Waimate County Farmers’ Association.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 223, 1 July 1902, Page 3

Waimate County Farmers’ Association.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting was held in the County Council Chambers on S-turday, Mr J. F. Douglas presiding over a good meeting COKRKSP ON r> E N" C K From Guinness and LeCren, re acceptance of offer of rooms in the proposed hall, From the Department of Agriculture stating that the Association's resolution re analysis of manures would receive consideration. It was decided to acknowledge what had been done, but to desire competent analysts appointed, one in North ana one in South Canterbury, as at present it takes some weeks to get an analysis from the Department in Wellington, by which time the crop is usually in and it is too late to do any good, Frorq the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, Auckland, re the Assocut'on’s memo urging that a firm stand be made for fre -i trade hy all the branches of the Union. — The question is to empe up, at the Colonial Conference to he held in Welling' orr,on July From the same, stating that resolutions to he. put before the Colonial G -rfferenoo were duly mce vod. The Association was registered under the “ Unclassified Societies Registration Act, 1895.”

The secretary repor ed tint after se-ing Mr Douglas, who had received no word from tho Provincial Svpretary regardipg to the 1 'o.lonial Conference, the date of the Conference, qt the subjects to be brought up from this province, h e had sent letters as follows To Mr Dunsford, Provincial Secretary, Tiraaru, complaining of these omissions, and requesting that they be rectifl d at once. It was only hy accident that Mr Donglaa ascertained that the Conference was to be held, and South Canterbury might otherwise have been unrepresented.

Also to Mr J. Chisholm, St. Andrews, enclosing a copy of the letter to Mr Dunsford, and asking him to enquire into the matter and see that the requisite notice was given the General Secretary and Mr Douglas. Mr Douglas had received no word from the General Secretary, who had probably received noletter from the Provincial Secretary. After disaussion it was resolved that should Mr Douglas get no official information from the Provincial Executive of his appointment as delegate to represent South panteibury at the Cplopial he Do asked to attend theConferencd at Wellington by this branch and bring forward the resolutions sent from’ ibis branch to the Timaru Conference,'so that this district will in any case ’bp farther th&t their representative mi the South Canterbury Executive be asked to enquire into the iqatter at their next meeting apd endeavor to make such arrangements as wi\l prevent any repetition of tho bungling has taken place. From Mr J. H. Mitchell, chairman of the Mi Howners Association which had been formed in South Canteibury, stating that it was rumoured that the millownera were to be cited before the Arbitration Court in connection with the demands of the Workers’ Union “ that mid hands be paid not less than Is per boar and tucker.” He would point out that this is a matter of vital interest to the farmers of New Zealand, and it is desirable that the farmers and millowners work in nnisop. is evident that it I h« ward {S' giy&U against millowners the farmers will have to pay tub difference.. He would hs rind to know what position tho Association w«W prepared to take op in this matter, and whether the Association was willing to assist the Millowner#* Association to defend the case when brought on. Prom the secretary of Workers 1 Union (M? S. BOreham), stating that ! Mr ipffn’Mills was duly and officially authorised to represent the Union at the Association’? The chapman said this w aH consider, ahle importance to the meeting. The New Zealand Farmers’ Union was in rather a pemliar position; North Canterbury said they wonld not oppose the workers. The South Canterbury branch said they were willing to conciliate, but if tho case were taken before the Arbit ration Court they would, in a friendly wav of course, defend the case. They did not consider the worxots fools—they had os shrewd men aa else.

