FARMERS' UNION.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9399, 20 March 1909, Page 4

FARMERS' UNION.

FEILDING BRANCH WANT OF TRUCKING FACILITIES. . A meeting of the Committee cf the Feilding Branch of the Farmers' Union was’held yesterday aftrenoou. Mr H. J . Booth presided. A report was received from Mr J. C. Fowler, organiser, giving th© names of sevfnteeu new members. And a letter was received from the Provincial Secretary notifying that the next conference would be held at Bketauuna on the 25tb Mav and that the Provincial levy for the year would be 6s per member. On the motion of the Chairman, seconded' by Mr Burrell, Mr Hare was appointed auditor. Mr Campbell spoke of the necessity of some remedy to prevent the loss of time and loss in the condition of stock through the frequent delays -in the carriage over the railway. ... Mr Booth said at present there did not seem to be a scarcity of tracts but a shortage of haulage He had occasion to sdnd sheep recently by rail and on arriving at the station with his flock, be noticed that there were trucks on the siding but he was not allowed to 'load any, hot on driving to Longhorn he was able to obtain tracks.

Mr G. Wheeler said if the order for trucks had not been formally accented it was better to keep the stock at home. He had been waiting a week for an acceptance. He thought it would be advisable to place the matter before the coming conference. Mr Ohas. Carr said nothing shrunk in value so much as fat lambs. During the months of January, February and March, i t was absolutely necessary in the interest of fanners that better facilities should be given for the carriage of fat stock from Feilding. Uomplaints had been made for years but apparently they were not considered worthy of a better receptacle than the waste paper basket. At present if a track were ordered it could not be known when it t would be available. Mr H. Booth said be had 500 sheep waiting at home for trucks.. In his opinion the matter was too urgent to wait until the conference, and he moved “That Mr Guthrie, M.P., be requested to wire at once to the Minister of Railways pointing ont the injustice done to the farmers of the district through the want of facilities for transporting their fat stock.’’ Mr G. Straohan seconded the motion. Mr Guthrie, M.P., who was present, said it appeared to him the only solution of the difficulty would be the running of special trains.Mr Wheeler withdrew his motion in favour of the proposal last made. Mr Swainson, buyer for the Meat Export Company, said the Company had frequently oraered the trucks a week beforehand and couid get no information-as to when they would be supplied. On Thursday they had 6500 sheep to truck, 3000 had been sent on and the rest were still on hand. The delays caused at times a loss in quality up to 25 per cent. The sheep were really starved on the way to the works. He mentioned one qase when stock had been left at Paekakariki all night. Trucks eould be got more easily at Palmerston and Longhurn than at Feilding, and in the Wairarapa it was 50 per cent, easier to get trucks, and special trains were obtainable when necessary even up to 13 o’clock at night. The farmers were the sufferers in a smaller price being given for their far stock. Mr Wheeler said it was worse still when the stock were uot taken straight to the works. The motion was adopted, and on Mr Burrell’s motion Mr Guthrie was thanked for attending the meeting.