FARMERS' UNION

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 294, 6 August 1932, Page 2

FARMERS' UNION

RESULAR MONTHLY MEETING " The USual pl'pnthly meeting of the Opptiki branch of the Farmers' Union was held at the seeretaPyfS r60ms, on Thursday morning. The ehief business was the discussion of the agencla for the sub-proyincial eonference to be hcld on August 18. Those present were Messrs. A. E. Martin (chairman) , A. Forbes, R. Looney, G. Joblin, M. F. Stevenson, J. R. Jurd, W. Beattie, W. Bradshaw J. Dunlop, and T. H. Pearson (secretary) . Among the outward correspondence was a letter to the provincial secretary asking the union to supply the Opotiki branch with an outline of co-operative principles and their meaning as understood by the union; there had been considerable controversy recently as to where co-opera-tion should begin and end. The annual report and balance sheet was received from the Dominion office of the Union. Mr. Martin in r.eplying to a question as to the Railway Board's attitude when visiting the district in connection with the East Coast line, said that he was one of the deputation which waited on the board at Wai^ mana. ' It appeared to him that the board was not partieularly interested in what the deputatjon had to say, and although they had listened to the deputation at the roadside, they were obviously in a hurry to get away. He stated that he had also attended a meeting of the Farmers' Union at Taneatua at which there were present a number of delegates from other branches interested in the railway, and that they had passed a resolution urging the public to support the line. In his opinion, the farmers were already supporting it in that they had all their manure, etc., sent by rail, but the board was apparently anxious to have greater support from the merchants and townspeople, as this class of freight was a better paying proposition. Dommion Currency A proposal by Mr. Bradshaw that the following remit be sent to the sub-provincial union was carried unanimously: "That the Government be asked to go into the question of. Dominion currency independent oi Empire exchange." Mr. Martin pointed out that the sub-provincial union was endeavouring to get this matter as widely discussed as possible in order to obtain suggestions fiom all quarters with a view to picking out the best of them. He also pointed out that Captain Rushworth, when speaking on the same subject at the last Auckland conference, had refrained from making any definite suggestions for remedial measures, as he wished members to think matters out for th'emselves and forward th -h views rather than merely to f. iOpt t .c e of someone else. Native Lands The following proposal by Mr. Joblin was carried unanimously: "That the attention of the executive be called to the unfairness of the present rating system, under which native rates were in many cases practically uncollectable, thus increasing the burden of the farmer who did pay his rates." This matter is one of special importance in the Bay, as there are such large areas of nativeowned land in the area. Mr. Bradshaw said that he had a special grievance in connection with this, as there was a large block of native land next to him (with a tenmile road frontage) which had been acquired for the purpose of development under the Native Land Scheme. He alleged that all rates had been paid .on this land up to the time it was acquired for this purpose, but that none had been paid since. The members present appeared unanimous in thinking that a benzine tax would be better and fairer than the present system. During the discussion of a remit sent in at the last annual conference in which one branch considered that the large sums set aside for depreciation by Power Boards were unnecessary, in view of the fact that all lines had to be kept in a high state of efficiency from maintenance funds, the fact that wire reinforcing was showing through the concrete poles in some parts of the district was mentioned. Mr. Martin said that while in Auckland he had had the opportunity of discussing this, and he had been assured tbat tbis was' due to' faulty workmansbip in the malcing of the poles.