FARMERS’ UNION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 March 1941, Page 6

FARMERS’ UNION

MEETING OF WAIRARAPA EXECUTIVE APPEAL AGAINST TRANSPORT CHARGES. INTERPROVINCIAL CONFERENCE. A meeting of the Wairarapa Provincial Executive of the Farmers' Union was held in the Farmers' Rooms. Perry Street, this morning. Mr. R. W. Kebbell (Alfredton) presided. Mr. Kebbell apologised for the absence of the president, Mr. H. Morrison, owing to illness. He extended a welcome to Mr. A. McDonald, president of the. Wairarapa Sheeepowners’ Federation. A letter thanking the executive for its expression of sympathy with Sir William Perry in the death of Lady Perry was received. A letter was received from the secretary of the Manawatu executive regarding an appeal he had lodged, on behalf of provincial executives in the Wellington district, against increases in road transport charges. The secretary of the Manawatu Executive advised the executive not to enter into negotiations with the local transport operators until the appeal had been disposed of. The Dominion Secretary, Mr. A. P. O’Shea advised that the present price of Foxton wool-packs was Gs. per pack, ex ship main ports. The present price of imported jute packs was 4s. per pack landed into store. The packs were sold in the proportion of seven of jute to three of Foxton, and the price fixed was ss. 9d. per pack. The tare on Foxton packs was 91bs. and that on jute lOlbs. A circular letter was received from the Makara-Hutt County Council setting out a statement (recently reported in the “Times-Age”) made by Mr. W. W. Mulholland, Dominion President of the Farmers’ Union in which he stressed the necessity for a National Government.

"We can only endorse what the president has said,” commented Mr. Kebbell. The letter was received. A letter was received from the secretary of the Manawatu Provincial district of the Farmers’ Union advising that at a recent meeting of the executive it was decided that the annual inter-provincial conference be held, subject to the consent of the provinces concerned. The conference would be held in Palmerston North at the end of May. and the local executive's opinion was sought. A committee comprising the president, vice-president and treasurer was set up to confer with head office on the matter and come to a decision. The Masterton County Council wrote enclosing particulars regarding a survey of holding paddocks under its direct control. The letter was referred to a committee for consideration, it being pointed out that it was desired to have adequate water and shelter in the var- | ious holding paddocks. In connection with the subsidy available for labour for hand top-dressing I i hill country farms, the secretary re- I ported that on enquiry at the local So- 1 cial Security Office it was found that a | subsidy, being 50 per cent, of the la-1 hour cost was made available under the 4B scheme. However the men had Io be provided by the local Placement Office before the subsidy was made available. The assistant Dominion secretary of the Farmers’ Union wrote stating that the Wairarapa executive’s recent resolution in regard to phosphate deposits was considered at a meeting of the Dominion executive, and he had been instructed to advise that the investigation had already been made in a geological survey. The findings of the survey disclosed that deposits of phosphates in New Zealand were of a very low grade, and were only in very small pockets so that the cost of working them would be prohibitive. “I may say that for some years phosphate deposits at Clarendon. Otago, were worked. but the deposits were of very low grade, and soon worked out to a stage where it was not economically possible to continue working them,” the letter stated.

It was decided not to agree to the increase in the union’s levy from Bs. Gd. to Ils. until the reasons for the increase had been.stated b.y head office.