FARMERS’ UNION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 May 1943, Page 4

FARMERS’ UNION

MASTERTON BRANCH ANNUAL MEETING NO AMMUNITION FOR RABBITS. GOVERNMENT’S ACTION VIEWED WITH ALARM. The annual meeting of the Masterton branch of the Farmers’ Union was held in Masterton yesterday afternoon, Mr W. F. McLaren presiding over a good attendance of members. A remit was passed for consideration at the Inter-Provincial Conference at Palmerston North on May 27 which asked that farmers should have adequate representation on rehabilitation boards.

Mr L. T. Daniell pointed out that there were no farmers on the Wairarapa Board. Referring to the rabbit pest, Mr A. H. Keir said that the Government had released 140,000 rounds of ammunition to the Acclimatisation Societies of New Zealand for duck shooting. It was impossible to buy ammunition for any other purpose than duck shooting If any ammunition were made avail’ able is should only be for rabbit shooting. Rabbits were on the increase in the Wairarapa. In the Tinui district, where the Rabbit Association had got the pest down in numbers to the stage where they could be shot instead of being poisoned the association could not get ammunition. Mr Keir said that it would assist production if the rabbits were kept down. Mr A. Ross said that the rabbit problem was a serious one. The attitude of the Government towards the problem would indicate that it regarded the rabbits as a supply of food in the case of famine.

A member pointed out that phosphorised pollard was not obtainable. A remit was passed for the conference that the branch viewed with alarm the Government’s action in releasing ammunition for duck shooting when it could not be procured for rabbit shooting. Reference was made to the fact that there was only one farmer among the eight members of the local Transport Co-ordination Committee, yet there were four carriers on the committee. When the impressment scheme came in the transport operators only controlled 71 per cent of the trucks yet now the transport operators were “the tail that was wagging the dog.”. The Minister concerned was insisting on a drovers’ representative being added to the committee but, it was explained, a deputation of local farmers would be going to Wellington to see the Minister regarding the matter. When the finances of the Union were being discussed Mr L. T. Daniell placed before members the Wairarapa College Board’s bursary scheme and suggested that the Union could possibly grant a scholarship on the same lines. Mr Daniell described the amenities at the College and said it was a real educational centre.

The election of officers resulted:— Chairman. Mr J. M. James; vice-chair-man, Mr J. C. Cooper; committee. Messrs C. C. Jackson, L. T. Daniell, AForsberg. R. D. McKenzie, R. E. Chamberlain, D. McGregor, A. H. Keir, A. Ross, W. James, W. F. McLaren. J. G. Wingate, P. D. McLachlan, C. J. Percy and N. Blatchford; delegates to the Wairarapa executive, Messrs Blatchford, J. M. James, D. McGregor. A. Ross, L. T. Daniell, A. Forsberg, R. E. Chamberlain, R. D. McKenzie, A. Keir, and J. C. Cooper.