FARMERS' UNION DINNER.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8880, 3 August 1907, Page 2

FARMERS' UNION DINNER.

At FendingThe annual dinner of the Foil ding Brandi of the Farmers' Union 7. as held in the Drill Hall List evening. There were over .’OO prof cut including visitors aud ladies. Mr W. Or. Pearce, chairman of the branch, presided. The toast, of tbo Farmers’ Union was proposed by Mr Pirani, and respionded to by Mr 11 Newman of the Marten branch, who said in tbo course of his speech that the recent agitation against the Land Bill had proved that no Government could afford to neglect the demands of the farmers as expressed by the Farmers’ Union. The latest Land Bill was an improvement on that brought forward last session but the endowment proposals would have to he resisted and it was also unsatisfactory that the freehold option had not been made universal. Mr B. G. Bruce, proposed tbo toast of the ladies in his most happy vein, and Mr C. Anderson responded on their behalf. Parliament was proposed by Mr H Mclntyre, aud (Mr F. Y. Lethbridge in responding said it was rumoured that the Lands Committee had amended tbo Land Bill so as to extend to settlement tenants the same privilege as to acquiring tbo freehold as was provided for holders under lease in perpetuity on other Crown

lands. , . , In replying on behalf of agricnliuial interests Mr G. Wheeler said that ho traced much of the prosperity of tho Feilding district to tho mixture of largo and small biddings, and said that though he was strongly opposed to anything ot the nature of laud grabbing it would bo disadvantageous to tho country to have none but very small holdings. In proposing tho Army and Navy Mr B. G. Bruce dwelt on tho necessity, under tho changed conditions cc to-day, of training the youth of tho country, so as to fit them for defence. Captain MoNaught. organiser for tho Defence League, replied, and sot forth the objects of tho League. The Bross, proposed by tho Chairman, was responded to by Mr S. Andrew (Kangitikei Advocate) and Mr Pirani (Foilding Stark After the dinner a dance took pnicc. All the arrangements for tho dinner were excellently carried out by Mr A. J. Hart.

Among the visitors were also Mr Morrison, of Haloombo branch, Mr B. Orabb, of tho Kimboltou, and Mr H. H. Hunt, of tho Rongotca. Tho chairman road apologies for nonattendance from Mr J. G. Wilson and several other gentlemen. In the course of his speech Mr Newman said tho policy of the Union in regard to tho tariff was yet to bo urged more forcibly. They believed, as in Britain, the basis of the tariff should he for' revenue purposes only. Mr Mclntyre, in proposing tho toast of Parliament, condemned tho proposal to charge the leaseholders who desired to purchase tho freehold the added value cause by settlement and improved communication, whereas the interest' of Government was really only tho prairie value. Mr H. Tolley, iu proposing “The Agricultural interests,” said little Norway exported to Britain six million pounds worth of butter and six million pounds worth of pork annually. This indicated tho possible expansion of the New Zealand exports of-these commodities. Ho congratulated tho agriculturists on the pleasing prospects for the coming season.