DISTRICT NEWS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 8, Issue 456, 15 August 1919, Page 1

DISTRICT NEWS.

CLEVEDON. FARMERS' UNION The Clevedon Farmers' Union held its monthly mooting on the evening of Saturday, August 9th last. There was a good attendance of members present: Messrs C. A. Fawcett (President), D. Bryan, W. Duder, A. L. Atkinson, C. Munro, B. Aickin. T. Smith, W. Ilollingsworth, L Burgoyne, J. Luke, F. Stephens, 8. Browne, J. Hancock, P. Waters, J). Baird, 0. Burnsido, and J. A. Oandy (secretary). After the passing of the minutes, Mr S. 0. S. Branson was elected a monibor of tho branch. Mr J. T. Murray's resignation was accepted. The Provincial office wrote promising to take up the matter of a free rural mail delivery in country districts at leaf t three times a week, and to strongly press the matter. The secretary reported that he had posted to each member a copy of Mr Lysnar's pamphlet on trusts and the wool commandeer, and read a personal letter which was a reply from Mr Lysnar to one asking for certain information re the prices of farmers products. In this letter Mr Lysnar quoted (and he is prep„red to back up his statements) " In connection with butter, the New Zealand farmer is getting equivalent to Is 7]d per lb, while under the direction of the Minister of Food in England it Is retailed at 2s 6d per lb. The freight in getting it there is about 1 jd, and you will see that Mr Cuddy, the chief Government dairy expert has admitted that it will cost the farmer Is 7Jd to make a pnund of butter if he pays ordinary wages. Consequently, the farmer is actually losing }d per pound for the cost of producing butter exported, and 2Jd on that sold for consumption in New Zealand. You will see from this that the dairy farmer loses a farthing to 2Jd on every pound of butter produced, while the authorities at home allow between 8d and 9d profit to be made when sold there. Then take the meat. You will see the best price for ox beef is 5d less f o.b. charge which gives the farmer 4|d net, while the Minister of Food direc'a that this meat shall be sold in October up to 2s 4d a pound for the best cuts of beef. In the April number of the National Food Journal issued by the Minister of Food those prices are somewhat reduced, and the best price is 2s 2d, and if you will allow freight in getting it homo l.j'd, it will bo seen a very handsome profit is being made at the other end, for you might take the average of our meat as being sold at about Is 7d to Is It 1 a pound, while tho farmer here dues not average . r )d a pound for tho same. Wool, I think, is in the worst position of all. Under tho coniman deer we are soiling it at an average of Is 2.1 d per pound, and it is being handed over by the authorities to the trade both in Now Zealand and at home at practically cost price, and they aro in no way restricted as to the price they charge for the manufactured article for civilian requirements. You can take it that it requires a pound and a half of good wool to manufacture a yard of cloth, and considering the average price of wool a yard of cloth would not contain more than from 2s to 2s 6d worth of wool, while the manufacturers would {jet anything from 15s to 35s a yard for it." (Mr Lysnar is not complaining of the passed prices, during the war, but is asking where the farmer stands with the commandeer to bo carried on for another year, seeing the war is over.) While di-cussing the above, the question of placing this matter before the Labour Unions in order that they might get an understanding of the farmers' position, and not be left under the false impression that it is the farmer that is profiteering was brought forward, and the following resolution was passed : " This Branch supports the executive in its move to negotiate with Labour Unions in order to arrive at a better understanding between Labour and the farmers, as representing the producers and consumers, and suggests tho circulating of Mr Lysnar's pamphlet on Trusts and commandeers among Labour leaders."

The Good Roads Association wrote asking the Branch's support at a meeting called for the Isth inst. Letter received, and the Branch's concurrence with the objective of the Association. It was resolved to write the surrounding districts, with the object of getting them to co-operate in visiting oiteh other's Farmers' Union meetings. MERCER. MAUISTKATE'H COURT. (|{ef.»ro Mr F. K. Hunt, R.M.) I'M 1 ] I• TIMI-I-'.U CO. V T. KAMAXI't. The United Timber Company, of Merror, proceeded against A. T. Kamanui, of Whangarata, for £2OO, defendant counter-claiming £2OO. The statement of claim sot forth that defendant, being the owner and occupier of a large block of land I situated near Whangarata station,

