DISTRICT FARMERS’ INTERESTS

Shannon News, 6 December 1927, Page 3

DISTRICT FARMERS’ INTERESTS

provincial executive of the N.Z.F.U. , ARBITRATION AND RURAL CREDITS THE 'CHIEF TOPICS. The monthly meeting of the Manawatu provincial executive of the banners’ Union was held in the Band Room, Levin, on Saturday, there being present; Messrs 0. P. Lynch (president), J A McLeavev. H. McLeavey, H. Denton. F. Maul,' T. Gloyue, J. T.'Kont, T. D. Clifford, B. G. Gower, J. Lalsiliie, E. M. Budden (secretary). ARBITRATION AMENDMENT BILL. The secretary reported twit a telegram had been sent to the Prune Minister and the Minister of Labour, as from the Manawatu provincial district of the Farmers’ Union, urging the passing of the Arbitration Amendment Bill without mutilation, and stating that it is acceptable iu this district. 'The following replies were received:From the Minister :“Your telegram received. Representation regarding Arbitration Amendment Bill have been duly noted and will receive earnest consideration.” From the Minister of Labour: “Thanks for your wire re Arbitration Bill. Your assurance of support is appreciated and representations will have consideration.” i A circular letter was received from Colonel Pow, Dominion secretary, stating that the evidence tendered by Mr. Poison, Dominion president, before the Parliamentary committee on the Arbitration Amendmeut Bill followed closely the policy laid down at the last Dominion conference:—(l) r lhe peualtj of “preference to unionists” to be made effective; (2) the right of substantially interested parties to appear before the'Arbitration Court; (3) the ability of an industry to bear an award to be taken into account; (4) the principle of piecework to be adopted; (5) the exemption of farmers from Arbitration Court awards. Mr. Poison stated that he was misreported in connection with the last phase, as the papers had stated that he “condemned” exemption, whereas in his evidence he stated that he “commended” it. The Press Association had since circulated a correction. ‘LABOUR HANDICAPS.

The Chairman said he thought that farmers should be exempted under the Bill. Furthermore, piecework should be encouraged. He cited an instance of the soundness of this principle m its operation on his own property, where a man engaged for scrub-cutting worked 10 hours a day and earned £1 where he would only have received los. if he were on wages. Mr. Gloyn remarked that the labour unions did not want to see a workman rise; they wanted him to do so much and no more. Air. A. McLeavey: We shall have to get cows that all give the same amount, of milk. ■ Mr!. Gloyn: The secretary of the union is the boss. The chairman pointed out that there were still plenty of good workmen; but union officials tried to make all the workers alike, lie wondered that there had not been a reaction among the men against this policy. EFFECTS OF TAXATION. A reference' was made by Mr. Gloyn to depopulation of rural districts in the South Island, but Mr Gower said this was due altogether to labour conditions, as taxation was largely responsible for it. . Mr. Maul expressed the view that the demands of labour would not. matter so much if the fanners could obtain an equivalent, of what they paid out. He added that New Zealand s primary products went on to a freetrade market whilst in this country business was done under protection. Moreover, there Avere disbursements tor all kinds of purposes that were not considered in the old days, such as family allowances and kindred calls, all of which increased the taxation burden on the producer. On the Home market our goods had to compete with the pio. ducts of loav wages. There was nobody to whom the farmer could pass the buiden on, and so the farmer was the sufferer. If the present economic outlook were realised, the man on the land would become the serf, of other people. At this time only 40 per cent, of the population ivere on the land; it did not prove to the liking of the young people, who found better employment and more pleasure in the towns. If the position did not change, it, would eventually react on the whole community. The Chairman: It is reacting now. The chccriness that you find among business people to-day over the rise in the price of wool is quite marked. Butter-fat has also been up in price. This is going to mean, perhaps, a couple of millions to New Zealand this season . Mr. Balsillic: What are they going to say to you when butter-fat is going down? The Chairman: We have got to live on our own fat then. (Laughter.) He added that he thought the townspeople were obtaining a very much better understanding of the requirements and conditions of the fanners than they had a few years ago. A good part of this changed outlook was owing to the action of the Dominion President (Mr W. ,T. Poison) in holding a series of “rallies,” ivliich lie had carried right into the centres of population, where, with the assistance of various other speakers, he had given the .farmers’ viewpoint to the citizens. The chaiiman said he had heard town residents commenting on these gatherings and saying that they had not had any idea of what the position really was until tliev attended those meetings. IMPERIAL TRADE. Passing reference Avas made by the chairman to the visit to New Zealand of the Right Hon. L. S. Ainery, Dominions Secretary, and said that the

