N.Z. FARMERS' UNION.

Taihape Daily Times, 8 May 1919, Page 4

N.Z. FARMERS' UNION.

ANNUAL GENERAiL MEETING

UNION ORGANISER PRESENT.

The annual meeting of the Taihape Branch of the NewAZealand Farmers' Union was held in the Fire Brigade Hall yesterday, there pf&ng a fairly good attendance. Mr James Smith, president of the Branch, occupied Hie chair, and Mr Cooper, organiser, <and Mr H. J. Richards, of the Wellington Executive, were present, Mr Richards acting as secretary, in the absence of Mr Pocock. The balance-sheet for the past yeat was read, but, as it had not been audited, it was, on the motion of Mr J. Gilchrist, held over till the next meeting. In the meantime, the accounts were to b e audited. After considerable discussion as 1u

the appointment of a secretary and treasurer, it was finally resolved that the arrangements made last year, whereby the Farmers' Cooperative Distributing Company's representative was made secretary, should be continued the ensuing year, Mr Gilchrist! pointing out. that his intention was to endeavour to get outstanding subscriptions of which there were many on the books.

Mr Richards admitted that subscriptions during the past year had not been, collected, but they would be collected in the future, and accounts would be kept well up-to-date. In this present case the Distributing Company was acting as treasurer, and. the Company's man in Taihape as secretary.

The Chairman said he would take a resolution as to whether the Branch would carry on as a client of the Distributing Company, or continue with one of their own members as secretary and treasurer.

Mr Revell proposed that the positions of secretary and treasurer remain with the company as at present, the remuneration to be as before, namely, £25 a year.

Mr D. Scott thought that sum out of proportion to the number of members who paid their subscriptions. Mr Richards agreed that it had been hard on those who paiTl. The Branch was a small one, and could not be expected to pay what large Branches like Feilding and Wanganui paid, which he thought was £IOO, and he proposed £25 last year as the amount for Taihape. It was resolved, on a proposal by Mr Scott, seconded by Mr Gilchrist, that the Distributing Company be paic! at the rate of 5s per member on all subscriptions collected. Mr Jas. Smith was unanimously elected president.

Messrs D. G. Go.rdon and S. Parsons were elected vice-presidents.

Mr Richards stated that the Union Rules provided for a committee of not less than live, and not more than thirteen.

Mr D. G. Gordon said their experience of large committees was that few attended; large committees did little work. He move that the committee consist of five; he would like them all to be volunteers. Mr D. Scott seconded, and said he was willing to make one. The resolution was adopted, and Messrs D. Scott, J. Gilchrist, Kevell, Fannin, and Walter Williams volunteered and were unanimously accepted. Discussion took place on the question of the basis on which subscriptions should be levied, several members contending that it would be unjust to levy on capital values, and that they should be based on last year's arrangements. Mr Cooper reminded the meeting that levies for this year had already been made.

Mr Gilchrist thought valuations should commence at 10/ on 200 acres, running up to 40s on large areas; last year's arrangements produced an average of over £1 per member. Mr Richards said r/iere was £8 10/ over the average of £1 per head. On a proposal by Mr Gilchrist, seconded by Mr Scott, it was decided to refer the subject of the subscription for the current year to the executive, to report at the next meeting. This concluded the ordinary meeting.

Mr Cooper, organiser, said this was the third meeting he bad attended at T;:ihape; the first was not well attended* at the second he got a few, and at the third, a few more. It was not understandable why fanners did not attend to matters vitally affecting their interests. They had a large meeting to discuss the cattle tick, but there were questions of far more importance to them than the cattle tick. There were the Meat Trust and the shipping combine they would Lave to deal with. Conditions brought about by the Meat Trust wore going to prove very serious. The Prime Minister said be was aware of the Trust operating in New Zealand, and lie knew that railways were under their control in America. Eefore the Imlay works were

erected ceirtaiu operating in this district distributed trier stock

amongst various freezing companies, but now all went to Imlay, where therowas storage for 250.000 sixty-pound carcases. He did not. say that eitherSims Cooper or Imlay had anything to do with trie American Trust, but lie did say they were operating on the-

sam 6 lines as tlie ' Trust. What, he asked, was the use of paying attention to the cattle tick -and flea/ring the Meat Trust in full operation? —a far more disastrous matter. He wanted farmers to meet and federate to bring pressure to bear on Parliament to have Trust operations stopped. Shipping companies had merged fartp" one big combine. He mentioned the hold that the Trust had got in Austria, and he saw nothing to prevent New Zealand falling under the Trust unless farmers were going to stick together—if they did not, it was God help the farmers- He favoured a State-owned shipping line, for the Combine was getting .Complete coritrol, and they would take away ships to p South 1 America, or anywhere else, so long as it was in their interests to do so; they did not care about the New Zealand farmer. 'There , was another trouble; 'labour was well organised, but unfortunately the wrong men were in control. Old sane labour leaders were not listene'd to; men like Mr MjeLaren were by men like Fraser. They were the character of men who had control in Queensland. While in Brisbane three years ago he suggested to a friend that farmers should organise, but his friend poohpoohed the idea. Since then conditions had become such that his friend had had to sell out. Trusts were in Queensland, and were getting control of all Australia. Why not combine to keep them out of this country ? Organise, by the federation of branches of the Uinon in places where there was community of interests. Delegates elected by branches should attend conferences held once a month, instead of once a year. Provincial districts should be