upon which was a large quantity of millable timber, which defendant agreed to sell to plaintiffs, and plaintiffs agreed to purchase same on terms that the Company should cut and remo. e tho same for sawmilling purposes in the usual manner, and should pay the defendant certain royalties ou all millable logs so removed, according to measurement. The plaintiffs commoncod tho undertaking, and provided a team of bul locks and other gear, and constructed a haulage-wuy to tho bush for the purpose of removing the timber. They removed the greater portion of the timber, but in April, 1819, when continuing the cutting and removing of the timber, the defendant demanded that the Company should cease work, and remove its plant and gear, and wrongfully ordered the plaintiffs to do no further work on the bush. The Company, accordingly, ceased work, and removed its plant and gear. When tho defendant demanded the cessation of work thore remained upwards of 50,000 feet of standing millable timber and a large quantity of logs cross-cut and ready for haulage. By reason of tho foregoing, plaintiffs lost the profits of working tho standing and fallen timber, and tho cost of cross-cutting, and lost tho work of bushmen and millhands, who wero temporarily ren dered idle. In all, tho Company los £2 IS, but to bring the action within the jurisdiction of tho Magistrates' Court, reduced the amount to £2OO, for which sum thoy claimed general damages, together with costs, £lO general damages, and £l9O special damages, as under:—Loss of bushmen and millhands, and other expenses, £l.°>; loss of cioss-cutting work, £ 1 ; loss of profits on timber standing and fallen, £17.".; total, £l9O. ] hiring April tho Company paid to defendant certain royalties, under the agreement. The defendant counter-claimed £2OO, and the statement of claim says that during March, April, and May last the plaintiffs removed from the defendants farm, at Whangarata, 477,000 feet of timber, at Is od per 100 feet, amounting to £298. Defendant acknowledged receipt of £4G on account, leaving a balance of £252, of which the defendant waives the excess over £2OO, to bring tho claim within the jurisdiction of the Court.

In the second claim, the plaintiffs claimed A'lo.'J, and the statement of claim stated that on April 30th, I'J 19, whilst the plaintiffs' servants were by means of a team of eleven working bullocks, hauling a log that had been cut on the defendant's property in the direction of the plaintiff's mill, the defendant wrongfully prevented the plaintiffs' servants from proceeding with the work, and seized and detained the team of bullocks with the yokes thereof. Late on the same date the defendant permitted the plaintiffs' servants to re-tako possession of the bullocks and proceed with the work. On May Ist, 191 D, the defendant again wrongfully, by force, took the bullocks, with the yokes, out of the possession of the Company's servants, and wrongfully detained the same down to May l»tli, notwithstanding that in the meantime the plaintilfs repeatedly demanded possession thereof In consequence of tho aforesaid, the Company lost tho use of the bullocks and suffered delay in the working of tho mill and bush, and lost tho work of gangs of men who were dependent on tho work of the bullocks, and suffered delay and expense through having to obtain legal advice, and also lost the time of servants engaged in attendance upon the defendant to demand the return of tho bullocks. The Company, therefore, claimed £lO general damages for the wrongful detention of tho bullocks and yokes, and A'II "' special damages, as follows: Loss of men's time attending to demand

(Continued from page 1.) possession of tho bullocks, £3 ; legal expenses, and trips to Auckland, £lO ; dolay of mill and bush work, and loss of time, £IOO. Tho defendant, in his counterc'aim statement, stated that in or about September the plaintiffs started a fire or tires on defendant's land, a". Whangaratn, which burnt portions of tho fences to the value of £S, also oO rata prats valued at 'Jos, and burnt fern and other growth o!f mi area of forty acres, which will delay the surface sowing of the same in grass fox at least two years, and cause a consequent loss of profits amounting to £SU. 2. That tho plaintiffs wrongfully allowed their bullocks to trespass on defendant's property during tho period covered l>y tho stareni'-nt of claim, arid to causo injury to tho extent of ■'!. That at 'he ivoiien (J i phiintifts' foreman, ilm defendant .supplied stoiv:- to tho (.'oinpany's workmen, of which fail paititulars h.id been ri' dercd, an i 'or whit h a balaiicn of £'• i. i;iving 1) fendaiit, therefore, c!.limed i'.-i ! t ~ •j j £' £■"> : total, VI !'' > An .ip\>l!•.t ;• •11 I'\ ilie pl.iintills' Sol hi tor i to h the e ise hoard in Auckland ~a graiitt .1. Mi Hunt said ho would look 1i.'.0 tlni matter, to st o if the cas« c •lie 1 under his juiisdietioii. He thought it a nutter ior the Supreme Coiir'. BOMBAY. 11! connexion wi:!i tin 1 paragraph appearing in our I i;;f issue, wl en it stated fliftt. Kev S. N:\oii, of l'llke];olio, had teen presented with a cheijue of £-" by the Jlotuhay con k'regati'ii of the 1 'resl»yteriii'i ('hureh ill rei ognitiou I f the congregation s appreciation of his pulpit nnnistrut ion-. we have been advised, that since, tli" jiresen'ation was made, an additional f"> has ln.eii d oio'ed, and tins amoiiiit !ias hern handed to Mr Nix,,ll making up to date a donation of I '-".