FARMERS' UNION.

Shannon News, 13 September 1929, Page 4

FARMERS' UNION.

MANAWATU PROVINCIAL EXECUTIVE. VARIOUS REPRESENTATIONS TO THE GOVERNMENT. The monthly meeting of the Mana,watu provincial executive of the Farmers' Union was held on in the Ba;id Room, Levin, there being present: Messrs O. P. Lynch .(president), B. G. Gower, J. Balsillie, J. A. McLeavey, F. Maul, R. Craig, C. P. Jensen, 11.. Bowling, 11. J. McLeavey, J. T. Kent, H.'Bond, H. Denton, and E. N. Budden (secretary). Reporting on the movement to have three instead of two representatives on the Defence Committee set up by the Sheep-owners*'Federation for the Wellington province, the chairman stated that he had seen the president of the Federation, Mr H. D. Acland, who was aware that the Farmers' Union had three executive bodies in the province —Manawatu, Wanganui, and Wellington Central—and who was quite prepared for them to have the representa-. rion desired. The chairman added that he was gathering the necessary information to finalise the matter The executive went into committee to' discuss the question of expenses of.the delegates attending its meetings. A proposal that 10s.per attendance be paid to each member in respect of last year's meetings was defeated, and the executive .resumed in open meeting to consider its future policy in this connection, with the result that it unanimously passed a resolution, by • Mr Bond and seconded t»y Mr Bowling, that for the current year members be allowed 10s each pel- attendance, 'with an additional grant of £1 3,s for the year for every delegate from south , of Te Horo; ,such moneys Yto be paid at ■ the end of the financial year, funds permitting. THEFTS OF STOCK. | In accordance with notice, Mr Kent moved that the,Government be requested to bring in legislation as follows: — ' 'That, owing to the amount of sheep ■ and cattle stealing going on, the auctioneers be compelled to name the vendor, and the vendor be compelled to state from whom Ihe purchased the sheep or cattle. Mr Maul seconded the motion. The Chairman stated that the question had been befoie the Dominion executive, which set up a special-com-mittee to confer with the Sheep-own-ers' Federation and the police, and the matter was then left in hands of the Commissioner of Police to follow up. Livestock thefts were very rife in the South Island and in the Gisborne district. He thought that the best way to prevent them was for farmers to keep their eyes wide open. . Mr J,, A. McLeavey considered that the Dominion executive was in a better position to deal with the problem than this executive was, and therefore it should be asked to take, it in hand. The Chairman asked if there.were ainy instances of live stock thefts in this district?. Mr Denton': Yes. Mr Kent mentioned a case in which 100 sheep, which were put in a paddock at night, had disappeared next morning. He did not see why this branch should not move in the matter; a resolution emanating from it should be entitled to the same consideration as one from Auckland. .Mr Bond endorsed this opinion. He pointed out that losses of stock by theft might bring some farmers to the Bankruptcy'Court. Mr Maul said Jie was quite in sympathy with Mr Kent. This was not a ■new remit. It had previously been urged that the auctioneer should name the vendor of cattle and sheep that were offered for sale. He thought it was quite a good, reasonable suggestion. •

Mr J. A. McLeavey: They won't do

it. . Mr Maul: I think it only Avauts the owners to bring pressure to bear and they will have to do it. Mr Kent: There should be legislation brought down to compel them to do it. The motion was carried, Mr Craig Voting against 'it. He said he considered that the matter was one that should be left to the vendors. The Chairman expressed the opinion

that the action urged in the resolution

would not only be of benefit in check- < ing raidg on stock, but would probably prevent a good many tuberculous pig; from being brought forward. The resolution is to be forwarded to the Dominion executive for its meeting, on October 23rd. COWS THAT MISS. , Mr Bowling moved, in terms of notice, that the Live .Stock Division of the Department of Agriculture be urged to further investigate the question of sterility in cows. He remarked that this was ,a matter of urgency, because ill another six weeks it would be time for cows to be served ajgain. He referred to cases within his knowledge where large percentages of cows were not coming into profit. Another point was \that of cows not calving up to time: In the Kuku Dairy Company's district there were about 1500 cows, and if 20 per cent, of them did not get in calf until after Christmas, it would mean a loss of nearly £2OOO. The Chairman stated that if Mr Bowling would let him have the figures relating to the subject, he would place -them before the Dominion executive. Mr Bond seconded the motion. He said he had suffered a lot of expense through failure of cows. At the Dairy Cqnferencte at Whangarei, tfye head of the Department had promised to

send to each factory a circular advising farmers what to do, but the Eangiotu ' factory had not yet received it. , One of his cows had been barren for 'three years,'though he had given her all the diets he could think of; she had been milking for over two years, and was fat now. A 1 "-returned soldier in his district had eight eows empty out of

thirty, and his farming operations had been put back ten years. Dairying was now the most important industry of the Dominion, and too much could not be done for it. The Government should send an expert to live with the farmers ajid study the matter on the spot. It was generally the best cow that went to the wall.

