FARMERS’ UNION.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 September 1921, Page 8

FARMERS’ UNION.

MEETING OF PROVINCIAL EXECUTIVE,

The monthly meeting of the Taranaki Provincial Executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union was held at Hawera yesterday. Present: Messrs. Dunn (chairman), E. Maxwell, A. E. Washer, Allen, Betts, 0. J. Bennett, Opt, Kurth and Hodge. The Board of Agriculture wrote, stating that it had considered the question of boys’ agricultural clubs, and thought of furthering the good work which was being done in the Taranaki district in that direction by sending a circular to. each of the A. and P. Associations in the Dominion, drawing attention to flic Taranaki movement, and suggesting that they should take up the scheme. The board (asked for particulars regarding the formation of clubs. The secretary said that he had sent on the desired information, and the letter was received.

A telegram was received from the Wellington executive, stating that it had passed the following resolution:— That conditions regarding the cost of labor and other charges for killing and freezing stock being unreasonable, and any oiler to satisfy the labor unions being impossible, the onus of fixing rates be on the Arbitration Court, and farmers should be given the right to give evidence on extra charges that fall on producers. The chairman said it was only right and proper that the farmers should have the right to give evidence at the fixing of wages at the Arbitration Court. The wages were fixed as between the owners of the freezing works and the employees, and the farmer—the owner of the stock, who had to foot the bill—had no say in the matter. He moved: “That this executive emphatically protest against stock not having representation before the Arbitration Court, as they are the real parties interested, the freezing companies only being intermediaries.” The motion was carried.

A proposed new Bill regarding poisons and the sale of poisons was received and discussed. Mr. Maxwell said that the position was that everyone had to have a license to sell poisons, had to keep a “poisorts book,” and enter up the name of everyone who bought poisons. He moved“ That this executive proposes that proposals in the Bill to withhold the right to a license to sell poison to a storekeeper o-r trader if withij four miles of a chemist be withdrawn, bcino’ of the opinion that no distance limit should be imposed so long as the storekeeper or trader is a fit and proper person to carry on business; also that the Health ■ Department and not the Pharmacy Board should be the arbiters in the matter of the issue of licenses?’ —Carried.

It was decided that members of Parliament of -the district should be asked to watch the progress of the Bill. It was proposed by Mr. Betts: “That this executive is opposed to the prim ciple involved in the proposed Main Roads Bill or Tax on Tyres Bill or of power being taken by the central government to levy taxes to control and maintenance of main roads.” —Carried. Tn regard to the branding of calves in calf-rearing Competitions, it was proposed by Mr. Allen that the officers of the Department of Agriculture and the Education Board should be consulted with a s to the advisability of all calves entered being branded for identification purposes.—Carried. It was decided, on the motion of Mr. Dunn, that Mr. J. W. Deem should be asked if he could arrange for a series of lectures bv himself and Dr. Cockayne for Taranaki, to be delivered under the auspices of the 'Farmers’ Union. Jt was also decided that the subscription of branches for this year should be 15s.