FARMERS ORGANISE

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 62, 4 June 1927, Page 22 (Supplement)

FARMERS ORGANISE

MOVEMENT IN AUSTRALIA INFLUENCE OF AWARDS One outcome of recent industrial legislation and awards as affecting rural industries in Australia has been to stir up producers generally to the necessity of -organisation to meet union with union, says an exchange. There are matters in which those engaged in industries of the land cannot protect themselves single-handed, and there is a growing realisation of the selfishness, as well as the futility, of leaving their battles to a minority of other vigilants to fight for them. There has, for instance, been a notable increase In the membership of the Graziers’ Association as a result of the conditions imposed on the sheep industry by the conflicting Federal and State pastoral awards. Also there is a rallying to the banner of the Farmers and Settlers’ Association, the time of the officials of which is now monopolised in representation of the farmers before the various agricultural conciliation committees, which have replaced the Industrial Court and Wages Boards. As an instance of the apathy which obtained in many parts, the Glen Innes district, one of the most important mixed farming and woolgrowing sections of the State, has listlessly proceeded for many years without any producers* organisation beyond meagre support to the Graziers’ Association. Now, in a little more than a week, seven branches of the Farmers and Settlers’ Association have been formed in as many of the country centres, and these will be further co-ordinated in a district council. This is all the result of the farmers waking: up to the fact that the agricultural and chaff cutters’ awards are pressing them in ways that they do not relish, and that they must present a solid organised front in these industrial matters.

World’s Biggest Sheep Farm. —The largest sheep station in the world is at Tierra del Fuego, the most southern part of South America. One company shears more than 2,500,000 sheep every year.