Mr. Kent said he had had several cows with the same defect. An officer of the Agricultural Department, came and examined some of them and recognised the loss that they were causing; the officer recommended giving an affected cow 4oz. of bone-meal with some bran. The Department's laboratory staff were doing the best they could to solve the problem. The trouble was prevalent in America, Denmark and many other countries. As an instance of what losses a breeder might suffer, Mr Bond mentioned that a cow which.was empty today was one for whose dam he had paid 3'Si guineas. Ho thought that the Department was not doing all that it could; there was too much government from the town and not enough touch .Avith the farms. The Chairman said that this matter Avas gone into pretty fully at the last conference of the Union. Dr. Reakes, Director-General of Agriculture, then stated that the Department was doing everything that it could, and that the Avhole cause of the trouble AA*as dietetic; there aves some deficiency in the diet. The Director-General said that the Department had made many inquiries, and that Avhere the cattle Avere living under wild conditions there Avas none of this trouble, thus showing that the heavy draught on the cow for milk was depriving her nature of some of the elements that should be there. The Department Avas Avorking in conjunction Avith some • of : the farmers, in giving eoAVg a special ration, also in the direction of top-dressing certain pastures with mineral constituents of different kinds. In these experiments a herd under control Avould be compared Avith ; a herd under ordinary conditiov.;*. The speaker Avas satisfied that Dr. ,I'cake;. was right in saying thai the. st'erue condition Avas due to an cv:t:-a' strain on the system, and another cmusc was Avant of exercise. If the cows could be driven tAVO or three miles every day, their muscular systems would hi built up. Under existing conditions, in many cases, tissue Avas being •built up at the expense of the. • muscular system. He had proved this : theory in the ease of sheep, having had stud eAves which experienced oiflicuity in parturition. Last year'he put them on a road running uphill at the back of his property, Avalking them lip the hill and ; down again every day. Those eAves lambed almost without any mishap last year, a fact Avhich showed that Avhat they had largely wanted Avas exercise. His cows were ordinary "run" cattle, and .he had no trouble whatever with them. Dr. Reakes had agreed that they were bred and reared under natural contions,, Avhereas cows on dairy farms were (getting more and more artificial conditions. The DirectorGeneral also stated that the Department AAias working in conjunction Avith the whole civilised, world.

Mr J/ A.,'' McLeavey: There is the same trouble all round the Avorld: The Chairman: Even in the Argentine. ,

Mr Jensen: How is it that people Avho had cattle stalled 'for generations had no moie trouble than we have here?

The Chairman: I presume that after tAvo or three generations they became accustomed to it.

Mr Maul: In Denmark the greater proportion of the cattle are tethered.

Mr Kent: They have the same trou bie there.

Mr'Bowling, referring to the condition of coavs, stated that one herd not far from his property was putting up a big record; the cows came'iin early and were all in good condition. In the case of another herd, which Avas not producing so Avell, much difficulty was experienced in getting the cows in calf. He thought that the disability Avas contagious. Mr Maul thought it avas probable, that the Department Avas not yet properly acquainted Avith the subject. The Chairman lemarked that dairy farmers should regard it as an obligation, when such things Avent wrong with their coavs, to forward particulars to the Department, Avhich, on receiving advices from all parts of the country, would look further into the matter.

Mr 11. Denton quoted from a speech in Parliament by the Hon. G. W. Forbes, Minister of Agriculture, in which he stated that five veterinary officers at Wallaceville and three in the field Avere investigating the subject. it seemed, therefore, he said, that the Department Avas alive to the trouble and Avas doing its best. Mr Craig said lie was a strong be-, lifeyer in the chairman's ideas on this matter. Last year the speaker bought 130 empty cows, put them out on rough country, with little feed, and gaye them exercise, and 75 per cent, of them became in calf. He thought that Mr Bond must have given his coavs too much feed. A number of cows Avould not become pregnant Avhen they were in milk. Some coavs also Avere naturally uncertain breeders.

Mr Kent stated that three of his poorest coavs would not get in calf.

The motion was carried

EXPORT PORK AND BACON.

A circular was received from the Meat Producers' Board, drawing attention to complaints having been received regarding the condition of pork and bacon shipped to the United Kingdom. Dr. Callow, of Cambriuge, had reported that the fat smelt tallowy, and that the bacon, when cooked, had a fishy flavour. The Board's representatives, in Britain reported that they were doing what they could to ascertain the cause and eliminate the trouble. The quality of the pork had been generally very favourably commented upon by the trade in the United Kingdom; and as the Dominion's export trade in pork wa s now being further

developed, there Avas imperative need for every effort to be made to eliminate complaints. Mr Bowling stated that the feeding of pigs on'whey, and not giving them enough corn, Avould cause yelloAv fat. Mr Bond: They say maize will cause it too.

The communication was formally re eeived .

COMMISSION ON NEW MEMBERS

The Dominion Secretary fonvarded a circular stating that, at the last annual conference, it Avas decided to pay to b'ranehes 5s per neAv member obtained" per medium of orders; the proportions of this sum which are to be provided by the head office and the provincial executives are to be decided at the next meeting of the Dominion Executi\ r e.

