FARMERS' UNION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 52, 18 March 1901, Page 2

FARMERS' UNION.

LUOTtJRIC BY MR GLASS. c Tuem vj r a vovy fnir muster of mem- r bers of th-i Farmfirs' Olub on Saturday *• ►o hear Mr Gl'-isa, the organising Secretary of the N.Z. Fatmarn' Union Mr * Oonnett presided and briefly introduced 1 the lecturer. ' Mr G)i"?, who was well received, said - the aim of the Union was to get for persons in the country the same advantages as townspeople. As far as possible tho Union was outsido party politics but inasmuch aa tho Govern- , mant controlled the railways aud even • labour it was necessary to watch politi- j cal roasters wi'ih a view to flee 1 intr • member.-! who would support tho interests of the Hett.ll.r3. Henca tho - Union would fo.m a inaans of nominating suitable candidates. By having I branches all ev;r tho colony when anything went wrong in one part of the ' country they would hive all the other ' branches to back them up. He alluded ! to the lapse of grants for roads aft?r ■ 'being placed on the est : ma*es and insisted that debentures should ba issued by the Gavernment to Road Bjarde as soon as a grant was made and thus enable roads to be made at tha right time of the year instead of tho money boing wasted by winter road-making. Another question was that of valuation. He painted out that tho work was now done by those who were ntt competent. With regard to land tenure the platform of the Union was in favour ®f freehold tenure, the advantigi-s of which he dealt upon. Tii > ti sa'lvantage of a 999 years leas * was that t,hn land was froe from land tax-, and a man with a large family could accumulato several thousand acres They claimed that with a view to opening up land and make it; rate-bearing, the pre amptiva right of tha Governmont over native land should be abolished, Rome amusement was caused by Mr. Glass' refersnoa to clause §, which provided that the economical laws ef tha country be ee a'tered bb to rai>e the profits of the farmer to an equality wi'.h thoas of the oiher industrial classss. A gentleman present remarked tint if that obj' Ct was consummated all the others might bo dropped. Proceeding, Mr. Glafs said the remedy was cooperation, as was shown by the success of the tyadog', unions, lawyers'' unions, teachers' unlens, etc. In every other walk of life to that of the formers, unions ruled the roost. Combination would lessen charges, and therefore secure better rsturns to the producers. Free trade with Empire and protective tariff against those who protected themselves was a stroag plank on tha Union platform. As to cheup loans by organisation, the difficulty of securing; advances would be greatly reduced. If the producsra had not good socirity ns o«o olse had. lirfyrrins' to pr«c'.ic»l farms ef instruction, ha insisted thnt unlesi they were conducted on prop-r lines they should be abolished. Th« practioil farmers should ba represented on the Board and do away with political patronage. Mr. Glass then went over th<s rules and explained the various masters OQnnecjiec[ with oaob. la 'canolusjVn he alluded to the initial difficulties met. with in forming the Union, but stated these had bean overcome and members of agricultural and other kltdr?d 3. cieties now understood tho benefit of joining the Union a"d W«fe Mn;i)g readily. ® I'h9 bhairmaa said thit as a Olub he did not think they could do anything, but as individuals they might jr»in the Union which seemed to be distinot'y advantageous. He thought tho sooner Party Government was done away with the better for the colony. What th' fettlers wanted was independent membora devated to the iatercsS of producers. In reply to a JJa Glass «nH hqth the sfmall farmers and big mnholde'S had joined. He had only met with one 1 efusal to join and that w s from a man who sa'd he did not undorst ind the matter. Mr G. Oo'so-i Paid it fcemod to him Mint there would be little benefit derived by a few joining at tha strae tima. If nil the farmers joined they' would rfiake a eqmbinai'oa thnt wouli be productive of great benefit to pro duoars. Mr. Gla?s said that wes the aim of tho Union. It aho acted as a lever for securing gcod rcadi?. Hi suggpsHed a braneh should be s'arJed in this district. fhe ObtirqiTO the %ir.k-' of tha Olub to Mr. Glass for bis address, but thought as a Club they c.u'd not join the Union. Mr. IT. Okey did not agree th-.t the Olub and Union could not bo worktd 'oee her. I- 1 e felH sure that the Olub wou'd be vStrengthenannd could ro l s-ig that tho?e was any difficulty in the way. Ho moved that the metier b" referred to a Committed. Mr. Tate 'fought that if were sufficient members to form a branch here 1 then it, would be we'l to form 010. otherwise he considered it would hi 1 better for membe-s to join the Union. Ho was in accord with the objects of the Union, and r»farred to the necs- 1 sity of ropintr with sucl} combinations aa the M'llars' Unioo. Mr. Glass raid if the Club came in I and affiliated that, would be one course, otherwise it would bo rece-sary to form a separate bnnch of the Union. Hs' 1 ■va« irs'ructod to form branches iti v v-rious di=tricta. He suggested mem- c berg enrolling themselves individually ' as members if the Union. 1 The Ohairnnn stated that the Olub ' was not rggUtei>«d, •" Mr. Glass was surprised, and urged that tha defect be remedied. He man- ® that milkers and farm-hands were talking of forming a Union for securing belter wages, better hours, and clean 1 stock-yards in the winter, and unless P the farmers h\d a registered Union v they would not be able to fight the '' employees. 0 Tho motion for tho appointment < f 'J 1 comcsittea of the Cub tA fiiinejder the mattor was oanieJ, It was unanimously d'*cidel to form . i branch of the Union at New Ply- t iiouth, and members wete enrolled , ibere and then. I ( A commiHea 0? m.->mbe s w v ,s apr, jointed to m»et I'm eommi te < *f he n 31ub and digues the q'eition "f ai iffiliatioa. K