N.Z. FARMERS’ UNION.

Shannon News, 29 April 1927, Page 4

N.Z. FARMERS’ UNION.

ANNUAL MEETING OF LEVIN BRANCH. REMITS ADOPTED FOR PROVINCIAL CONFERENCE. The annual meeting of the Levin branch of the Farmer’s Union was held, in St. Mary’s schoolroom oil Saturday afternoon. ’ There was an attendance of about 20 members, and Mr. H.'Denton-■ f president) was in the chair. ' ' FARM f SCHOOL. A letter was received from Mr. W. ,f. McCullough, Government Fields Instructor, with reference to the annual farm school. During the last , few venrs it has been customary- to hold such a school in this district, and it was formerly residential for a week at the Central Development Farm, but last year it took the form of a travelling school visiting certain centres for a clay and evening only throughout the various districts, amongst which Levin ■ was included. As a result of the success attending the effort, other centres not yet visited are pressing for recognition. Consequently Mr. McCullough asked the branch to agree to Levin being visited alternatively with another centre. This means that the school will not be held here this year, but will visit Levin every alternate year thereafter. _ . It was decided to fall in with the suggestion. DOMINION PRESIDENT’S CRITIQUE. The Chairman read the report of the address by Mr. W. Poison, Dominion president, which appeared •in the Manawatu Daily Times of April 6th. Iln his statement Mr. Poison had stressed the importance, in the present period of financial stringency, of adopting the principal planks in the policy*of the Farmers’ Union, which deal with labour conditions, finance, land- settlement, markets, tariff reform, and retrenchnient in public expenditure. Mr Denton also read the Times editorial on the president’s address. Mr. F. G. Roe moved, That this branch supports the remarks made by the Dominion president in his speech deported on April 6th. \ Mr. A. J. Gimblett, who seconded,

said he would • like to see the banking

question taken in hand. .He agree! with Mr Poison that this was the key

to the whole position in regard to cheap money. The Banking Commission’s re port had been practically ignored by the Government, which was only shirk :ng the responsibility placed.upon it.Mr. T. G. Vincent said that a larger question was that of tariffs.' The purposal at Home for a capital levy had been decried, everywhere, but the tariff in this’country was a capital levy on the producer.. What was needed was to get at the causes of depression; 'they could all see the effects. Preference to unionists was a cause in the Arbitration Court. He thought-that. ir. future when a protective traiff was given to any industry,.the resulting income should be placed to the credit of the State Advances Department so that it •.-onld be available for the farmers. Mr. W. G. Adk-in referred to the rise- in interest rates.' While agreeing ihat Air. Gimblett had struck the nail on the head, the most, serious .feature of farming life to-day was the loss of

ing to induce young fellows to go on interest in the land. There wasnoththe land, and the same time there was no desire among them to go into the back country,* and- conquer* it* The speaker had been in the civil service for some years and was amused at the way iir which- some * of ’ the officers put in their* time for a thousand a year: With- regard to public expenditure, hr pointed out that this country had a civil service big enough to provide for the needs of five million- people, instead of for a population of only a million and a, quarterlf he had grown the wool for a suit of clothes, was 8/- olit of 13 guineas.a fair return for growing the wool Mr. H. J. Richards said that in the employment of labour the farmers were not getting a commensurate output for the - money expended Merchants hnd shippers-, and*'others all put profits on top* of the high labour costs, and that was one of the reasons for the high cost of living. On the wharf they would- see two men wheeling one bale of wool, whereas in the old days thpy would- see one man .wheeling a “dump’’ bale of wool., House rents were very high-owing to .the wages which had to be paid • and-.the small relative amount of work done.

Mr. J. Kebbell said that at one time the farmers used to get men for £ll week, and found. Now they could net get a carpenter’s services under £1 a day. » , Mr. Vincent mentioned that the waterside workers-formed a'very close corporation) the membership in Wellington being iimited ! to 1500 Mr . Adkin ami Mf . Richard's- had borne out his argument because the high wages given by the Arbitration 1 Court were bas'd oil the high tariffs i The embargo on timber ■ would* quickly have an effect in raising rents. If they only bad 1 a protective" tariff instead of a revenue j ' tariff.they- would be-- able to get a suit .cheaper, than at presents The Chairman remarked' that wheb free labour was engaged on the Wellington- wharves in 1923 it did the work more expeditiously than it tad been done by the strikers. Mr. Gimblett- said he still thought that if they could get cheap money, it would be the means' of reducing the price of everything they had to pay ■PrtV '

