GERALDINE FARMERS’ CLUB.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2636, 22 March 1894, Page 3

GERALDINE FARMERS’ CLUB.

i\ The Geraldine Farmers’ Club met on Monday evening, Mr M. C. Orbell (President), in the chair. There was only a fair attendance.

CORRESPONDENCE. Mr F. R. Flatman, M H.R. (vicepresiden), wrote apologising for nonattendance. Messrs Stockris & Vecht, in reply to a letter from the Club, wrote that they were too busy just now to visit Geraldine, but would come at their earliest opportunity. They also enclosed some pamphlets, giving directions how to grow pigs, and asked whether they could get any pigs from the Geraldine district. SMOKING. Resolved—“ That members be allowed to smoke at Club’s meetings.” NEW MEMBER. Dr. Hislop waa elected a member of the club. THE CLUB. Mr H. B. Webster said it was time they decided the question : what is the best to be done to make the club’s meetings popular and successful. Several things had happened to keep members away from the ordinary nights of meeting. His idea of the club was not so much to have a reading room as to have people present to discuss questions on farming. They certainly had had one or too good meetings, but not what was expected. If things went on as they were he could not see how the club could be carried on successfully. They had 100 members on the roll, and a dozen or twenty people was not a successful attendance, especially if a member had prepared a paper for the occasion. Mr Wreathall took an optimistic view of the matter, and though that the club would in time be a great success. At present farmers were much depressed, and did not fell inclined to attend meetings. He thought the membership fee should be lowered from 10s to 5s next year. He also gave notice of motion that the night of meeting bo altered from Mondays to Wednesdays .(fair-days). Mr Hawkins moved as a recommendation to the committee that printed post card of a meeting be sent to each member prior to the meeting taking place. Members thought that the present method of making the meetings known was not effectual. RAILWAY TARIFF. The chairman expressed some surprise that the matter of reducing the railway rates on grain and farm produce had not been more fully taken up by the farming community and their clubs in South Canterbury. The Commissioners said -that about 600 bushels was the average of what each farmer sent to market. He thought it was impossible to put down the average bushels of grain of any farmer in the district of Canterbury. He should put it down to three or four times the Commissioners’ estimate. It was argued that only speculators, and not ■ farmers generally, would benefit by a reduction of tariff, but he pointed out that the railway rates, not only on grain but on all farm produce, was far to high. He maintained that it would pay the Government better to carry the grain for nothing ; otherwise, as it was at present, they would find that next year farmers would not grow much grain. He thought it vary short-sighted of the Government not to help the farmers in this respect. He considered that if the railways returned 1£ per cent, it was a very good result, and there was no need to make the railways pay 3 per cent. He was told also that the railway trucks suffered more damagae in the open air than when they were in work and looked after, and the ©xra cost for haulage would be really nothing in addition lo what it cost at present, Therefore, he thought it would p -\y the Government to carry grain at a reu uced tariff, or even for» nothing. Jl r Wreathall suggested that petitions be drAwu up and sent round the country, and th.it a public meeting be called on the matter. Mr George Ward agreed wi f h Mr Wreathall. Mr Allan concurred with Mr Wreathall, and said that until they had a Minister outhe Boaid of Commissioners they would never get what they wanted. Mr Orbell did not think a petition would do any good coming from one district alone; it would not be read. He thought it would be better to raise some enthusiasm on the matter amongst kindred clubs throughout the colony,— Farmers’ Clubs, Chambers of Commerce, et Mr D. McLeod said that if a petition from them was not read the farmers would want to know the reason why. He Wanted to know why grain brought Cd a bushel more at Dunedin and 3d a bushel more at Lyttelton than at Timaru. They paid quite euough rates to the Timaru Harbor Board and were likely to pay snore. Mr H. B. Webster explained that by sending grain lo either Dunedin or Lyttelton the farmer got no more for it than at Timaru. They had a kittle higher prices for insurance and harbour rates at Timaru, but at the other ports mentioned they did not pay for sacks, and they charged a discount of 2.) per cent., 4iud two commissious of 6 per cent, each, which brought the price, eventually, to the same as that at Timaru, In fact, it would cost them more f.o.b. Lyttelton than f.o.b. Timaru. He thought the railway tariff matter should be left for a fuller meeting. The chairman agreed to bring the matter up at a larger meeting and the members dispersed.