The Chairman said he thought .that, at the Dominion executive meeting, he take the stand that the charge should be on headquarters, but not on the provincial executes. TAXATION QUESTIONS. Some discussion took place on the Taxation Conference Avhich sat recently in Wellington. Mr Bond remarked that the finance of the country Avas getting into a parlous state -when the Government, had to tax a man on his mortgages. ' Mr Kent: I think they Avill Avithdraw that.

Mr Bond referred to the issue of War ,Bonds at 5 per cent, free of income tax, by the National Government, and asked Avhat the country Avas paying for that action hoav. Men, he said, had sold their farms and put the proceeds into War Bonds, on Avhich they paid no tax.. ■ The Chairman: It became compulsory .and they had to do it. I got notice that I had to doit, and I know that others did. In regard to the item of farmers having their money invested, as mentioned by the Premier, they are not farmers, a lot of them, but simply landOAvners, who never milked a cow'or shore a sheep in their lives, but call themselves farmers for the occasion. A lot of tlrem have money invested in securities.

Mr Bond: They Avere pioneers of this Dominion.

The Chairman; 1 Their grandfathers were.

Mr Jensen stated that he Avas one of those Avho had attended the conference. In some Avays he felt pleased and in other ways sorry' at the remarks that had been made there. He had been impressed by the hardships that would be imposed on some people if this taxation Avas passed. It Avas generally agreed upon that classification of the land Avould be absolutely necessary before the 'system would be a Just one. The Chairman: Absolutely.

Mr Jensen: They are putting* up this heavy taxation regardless of whether' the farmers are ready for these heavy penalties or not, .and therefore it must create an enormous .amount of hardship. Mr Kent: Among the squatters. Mr Jens'en: You must knoAV that there is a lot of laud that is held' in big areas on hi,gh country which is never suitable for small farmers and Avhich it is very hard indeed to sell. Why penalise these people and alloAv that land to deteriorate and breed nothing but rubbish and pests? There are also a number of people in the South Island holding large areas, but a lot of it is high country, subject to siioav, though some people are able to bring their sheep doAvn in winter. Is there any reason Avhy the Government should try to destroy the production of the country because they want a few extra pounds? I think their policy is not sound, and I cannot but believe that the Prime Minister and the Government must be fully aware that their proposals are not sound. Why try to split up big estates and put on graduated taxes Avhen they know that they could split up these estates by limiting the areas that could be transferfed. All they have? to do is to pass an Act and apply that to private lands, but the land must be classified first, and the valuations must be just and fair, and not as we stand at present. These tAVo points Avere fully agreed on at that meeting as being of importance before taxation could be called just. The Chairman t said Hhat what Mr Jensen had stated was quite correct. One gentleman to AA'honi the chairman was speaking Avhen attending the conference referred to a property in the •South Island, and said that this property, on Avhich the valuation Avas £40,000, was not his own, as there were four in it. They could not divide it, because much, of iti was of a mountainous character. There Avas some excellent land beloAV, but they could not | dispose of it, because they required it as a reserve for the high country. This season 200 acres of this low land Avas ploughed and sown in turnips, and 2000 breeding eAves were brought down to it; three days later there was nine inches of snow on the high country. Both the ewes and their lambs would have been lost had not the loiv country been available. This Avas one of. • u he cases that Avould come in under the hardship clause. Another * resolution passed Avas that the individualising of family interests in such places should be carried out where the father had left it to the children to carry on; that each child's assessment should be ascertained instead of the Avhole being taxed on a graduated scale. In the case he had cited he Avas informed that to-day it Avas absolutely essential to work the property as one farm. A curious thing about the conference Avas that there Avas an almost total absence of Farmers' Union men. The place Avas almost dominated by the' "big fellows"; they came in like roaring lions, and by the time the meeting was done, they went out like lambs. Professor Murphy recommended the most equitable Avay of assessing taxa- ' Hon as on income, but this AA'as shelved. UNSUCCESSFUL TOLL CALLS. \ Mr Bond brought fonvard a complaint against the present system of telephone bureau charges, the point of

which Avas the charging of a fee when a. bureau call did not bring a response from the number rung up. He stated that the other day, lie rang a man four times without getting a reply, although there were people in the house all the time, and he was charged for the calls. Mr Bond produced an envelope bearing the advertisement, "Even if you do miss the mail, there is still the telephone"; and he averred that he could have gone six times to the man's place in the period over which the calls were made. The Department stated that the telephone was not in order. Several members asked Mr Bond why the man at the other end of the line had not answered the telephone. Mr Bond: Because the 'phone ring never came through. This should go to headquarters; let them make an inquiry and shake things up. I am sending telegrams now—that is how I am getting over it; but it is costing me 9d instead of 4d. I move that they be called on to make a refund in such cases.

Mr ]J. A. McLeavey advised Mr Bond to get in touch with the Telegraph Engineer. Mr Bowling seconded the motion. The Chairman (to Mr Bond): If the secretary sends that resolution along, will you put it through your local office? Mr Bond: Yes.

It was deeided to send a protest through the provincial office of tie Union.