative principle so as to bring the producer and consumer closer together and thereby eliminating the middleman,

was in effect "That the Trading Company should issue a 13 class share having all the advantages of the ordinary shares, with the exception that the ijuestion of voting power be referred to a conference between Directors of the Trading Company and officials of Trade Unions." Mr Mellsop in seconding said he thought it would go far towards establishing

industrial peace and promoting the welfare of the Dominion generally. —The motion was carried.

The question of repairing roads by laying down new metal without any binding was brought up by Mr Ballard, who said that it resulted in a great waste of public money and was very hard on motor tyres as well as horses.—lt was decided to write the County Council suggesting that both in repairing and making new roads a little blinding should be used.

Mr Bell moved " That an emphatic protest be made against the Justice Department in sending the city crooks and habitual criminals into the country districts as they only became a source of annoyance, as was shown by the case of William James Courtney at Te Awamutu lately."— This was seconded by Mr Frost and carried. Mr Frost moved that as there was every indication of the war drawing to an early and successful termination, the Executive should support the New Zealand " Hands off the Pacific League."—This was unanimously carried. Accounts totalling £124 18s Id were passed for payment.