Waimate Farmers' Association.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 145, 24 December 1901, Page 3

Waimate Farmers' Association.

A general meeting of the Wai *taate County Farmers' Association on Saturday, Mr J. U. Douglas presiding over a good ■attendance. , ~ . T . ir . It was decided to ask Mr Lillioo, the Government Veterinary Surgeon, to deliver a lecture on veterinary subjects. The lecture is to be <on some Saturday afiernoon early. : in the new year. A letter was received from Mr Hanley with reference to his seat on the committee of the Waimate Association. He resigned this position in favour of the Morven branch of the union. Mr Corrigan wrote on the same •-subject, and the Secretary was instructed to attend to it. A. letter was received from the New Zealand Dairyman re sub " ; scribeirs. . Mr Glass wrote asking for all -»reftims of members ami subscriptions, as the head ollice wished to issue a balance-sheet by- January Ist, and to ascertain the numerical •strength of the Union. Mi Glass also wrote that the : head office of 'the Union \md -accepted the taLder of the (om•merciai .Union Insurance Company 'for insuring against accidents all farm labourers employed by members of the Farmers' Onion. Mr Douglas said that if the Union had done nothing else they ■had proved their value by getting 'the insurance rates reduced by on'ehalf. He did not think there was -a doubt that farmers were liable for -accidents. He urged farmer* to insure their men. If a farmer .paid £IOO in wages the former rate was 10s a year. The new rate was •''ss, and the farmers should pay the difference as their subscription to •the Association. They should all -get farmers to join the Union, as they have now some tangible result 'of union. He asked Mr Francis to say a few words on the question of insurance. Mr Francis, who is agent for the 'Commercial Union, explained the terms for insuring men engaged in 'all classes of farm work. Mr Corcoran moved that the 'meeting should pledge themselves to support the Commercial Union Insurance Company, which had -rirst reduced th« insurance rates._ Mr W. F. Ward seconded this, ; and it was carried. Mr Douglas said they should do all they could to keep the Union -alive, and oneway to do that was -to have tegular monthly meetings. On the motion of Me3frs Corcoran and Kelcher, the monthly meeting was fixyd for the fourth Saturday in each month at 8 p.m. The chairman referred to the "question of trade with South Africa. Ho read a resolution moved at a mecung of the Timaru branch of the Union on this subject and the remarks made by Mr Chi*holin when speakiug to this 'motion. The chaieman referred to •the unsatisfactory nature of the present arrangements with the ■three New Zealand shipping companies. The Government had placed £30,000 on the estimates -for subsidising steamers which 'would land goods at South Africa s 'for certain. Mr Corcoran said that the -matter was most important, and -should be gone on with aS once. The chairman said that all that -New -Zealand produced could be "'used ia South Africa, and the only : thing necessary was direct steam -'service. Goods had been taken %ora New Zealand to Australia and Whence to South Africa, and there Vas no reason -for this transhipment except the want of a direct line. Messrs H. Hertslett and W. V. Ward moved and It was earried, '" That in the opinion of this •aieetiug the opening up of trade with South Africa is of vital importance to the producers of-New •Zealand, and, while concurring with the steps already taken, would strongly urge upon the Government ■the importance of at once completing arrangements for a Sired •steam service between New Zealand and South Africa." A. copy of the Resolution is to be forwarded to the Premier and to the Hon. W. J. : Steward. Referring to the former oats '-contract, Mr DouglaJ said that the Canadian Government had bought 'oats direct from the farmers, and New Zealand Government could do likewise. He moved that in any -future oats and other produce contracts the Government should deal with the farmers direct. _ Mr Corcoran seconded thiß. He f said that a similar resolution -had been carried at the Ashbarton •conference on his motion. The motion was carried unanimously. The 'chairman said he had another matter to refer to. The Association seemed to him to have a hitch about it in some way-; the small farmers were largely standing out. The latter gave as a reason for this that he had worked up this branch of the Union for his own benefit. He need not tell them that this was not trfle: His sole aim in organising the Farmers' Club had been to secure all the advantages of union, which fcarmerV} had failed to take for so long. The Club had been fairly B aocessfu!, and, run as a branch of the Farmer.**' Umon, it had been a little more io, bat it seem to <« go," Ha had aimed solely at Making it a thorough success, affid as he had apparently {ailed Jo. do this he thought it better to hand in his resignation. If .they put a «tnall former. ,at their head the tepiaker would give -him all the help be could, and they might thus te&ke the AeaeciftUou the mem *t

ought to be. What benefitted the smairfarttier Would benefit the big, and the union of all farmers would be of undoubted benefit to every one of them. Mr Douglas thanked members for their help in the past, and said he hoped the meeting would accept his resignation.

Mr Francis r said there was nothing in what Mr Douglas said about small farmers standing out of ohe Union because of hirn. The time and trouble Mr Douglas gave to farmiry? interests and county affairs was very great, and this was. recognised from one end of the county to the other. They had only to get the small farmers arid 3how them they were all wrong. He moved that the meeting should not accept Mr Douglas' resignation.

Mr Ward seconded this. He said he would be most sorry to see Mr Douglas resign his position, as nowhere could they get a better or a moio capable man. He spared neither time nor trouble in trying to help tho district along, and he j was the best man in the district. J Mr Q-;':Manohester;said- he-would like to add a few words to the resolution, "That this meeting had the utmost confidence in Mr Douglas.'" He said it was an old cry this, that the big man would swamp the little one ; old forty years ago. But it had never happened yet, and he was certain Mr Douglas was not the man to wish it to happen. (Hear, hear.) Mr Hertslett urged Mr Douglas to withdraw his resignation, as the Union could not spare him. Mr Corcoran said he thought the Union would soon die if Mr Douglas were to resign. No on? else would take tho same pains to keep it going. The motion Was carried unanimously. Mr Douglas returned thanks for the motion" He urgwd members to display more energy in getting others to join the union, and in that way they would make it a real live body. The chairman brought up the matter of freights on wool. The price of wool would not permit of any heavy e-xpensas at this end, aud yet the Government gave no sign of having any intention of lowering the freights. His own wool he could get carted from Waihao Downs to Timaru at Is a bale less than he could rail it, and it was very poor policy to have wool carted for forty miles alongside a railway, He moved that the Minister of Railways should be written, to and asked to reduco the freight on wool. Mr E. G. Studholme seconded this. In his own case it was cheaper to send the wool by road than by rail, and it was absurd in those days that the railways could not compete with horseflesh. It was rather late this year, but something might be j done next year. The motion was carried.

Mr Hertslett suggested that they should move in the matter of having freights on grain reduced, Ai being of even more widespread benefit than those on wool, but no motion was made in this direction. A vote of thanks to the chairman brough the meeting to a close.