FARMERS’ UNION.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9141, 9 May 1908, Page 8

FARMERS’ UNION.

FEILDING BRANCH. The annual meeting was held yesterday afternoon, Mr W. G. Pearce ip the ohair.' j n the balance-sheet submitted it •was shown that 76 members had paid in subscriptions £45 4s 6d and £5 6s 9d had been received on account of the Shearers’ Defence Fund, which ■with £1 Us 3d credit from last year made a total of £53 2s 6d. There was a credit balance of £7l 3s 6d over expenditure. In the Chairman’s report regret was expressed that so many members were in arrears, only 76 having paid up as compared to 105 last year, 68 being now in arrears. The past year had not been attended with the same degree of prosperity as the previous year, the drop in the price of wool and flax having been felt keenly, and the dry spell had a serious effect on the dairy industry. The branch took an active interest in dealing with the Shearers’ Dispute, and it was satisfactory to note that an agreement had been arrvied at. In view of the probability of the farmers having in the future to deal with the Farm Labourers’ Union, it would be in the interest of farmers to act with the Union in self defence. In response to a remit from this branch, Government had made provision for the election of a member of the Land Board by Crown tenants. Mr Wheeler remarked that there was over £2B outstanding subscriptions and he thought it was deplorable so many members should be in arrears. He pointed out that there was £33 5s still due for rent for rooms, and he expressed the opinion that the rooms account should have been included in the balance-sheet. The Secretary stated that the accounts were made out separately, because two other branches were contributing to the fund for the rooms. . , . . _ ■ It was decided to include in the balance-sheet the liability referred to, which would make the balancesheet to show a debit of £lsl Is 6d. Several pounds of arrears having been collected in the room, it was decided to use it for payment of rent. The election of officers resulted as follows: Chairman, MrH. J. Booth; vice-Chairman, Mr G. Wheeler; Committee, Messrs Boddy, Smith, Mayo, Selby, Campbell, Burrell, MaoFarLme, Thompson, Bowater, Lange, Pearce, Atkinson and Anderson. Messrs Booth and Wheeler were elected delegates to the Provincial Confreence. In respect to making arrangements for the Conference it was decided to invite the neighbouring branches to ■ take part, and to send, delegates to a meeting to be held on Friday next at Feilding for the purpose. The Chairman stated that the Drill Hall was not obtainable for the Conference. it having been taken by some other person immediately the date of the Conference was fixed upon, bur, that the Oddfellows’ Hall was available. It was decided to invite to the Conference the Minister of Lands, Secretary of Agriculture, Mr Ritchie and Mr Gillruth, and the members for the Orona and Mauawatu electoratThe subscriptions for the year were fixed as follows: 10s up to 350 acres, 20s up to 500 acres, 30s up to 1000 acres, and 5a for honorary members. It'was decided to engage the Oddfellows Hall for the Provincial Conference. As a remit to the Conference Mr Bowater proposed “That Government be asked to establish an Agricultural School on the site offered, by Mr Lethbridge for the Dairy School. ” Also, “That the Government be arked to set aside a suitable area of land on 'die Main Trunk Line for an Agricultural College.’’’ The members present at the meeting could not remain to discuss these proposals, but speaking in regard to the first and in reply to some remarks of Mr Bowater, Mr Wheeler said it was not due to ignorance of some dairy farmers that their cows died from want of proper*.-reatment, but of cruelty in not feeding them, anti it: his opinion Societies for the protection of animals would be doing more practical good by prosecuting such persons, than taking action against the owner of a horse with a sore shoulder. The meeting then terminated.