FARMERS' UNION.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 January 1918, Page 7

FARMERS' UNION.

TARANAKI EXECUTIVE, The usual monthly meeting of the Taranaki Executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union was held in Htiwera 011 Thursday, when there were present: Messrs R. Dunn (chair), E. Maxwell, F. Mills, VV. Duff, It Hughes, B. On", A. E. Washer, J. Swindlehurat and Geo. 11. Buckcridge (secretary). VOTES OF CONDOLENCE Before proceeding with ordinary business, the chairman referred to bereavements that had occurred in two families since their last meeting'. Mr. H. Hodge of a member of thr- executive, had. suffered a. great loss in the death pi his wife, and -Mr. J. B Sim, the Union's secretary for a number of years, had passed away. He moved that the meeting place 011 record its smerreot sympathy with Mr. Jlodge and family acd Mrs. Sim and family in thoir sad bereavements. The motion was carried in silence, member: standing. I- ARMERS' BOOK-KEEPING. : The secretary announced, that he had received a s apply of Maxwell''s account books for farmers from rho publishers. Mr. Maxwell mentioned that it had been decided that a percentage of the proceeds from the sale of these books would be handed to the Farmers' Unioi to augment their funds and it was hi* desire to have the publication always associated with the Union. lie might further mention that he had the opportunity of submitting a copy to Mr. Rocheford, Inspector of the Bank of New Zealand, who was for a number of years managev of the Eltham branch of the bank, and there came into close contact with the farmers and their book-keeping I troubles, and knew th 6 difficulties they were always up against. After carefully .examining this hook he pronounced himself as immensely pleased with it, and remarked that if farmers wouhl adopt it it wouhl save the bank: an immense amount of work. It appeared to him to be just the account book that farmers wanted, and was so simple that anyone with ordinary intelligence could keep his accounts properly and accurately for all practical purposes. Its general adoption by farmers would save the Government Tax Department endless correspondence. Mr. Biiekeridgp intimated that he proposed visiting the various branches of the Union throughout Taranaki periodically, and lie would then make it one of his duties to instruct farmers in Mr. Maxwell's simple system of book-keeping if they required it and if they would bring their books along with them to these meetings.

WAS RELIEF ASSOCIATION The chairman innoiinced that, as intimated to the War Relief Association members at their last mesting, he could not in the meantime, at any rate, continue to act oil the War Relief Association. Mr, A, E. Washer, vice-president, was unanimously elected to flfl the vacancy. W. & R. FLETCHER, LTD. Mr. Swindlehurst asked the chairman if lie jould say who W. and R. I'ietcher were. He had been supplied with figures shewing that thev bad purchased fourfifths of the pigs in Taranaki this year. The cilairman replied 'that Messrs W. and P.. Fletcher, Ltd., was an English linn, and, although they had removed ihpir offices fro™ London to Chicago for business reasons, the Parliamentary Commission, recently set up. had failed to show that they were in any way associated with the American meat trusts. COCKSFOOT CE?D. Mr. Orr drew attention to tlie fact that railway surfacemen had destroyed by burning a large quantity of cocksfont seed that- was growing along the railway reserve, and this was a scandalous waste. The Government urged everyone to be economical these times and lo prevent unnecessary waste, but they deliberately destroyed valuable cocksfoot seed before anyone had a chance of harvesting it. JTe moved that the Railway Department 'be asked to instruct their surfacemen th'at, before burning off cocksfoot growing alongside the railway line, cvf'ry effort should be made to save the seed and have it properly harvested. The chairman pointed out that in some places there might be long stretches of line between stations where it would not be practicable to save this sepd. In that case the only thing to do would be. to burn it as early as possible so as not to endanger the farmers' crops adjoining. Where practicable, however, the Government should give someone the right to cut it, but. they seemed to act on the principle that, unless they could let someone to pay for the rights, they would rather burn it than give it away. Mr. Mills said that some years ago t was the custom to call for tenders cut this cocksfoot, hut the price got down so low that nobody would then bother with it. But notiody connected with the Government appeared to realise the present altered conditions; that cocksfoot seed was very difficult to get and the price was very "high, and that if they now offered the cutting rights to the public they would probably be keenly sought after. I The motion was carried

INTffNSISTENCY OR STUPIDITY. Ml'. Mills reminded the meeting of the regulations in force prohibiting the importation of cattle from Australia, and that, in consequence of this regulation, breederg had refrained from purchasing cattle in Australia. This regulation had been in force for a considerable time. ißecently, how.eVer, they would have noticed in their daily papers reference to the fact that the Department of .Agriculture had arranged with the Department in Australia to import a number of cattle from them. Now this seemed an extraordinary procedure in the face of their own regulation, and he presumed they would not impose these restrictions unless there was some real necessity for it or some real danger of introducing 1 the tick or ox-bot. The Agricultural Department could do no mdre with the cattle they imported in the way of quarantine or precautions than they could with cattle that any private individual might import, and he (Mr. Mills) could see no excuse for the Agricultural Department making this regulation and then proceeding to break it themselves.- Jt could not even lie said that they had imported more good stock into the Dominion than private breeders had t he knew in some lines wherein breeders were inclined to sneer at their efforts in that direction, and they wore certainly not the only people capable of importing stock tliat would improve the herds in the Dominion. What excuse the Agricultural Department could maVc for their present- action it was difficult to say. Breeders had felt it a hardship not being able to import, stock from Australia, but thev had not expressed *ny-resentment, believing that the reau-

i.ition was made in.the interests of breeders. He moved thiit the excutive through Hie .Dominion Lxeeutive, enter an emphatic protesL against the action of the Department oi Agriculture over this matter. —Seconded and earned unanimously.