FARMERS' UNION.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 August 1918, Page 6

FARMERS' UNION.

TARANAKI EXECUTIVE. The monthly meeting of the executive was held at Hawera on Tiiursdayj when there were present: Messrs Dunn (president), Washer (vice-president), Mills, Maxwell, Ilodge, On-, Cleaver, Dewes, Astbury, Sutherland ana jouxton. Mr Buckeridge (secretary) was unable to be present owing to illness. THE ALIEN QUESTION' AUaiN. The Ngacre branch forwarded the following resolution: 'That the Government take immediate action re aliens where two or more are together on the land; only one should remain aim Ve others should be employed on some prison labor at soldiers' pay, thereby making the country much safer for our soldiers' wives and dependents." The chairman said that the executive had already written to the Minister 011 something similar, and the Minister's reply was to the effect that he did not consider it advisable to act as suggested so long as the aliens act d loyally. If any branch knew of any alien acting disloyally tliey suu/.-.'.v »» once produce the evidence to the Mfinkj (er, and he would then doubtless an that proper action was taken. Mr Orr remarked that this resilntion was the outcome of a case that was considered very annoying, and referred to an alien who was looked upon as a very dangerous man. The Defence Department on several occasions recently had communicated with a member of the Farmers' Union enquiring the whereabouts of this mail; this indicated that there appealed t-j be a laxity in regard to the regulations. Mr Astbury thought that if evl/yenee could be secured of any disloyal utterance or act the facts should be reported at once and sent to the Defence Department, who would doubtless have the offender interned. It -was resolved that the letter l,e referred back to the Ngaere iranch, intimating to them that the executive had already communicated with the Minister on the subject; that the Minister had informed the executive '.''at the Department, could not act -without definite information as to disloyal acts or utterances. The executive" invited branches to report to the authoritiss any evidence that they mpy secure and to advise the executive of their action.

GENERAL. It was resolved that, in addition to the schedule of dates sent out to branches and members, a notice eacu month should be sent. The chairman intimated that Mr Maxwell had kindly offered to gi ve lectures in forestry to any branches thai might express a wish to take advantage of such offer. —Mr Maxwell added that his offer was subject to his bcinf able to fit ill dates, and he made it omy for the benefit of the union and to endeavor to stimulate more interest amongst the various branches. —It was resolved that the offer be conveyed to the several branches. The lion, secretary of the Kiimata branch wrote stating that at a meting of his branch held on .Tuly 30 he was instructed to forward to the executive a letter conveying their thanks for tiie good effected by the remit re benzine. The branch was flourishing and now had 2S members.

DOMINION CONFERENCE. The chairman reported that the recent Dominion Conference was held 'n the Dominion Institute new building under rather disagreeable conditi /ns as the workmen were still working r:n the building, and the acoustic properties were very bad indeed. This probably accounted for a spirit of controversy that prevailed. It was one of tile largest conferences he had attended, and anyone who had hitherto held the opinion that the Farmers' Union wits rtiade up of one party only would have changed his mind had he been at that conference. It was made up of all parties, and comprised some parties that had never been heard of before either. No remit was got through without being properly discussed; sometimes it was torn to pieces and some times it was built on to, but he must say that !v was a successful conference 011 the whole. We opened the ball with Taranaki's remit 011 the prelude to peace. It went through without any trouble, members considering it a right and pToper motion to liave at the commencement or their proceedings, but at the local conference it caused a good deal of disenable!.'. rso far as the remit dealing with the referendum was concerned, a similar motion had been passed on previous occasions without much comment, but on this occasion it aroused considerable argument. He could not account for this, unless some delegates thought, iliat Taranaki was trying tc spring a surprise on to them in regard to the liquor question. He had to give an assurance that he had 110 such thought, and there was no intention of endeavoring to deprive the people of the rights they had in regard to voting 011 the liquor question. The issue was just wavering 111 the balance when Mr. Maxwell ca-ie into the conference, and, when acquainted with the position, took the floor and spoke very strongly 011 the matter, and he, too, had to g've :ia assurance that the liquor question was not contemplated in the remit before the meeting would consent to pasn it. Taranaki's remit dealing with the tax on mortgaged land was withdrawn on the recommendation of a committee ,;ot lip to control llie length of the order paper. Likewise the Riverlea branch's remit dealing wii.ii advances to settlers. The chairman then rete-rcd briefly to (he other Taranaki remits that were before the conference and tha fat? ihev met with.

Mr. Maxwell added that there appeared to have been a great deal of disunion within the Union this tin:c. It was impossible to hear properly in the building or to grasp the points made by speakers, and this appeared to maki; delegates irritable. 111 addition tj this there were distracting elements, and irritation was caused in the mer.t business and the suggested sale to the Government. Mr. Lysnar held the conference for three hours on this subject, and it appeared to make delegates weary and irritable. So much time was occupied on this that work that should have received more consideration was dealt with lir'>fly. Both Mr. Dunn and the speaker remained very qniej. during the conference, but the remits that they fought f-ir they got through, particularly on the referendum question. It was a long and hard conference, and a (Treat deal of wovk was done under very difficult conditions. The delegates were thanked for their