formed, and if Taihape were made the

certre of such a district, delegates \ -would further your interests at these sub-provincial meetings, each

conference would have executive powerover its district. Some farmer brought a proposal, it is adopted, and then your delegate carries it on to the sub-provincial Executive. If it is accepted, it is then referred back, thus giving every individual farmer an opportunity of voting upon it, by which means you would secure Executive, instead of individual, effort. A policy would gradually bo built up by your delegates, a policy that would be held sacred. The volume of production and the- fact that the greater part of the national income came from farming proved that this was absolutely a producing country. If a producers' policy were built up in Taihape they could go to any candidate for Parliament or to any Minister and put that policy before them. There was the question of State owned shipping; every Branch should be out fof the major points. It did not master what, body of men carried out the farmers policy, they did not care whether the government was liberal or reform so long as y~ the farmers' policy was carried out. Mr. Cooper mentioned many stock sale difficulties that had been overcome in the Waikato and elsewhere by organisation. They had urged upon the Government the necessity of putting on night trains for stock and they got them which resulted in putting from half-a-crown to five shillings a head on the value of cattle. It was no good whatever individual branchestrying to do these things. The Milton Borough Council had passed a resolution urging the institution of a State line of standardised shipping. There were standardised ships being built in Britain; what was the Board of Shipping Control going to do with these ships. There seemed no reason why some of them should not be secured for the Dominion, the presc?it time was most opportune. They would see that the Shipping Combine was already buying up these ships. Now was the opportune time to get some of those standardised ships to carry our own produce; the. Combine was getting them and we arc having to rely on Combine lines. Were farmers, going to pay higher freights to Combines, who, if it paid them better,' would not hesitate to take all their boats away. The Prime Minister said he was £oing to \f sret boats to take away 9,000,000 carcases; but they, would find that 9,000,000 will ( be reduced to about; 3,000,000. Farmers had got to get pressure to work in some way, and how were they going to do it? It must be by organisation. They could get full knowledge at meetings established in back block branches; there should be a central executive in Taihape, or other suitable place, to which delegates would come with the views of their branches. After detailing the work of the subprovincial executives, Mr Cooper went on to say that the head offiee was now run for the sum of £IOO a yea.r, but if it was going to be run properly and j effectively, and they were going to retain his services, it would cost £IOOO a year. Branches were the blood of the Farmers' Union, but at present meetings wer 6 called and no one attended them; they must have active propaganda. Without it the Union was not worth a continental stick, and never would be. With a view to placing organisation on a better footing, he had set himself to raise the £IOOO. H e was attending meetings- in every district, and was asking farmers £j>r

donations in amounts from 5/ to £5, he didn't want less, or wouldn't ask for more. H'e was going to appeal to those present, and if they averaged £1 each h e would be satisfied. Centres would require their own office, and they would need a provincial secretary. They wanted a man that could be employed in sending out propaganda and remits, their own man in their own office, and he should be a very busy man, otherwise they would not got any return for his services, or returns by way of subscriptions. (Applause.) He was not a budding politician; ho came round as a representative of the executive. If they thought he had talked rot, let them express their vii.ws, so that he could answer them. The Chairman said farmers were at the mercy of Trusts unless they organised. He thought it only fair that branches should bear the cost of organising. If Taihape were made a centre, he would return and not leave it until it was thoroughly organised, with branches in every farming locality, but they must have the facilities for such organisation. In answer to Mr Gilchrist, Mr Cooper said he hoped to finish the Marion district, by the end of June, when he would come to Taihape and stop till completely finished. On Mr D. Scott's motion, £5 was voted to the Provincial Fund, not to interfere with private contributions. On the resolution of Mr Gilchrist, seconded by Mr Goodrich, it was resolved that a hearty vote of thanks bn recorded to Mr Poccok, the retiring secretary. Mr Gilchrist did not understand why a man from the South Island, a stranger to the district, should be expected to organise this district in 12 months, having a long epidemic to contend with. A letter bearing the resolution to be sent to Mr Poeock.

The Chairman agreed with the proposal, and said all recognised the uphill game Mr Poeock had played, and that h e was entitled to some mark of their appreciation.