FARMERS' UNION

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10708, 31 August 1912, Page 5

FARMERS' UNION

BIG MEETIN'J AT FEATHERETON.

Farmers from Grey town, Featberfeton, Martinborough and Pirinoa met in tlio Town Hall, Featherston, yesterdy afternoon, tojiear the organisation scheme explained by the representatives of the M:?6tertoii Committee. Mr Allan Donald, who occupied the chair, called on Mr H. Morrison to speak.

Mr Morrison stated that the scheme J ■ was to form one large branch for the I Wairarapa, with local committees in each centre. Each centre wo«ld nom-inate-'one or two men to a central exexecutive. The subscription suggest- '. Ed and accepted by the Mastertou committee was 10s for members whose capital valuation did not exceed £6OOO, and £1 for those over that figure. Every trade and walk in life had organised, and this compelled thefarmer to org.mise for his protection. This w.is an age of unionism, and the farmers must unite and lor-k after iheir own interests. Jn- iho past the Farmers' Union had relied too much on honorary workers, and made their branches too small, which was a mist ike. If farmers wanted' their work done pirperly they .must pay for it: Mr Fowlds had stated-, that'the party he was the head of was the coming political force in New • Zealand, and sis ; tho system r.f land j taxation advocated by Mr Fowlds j , nmst in the end come back rn every : farmer., the iisuq;i should ■ strenuously . oppose it. Mr J. Cooper stated that' the Farmers' Union was a political affair, which had put up political principles, and fought to get these established, with a great measure cf success, He stated tb".t he wished to be clearly understood that a, politicil organisation need, not necessarily, and in the case of the Farmers' Union was not, a par-r ty political union. Freehold was onu of the political principles that the union Ind educated the people of New Zealand on. Twenty years ago. if a division had been taken in Parliament on Freehold v. Leasehold, quite 70 of the members would, an A ' did, vote for the leasehold. The division in the House a few days ago showed'bow the Union had exploded, the fallacies of leasehold tenure. Farmers must recognise the tremendous power of the Labour organisations. As long as this power was used discreetly it would be all right, but the Farmers' Union -should be strong ciouab to baffle Labour organisations being used by extremists to the detriment of the country. Mr H. A. 'Xevins stated that in the past the work of the Union had been carried <m by i few men. These few had been fighting in the interests of all the farmers in the country, and this was not fair.' The Union bad cheapened- fire insurance for the farmer, and wa ; . now trying to get a Bill through the House to work mutual accident insurance. If the farmers did not have a care, the towns would rule the country. Tf the leasehold tenure had been the only one in operation in New Zealand, we would have bad rabbit instead of diiry factories .and freezing works? for sheep. Mr William Barton stated that be thought the Government ought to engagAhe services of a political eeonomTst'to teach the people of New Zealand the true principles of political economv, and thereby explode the incorrect 'arguments of Mr Witty and others. . Mr W. E. Bid will stated that he favoured the - scheme of 12, to represent the South Wairarapa. and a similar number for the north. Mr A. Matthews said he favoured increasing the subscription to 30s per annum for me.ii. with a capital valuation of over £12,000. Mr Nivens, said the Tinui farmers would agree to this, and Mr Morrison said tluit he was sure the Mastertou farmers would not object. On being put to the meeting. it was carried unanimously. Mr Donald moved that the Union "be formed into a Wairarapa branch, with a local committee of 12 to. represent the South Wairarapa. Mr A. Clark seconded. Carried unanimously. All the farmers present handed in their names a« members. A vote of thanks to the chair concluded the biggest and most enthusias. tic Farmers' Union meeting held at ) Featherston.