tor. .. - . , Mr. W: Falloon said-that in the past if they' had not had the cheap money, they would not have had the cheap labour. „ . '' . Mr. 1 Eoe'said'that-as far as finance' was' concerned,’ judging- by- the' President's remarks, the country was* in very bad position. We were living in a very extravagant -age*. He hoped that -Mk Coates*and the* members- of Parliament - would- set a good ! * example; by-reducing their salaries i Or.e of the* most'extravagant acts>* of theGovernment' was- to- choose* a- site for', an Agricultural College <■ at Palmerston N ot th. . The- motion endorsing; Mr. Pol3on 3 remarks was carried unanimously and. .it was resolved to have the address printed and circulated among the mem bCrS ' BRANCH -FINANCE,. The' baiance'-sheety-which was adopted,

showed that year* commenced with; scriptions ' under<® orders were- received to the- amount'-of' £101) Vhich sum; was* reduced*- bV HOmittionr and; provincial; levies *to £24 16s. Cash-subscriptions: amounted to-£l6) which: was- reduced bylevies to £44 Interest* earned- was ■ £« Os* 4 2d, 1 thef nett'* receipts -(iu*i i-luding>'the->previous i -year-’s>balance) tu. £95 15s. Expenditure was £24 2p 4d,

leaving a credit balance of £7l 12s Sd. Officers for the ensuing . year were elected as- follows:-*-President, Mr. 11.. Denton (re-elected); vice-presidents,' Mefesrs J. Kebbell, H. J. Richards, T. Kilsby, and A. J. Gimblett (re-elect^ od); committee, Messrs Pringle; Page: W|i G. Adkin, W. Falloon, Tully, Beecher; .Irving; Sorensen.G. L. Adkin, Richards, Gimblett, Gilmour, Gay, W. E. Kilsby, -‘Prouse; Pinley, Stewart and ;Roe.;, secretary Mr. F. R. Wright (reflected): ■ ■ ' i Mr. Richards paid a high tribute to the work' carried put by Mr Wright for the past nine-years as secretary. Messrs Gimblett and Richards were appointed delegates 1 to the Provincial Conference-to be-held iii Levin next

REMITS FOR PROVINCIAL CONFERENCE. ; .The meeting then considered remits 'for--'the- Provincial Conference; ; Mr Giiublett moved that it be a remit that the conference regrets the iaction of the; Government in failing to carry out the . findingsof the Banking ; Commission. He said that the. Government had done less than nothing m 'regard to'.the. Commission’s report. The Bank claimed to have six millions to lend the farmers but none of them had ’any hope of getting- any money that 'would-be of any advantage to them. Mr. Poison had brought forward a scheme that would have helped New Zealand more than either the Bank ot New Zealand or the Advances to Sett- , lers Department could do. t ‘ The bank and financial institutions recognise our broad acres, which we have reclaimed from the bush, as tht ■best security in the world, ’’ said Mr. ? W. G. Adkin; “and they don“V want to'see that security pass- from their ; hands into ours. If this scheme passes ithrough : (the Agricultural Bank), wo Iv/ill be making, use of the security we jliave created . The* banks‘-and financial institutions have fairly snuffed the 'scheme out, and our -Premier* : is* ;help* lless in the hands* of powerful finance. 'The 'only solid things in this country are our little farms.. ' . • The remit was agreed to unanimousA remit by Mr. G, Tully in favour of the labelling of frozen meat which is released for sale in New Zo&lfind i-m+niiprs’ slions. was agreed to.

