SHANNON FARMERS UNION.

Shannon News, 6 March 1925, Page 3

SHANNON FARMERS UNION.

A well attended meeting oi tiie Shannon branch iof the N.Z. Fawners’ Union was held on Wednesday evening at the Council CJhambers, the President (Mr R. L. Tippler) presiding. CORRESPONDENCE. A copy of the rules of the N.Z. Farmers’ Union rifle teams competition for the" Colonial Ammunition Co.’s trophy was received. The trophy (a shield valued at ££o) is to be competed for annually by teams of six men from any branch of the N.Z. Farmers Union. Entries for the match close with tbe Dominion secretary on March 15. The president of the Levin Chamber of Commerce forwarded a letter desiring the union’s co-operation in forwarding a protest to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Railways in regard to the reported intention of the Railway Department to speed up the Napier* and New Plymouth express trains by eliminating all stops between Wellington and Palmerston, thus seriously affecting the convenience and reputation of. this countryside as concerning the generally satisfactory facilities hitherto enjoyed. The President (Mr Tippler) said be believed it was the intention of the Department to run a fast passenger train in front of the expresses to pick up passengers from townships along the line. If such was the case he thought the Department’s idea was a good one as it would speed tup the expresses and be more beneficial to those who had to travel a long distance. The matter had to be looked at from a general point and not from a local one. Hie said the matter could be left to the Department as there was always one section iof the public who wanted the expresses speeded up while another desired that trains stop at all stations. Mr Phillips: The Department must speed up the trains to compete with the motor services. The meeting agreed with the President and it was decided that the letter be received. A reply was received from; the Clerk of the Horowhenua County Council regarding a complaint from the Union as to- the poor quality of metal used on the County roads in the Tokomaru riding, pointing out that the Council was using the best metal available, taking cost into consideration. As an experiment metal had beqn obtained from the Chaw river. COLLECTION, OF SURSfCRiPTIONS. The Dominion Executive wrote recommending the cioillecting of members’ subscriptions through the dairy factories. The letter pointed out that the. giving of orders oh dairy factories by members of the N.Z, Farmers’ Union for payment of their annual subscription had been adopted in various parts oi tiie Donunnoin, with success by the organisers and that the Executive recommend the adoption of this system, by /all branches. The President said lie \v'q£ very much opposed to this method of collecting tne subscriptions and he was of opinion /that members generally would oppose it. He pointed out that it would entail extra work on the secretary of the dairy Company who would want to be paid for it and it was objectionable to members. The meeting did, not favour the proposal and on the nuoition. of Messrs iTnllips and Tippler it was resolveu that the Executive be informed “That the Shannon branch of the N.Z. Farmers’ Union does not consider the necessity for this method of collecting subscriptions.” Mr Stevens then suggested that u be a recommendation to the Executive that the Secretary be allowed a percentage for collecting tire subscriptions.—'lhis was carried.

The Secretary; (Mr Reid) said if the branch pay a commission for coilecting tiie subscriptions, the latter will have to be raised as at the present time it was £1 per annum. Now the Manawatu Executive and the Dominion Executive were each wanting 10/ per anpum on each member’s subscription and in any ciise it would have to be raised to 515/ to enable them to carry on. At the next Dominion Conference it was to be moved that the minimum subscription be 20/ per ann)um^ Mr Stevens expressed the. opinion that the higher the subscription went the less number the Union would get. It was resolved that next year’s subscription be raised t'o 25/. GENERAL. It was resolved that a letter oi thanks he sent to Mr Shepherd, manager of the Government Experimental Farm at Levin for the enjoyable and instructive day given tio members o< the branch on the occasion of their recent visit to the Farm. The President drew attention to the fact that settlers in the Tokomam riding of the Horowhenua County hud to journey to Levin to obtain a driver’s motor license, which he considered unfair as it meant loss of tune to the farmer and he thought the Council should make some arrangement for them to be obtaoined in Shannon. It was resolved to write to the Horowhenua County Council asking if they could make- some arrangements for licenses to be. issued through the Shannon Borough Council tq settlers residing in the Tokornaru riding. It was decided to hold the next meeting on Wednesday, April 1.