apparent purpose of the Minister’s tour was to advance Empire trade, the iam fixations of which were aheaclj ' * a r eat. Whether his visit was going to do the Dominion any good, the speaker could not say. The object of the British interests was to collect Viaducts, and bring them to England tor manufacturing. But the colonies themselves had factories for refining or otherwise dealing with many of t ien j\lr Maul voiced the opinion that it would be foolish for the Dominion to send to England such products as could be manufactured here and then to bring them back. The Chairman: If we can get the goods back cheaper than we can make them here, allowing for freights and other charges, we are not doing bad business. He added that at present the marketing question was in the. hands of the Dominion president (Air W. J. Poison) and Mr J. D. Hall. AGRICULTURAL BAA KING. “It is hard to keep up with the whirlwind of legislation,” said the chairman,'in coming to the subject of the Rural Credits Act. He stated that although a provision relating to shortdated loans had been passed, it was not what had been asked _ for, by any means. Among other things that had been wanted was a system whereby loans could be obtained on produce receipts. Supposing that the farmer had his crop of wool lying in the stores and the market was unfavourable, he would not feel disposed to offer it for sale. What was required was provision for a loan on the warehouse receipt for the wool, so that the producer would not be driven to accept whatever the broker liked to advance to him. The present tendency was to make weak holders sacrifice their wool, whereas if tliey could hold it for six or twelve months, their position would be improved enormously. The House had not passcc. the principle of loans on warehouse receipts, although Mr Poison had pressed hard for it- The chances were, however, that when the general scheme was established, improvements would be introduced from time to time. The chairman added that the Government had made- the mistake of having two Boards now to deal with banking. These Boards were really Government Departments, with the addition of one re presentative of the fanners. Instead of having the banks detached from Government influence while still .being controlled by the Government, the authorities should have the right of veto, which would surely protect them. When the question was before the Conference some years ago, the speaker was ordered to sit down because he introduced the question of the Government Life Insurance Department for comparative purposes. That Department was on practically the same basis as the Agricultural Bank proposal would have been. Any profits that were earned became the property of the policyholders; and it had been anticipated that a similar system would be introduced into the Rural Credits The Government stood behind the Life Insurance Department and guaranteed the payment of every policy that was taken out. The farmers wanted a guarantee for the bonds issued by the bank, with all its safeguards; but they did not get. this. The Hon. A. McLeod had said this would be a most • dangerous thing. However, in the Life Insurance the Government was guaranteeing policies to the amount of twenty millions sterling. The Department came into existence in 1870, and the Government had not lost a farthing on it. At the same time, it was well-known that the Department had been a tremendous help to the Government, because of the way it had dealt with short-dated papers, lending them to the bank, redeeming them from time to time, and making an enormous profit out of the transaction. Ihe Government would make a great profit out of the Agricultural Bank if it was run on the same system as the Government Life Insurance. Mr Maul observed that a lending policy and a life insurance policy were different things. The Chairman: It is only the analogy between the two that 1 refer to. Tlie argument is very much stronger in favour of an agricultural bank than of life insurance. Mr A. McLeavey: They have the cash in advance.

The Chairman: But they have the liability. For that they have the mortuary table, Avhich is the strong point of' life insurance. . With the agricultural banks you must put doAvn as sec.uritv 66 per cent, of the amount, so they helve a very much better security than a life insurance policy. Mr Maul: It is not helping the man which is needing it. The man Avith a 34 per cent, margin can obtain finance aiiA'where. Help is wanted for the man who is “up against it.” The Chairman: If he has not the security, you efinnot help him. The people who are stable, and who obtain bians by this means, will put a lot. of money a float to finance the others. But the Agricultural Bank Avill not gHe a loan to a man avlio has no security. Mr McLeavev: If we had elaborated on the Advances to Settlers, Ave should have had a scheme now that could not ha\’e been broken. ,• The Chairman: They gambled on that, but they cannot gamble on the agricultural bank. SHANNON 11 EPRESENT AT lON. Attention Avas called by the chairman to the fact that the Shannon branch was not being represented on the executive, although that branch had a delegate appointed. —The secretary Avas instructed to write to the Shannon branch, requesting that, if the present delegate cannot, attend the exceutiA'e meetings, another be appointed in his SUad ’ FURTHER MEETINGS.

The next meeting of the executive was fixed for Saturday, February 4th, at Palmerston North, with the proviso that in case of emergency the executive will be called together earlier. The chairman stated that the Dominion executive would meet on Fcruary Ist.

THE SEASON’S GBEETINGS. At the conclusion of the business, the i chairman wished the delegates and the

branches they represented a very happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year, and, and he extended the same compliment to the secretary and the Press.