FARMERS’ UNION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 July 1938, Page 4

FARMERS’ UNION

DOMINION CONFERENCE DISCUSSIONS. REPORTS TO THE WAIRARAPA EXECUTIVE. “One of the most important remits that came before the conference was that dealing with deterioration and erosion of farm lands,” stated the president, Mr Hugh Morrison, when reporting at yesterday’s meeting of the Wairarapa Provincial Conference of the Farmers’ Union, on the recent Dominion conference of the Union. Mr Morrison said it was fully realised that there was deterioration and erosion going on in hill country in New Zealand today. Hill country was the foundation of the fat lamb trade and if land was going to be abandoned in the North and South Islands then the volume of production, was going to drop. The whole matter should be gone into to see what could be done to remedy the position. There was a lot of scrub country on the East Coast of the Wairarapa needing attention, Mr Morrison observed, but with the present high costs and low wool prices it was a difficult matter to handle. It was imperative that farmers should get some relief from those high costs. Referring briefly to a remit dealing with defence proposals, Mr Morrison said that with the present world rearmament race New Zealand would have to contribute more to the upkeep of the Singapore Base and the British navy. That would mean another financial load, but he considered we should not shirk our responsibilities. The British Navy represented our biggest means of social security. Mr W. J. Thomas, also a delegate to the conference, elaborated considerably on the remarks of Mr Morrison, referring in some detail to various aspects of the business transacted. “I believe,” observed Mr Thomas, “that within six months we will see a great advance made towards putting into practical operation the principle of compensating prices. It must follow as night follows day.” Votes of thanks were passed to Messrs Morrison and Thomas for their comprehensive reports.,