; It was' decided to recommend to tue Conference that in future the secretar ics of branches collect subscriptions-on order in their districts and; pay the necessary levies to the executives. This means that all subscriptions shall go through the branches in the first instance. . „ , f Mr. St swart moved a remit'tlvaf the Minister "of Agriculture. be requested to inquire* into the possibility- of the free carriage of burnt crushed Gim'e a*; jail railway* stations, to bona; fide farmers; for a* period**'of > three years. (At the present; lime is carried ' for 100 miles free- of charge; on the railways;) ; Mr. Gimblett said that if this was carried, then lime could be sent free from one end of New Zealand to the other. , , .. . It was pointed out that -the freight on lime for distances up to 100 miles was paid by the Agricultural Depart-

ment. r M r Richards said he was rather against the motion. Having got a certain concession in the carriage of lime, they -were* nc-w asking the Government to cut down expenditure on one hand ■ and*increase it on; the other. -■ Burnt lime, it was* explained, could j not f be* - procured * within 100-. miles.; ofLevin stat;oiv*~only! crushed .Jime < ti

(be got from. Maiiricevillev j Mr. Roe said it must be.of some , istance to the Government tp • mcreasoproduetion by the, use ofHime. , / Mr. Gimblett remarked - that; one. ot* the cheapest'rates of freijght ■ wa? inartificial manure, and. in this connection it he Government realised r that it was jnelning the country but. he hadrheard Wore than one railway officer say that. he Department had gone as far- as »u (could go with these concessions, j The motion was lostv , i PREMIER AND MR. GRCHJNDSV l, Mr Gimblett said he had thoughts of . (putting forward, v, remit- dealing .with-rtta-iry" produce control, but, he did-not idpsire to press'it now, ;as the mpetingf 'Lad already agreed to, several..remit&v Which were against the Government. • IThe question with which. he was Ice rued had to do with .the attitude, j which the Prime Minister- took in re*. >gard to the dairy farmers ’ representa*. jtive at Home on the question of controls illie dairy-farmers sent M-rl Grounds.to (the. Old Country to look , into the great; (unrest existing there in connection, withit he, control < of'/dairy produce, The iPrifho Minister arrived shortly; alter, ~ ja nd i when he landed Mr,. Grpunds tried; ito get in touch with him, soVne to meet, him las man to man, and l give Mr.. (Grounds an opportunity to ; present h«. {side ?of the question, before,dhO ;opp r osi-; |tion presented theiiSi The Prime hlin*. lister \iiever as much as- answered Mr.. Grounid’s request for a ; hearin£.but'h* | received three deputatiqns from the j other | side. As a. representative, Mr. (Grounds was the dairy farmers’ man*, ifhe Pirime Minister observed strict ! silence iin regard to Mr. Grtiiinds’s re* ■quest. Mr. Patterson, thc Government representative onu.the agency, brought; along the representatives-of the? trade... }lf thisYwas not a breach* of, etiquette ion the 'Premier-*d part,; he wddMHike .to. jknow what was., : *,I ting remit to l ( drop to-dayi, ’ " add£d Mr. ' Gimblett, - .‘.‘because I' kiicdir the* Prem*. ,ier is goifyg to gat alt'he- Wants from j Mr. Groundsl believe the Premier •is going to Ypaintain his silenca. because 1 lie is not game to face thd. music. Had lit hot been for so much .'other opposition to the Government, I‘. was» going to put in a (remit : condemmihg, the ( Prime Minister for his attitude.'” The Ghairm)ah: i 1 4qn , fl see why it should not go'l forward; * Air. Gimblett: The of ' fin* lance and our attitude to ’Mr. Poison’s 1 address will giVe thenuenough to keep them going. 1

s Lntriii . * ; AGRICULTIJRAL COLLEGE. ’ iff. Roe moufea as a remit;-that * a further appeal lj»e made tp the'Govern*, ment to have tWe, agricultural colleger ’established on twe site selected by. tAvov previous Ministries at’,/thp; Central! pie-*-veiopment* Farm! Wei-atO'd. He stated? ’that the necessary buildings existedL on, fhe farm whichyconsist.ed' of SOOJ acrea of land -equal tof any ifi the Dominion',., Air enormous sawing ofymohey, could, bo. brought about. Thferfe- was no* doubt, that this was one of the finest sites,, for a college ‘ iri the world; Them must have been* a lot" of. wire pullings to have a site selected in Palmerston. .North, If the Wellington people’-knewr the position, he thought there was not* a man there whe > would refuse, to sign, a petition in* favour-of having;,th'e. col* lege shifted to lieyin. .' Mr; Stewart seconded the: motion,, and it Was carrifld. i The meeting co|ncluded after a*bearly'> i vote of thanks hjad been passed-to.-the-president ,and th®. secretary-, fOr the able.'way'in' whicfii they had’carried'tdo.he'affairj'of thq ifmion. '