Rul hn could not u d-retand North CanI erbury which said they would admit the works-- >uid work wi-h them and thin in i he -aim breath said if inc-, did not work together they would join another union and fi.'ht them for all they were worth. He considered it the right and proper th ng for the Un : oo to consider the interest of the farmers and should not let his tax be put on them. This was one of; he most serious demands that had ever come before the farmers of New Zealand—a change from bushel to hour. It would affect the small farmer more than it would the large farmer, for the small man put all his farm in crop and the larga man ran stock. The millowners, as they had heai-d, had a meeting to consider tho action they would take, and now wrote asking if the Association were prepared to assist, providing they • were willing to defend the case in the Arbitral h r r,‘(>i;rb. ii vfui A great ( question : if not of more vital importance to the fanner than it was to the millowner, In the past they had watched such cases and had invariably found tha« when awards were given against manufacturers they put up the prices, and the community at large had to pay the increase. But it had not before come directly before them and they had nob felt it so much. But the case was now ! coming before the raillowners, who were the intermediary between the farmer and the hands and the farmer would have to pay in the end. He understood that a citation had been made. The demand was for a shilling an hour and found, half-time between shifts or from camp to camp, and one shilling an hour for all men about the mills This was unofficial, but he gob it from Mr Boreham, secretary of the Workers’ Union. He had heard that the dem ind was a little above this, and basing his notes and figures on this he found that the demand meant to tho farmer about three times his county, harbour and water rates. They were all aware that the Sheep • owners’ ! Association had been formed to resist an increase of 5s a hundred by the shearers and he considered the question before them a hundred times more important. A man with 150 acres of good land would run sheep per acre, or 375, so that the additional rate for shearing only meant 18s 6d if the demand were granted,* and a man might already be paying £!,, per 100. He was assured that if a higher demand was allowed than exists the mills would not go out under l|d to lsd additional, bub to show the importance": of the question he put it at a Id and found that if a man put his 150 acres in crop and gob 40 bushels it would cost him £25 extra for his threshing. Under these circumstances it was high time that this Union stepped in, irrespective of North Canterbury, to assist the millowners to defend the case. They had seen how awards against the town employers had been mot by increased prices, but the farmer was in a different position. They might help the millowner now to defend the case, but if the award was given and he sought to raise - the prices they would fight against him unless he could prove the justice of his claim to an increase. For the farmer could not raise the price of his produce one fraction, besides having all the risks of wind and weather to contend against —first, no ram, then too much. Prices were high this year, but there was a great da ,d of damaged grain. Yet people seemed to think they had only to ask the f irqaer for money and he could pour it out.'He asked them to take action before it was too late, so that when the case came before the Arbitration Court it would be fu'ly explained on every point in regard to outside conditions. Every farmer should come ip and lend his assistance, the present ti ne two nails were being driven —the shearers demand and the industrial demand on millowners —.they were just being knocked, but every drive given was putting a nail into the farmer’s coffin and it would only be a short time before he would be put out of house and home. The last few seasons only left a margin between profit and loss on any farm, and the more demands were granted tho greater they would become, -for they would sqon have a Ploughman’s Union antf others, all increasing, while the farmer was perfectly unable to increase a penny of his profits. He did not see how they could ait by and tal-,e no action at all. They should take the question seriously, consider it from every point, make up their minds on their action, and whatever determination lh- y arrived at let them stink to it. Mr Douglas aat down amidst applause. In reply to Mr Borrie the chairman said the millowners had raised a certain amount; but they required more. They intended to write all over Canterbury, for of course any award would be binding on the province, though It originated in \YaimaW When replies had been received th<-y would approach all the farme s. It was from Waimate that defensive action would originate, hut the expenses would be, borne by the whole Union

Mr Ward thought it more a matter for tho farmer than f>p the millowner. It was regrettable that the Not h Canterbury branch should decide to take no action in the matter, and be thought they should pass a vote of censure on the branch. If the dem >nd were carried the millowner would simoly raise the price of threshing. He himself was alwayi willing to give good wages, but when demands got beyond reason they must resist them, for a further demand was sure to be made. The Conciliation and Arbitration Act was not meant simply as a lever to raise wages, but it had been made so.

Mr Mills (Workers’ Union representative) said all the miUowners were written to and asked to meet and dis juss twma. but they ignored the lonian, which had no other course hut to go before the Court. They had nothing against the farmers at present. Mr T. Mancbe>ter said Is per hour would run threshinsr np to dd par bushel. Mr Borrie said he had not received a notice to meet the Union—sfmpjy a demand for the increase. At lOd an hour it bad cost a Redcliff farmer, who had to get an Oatnarn mill, fid per bushel to thresh; Ho was not saying it wou'd always coat that, for the ground had been very heavy and it was a portable engine, but they could get badly stuck even with a tractionMr Corrigan thought they had more than the Industrial Union to deal with ; he did not think the millowner was much in sympathy with the farmer. Why did they not get mills of their own ? (Applause.) A millowner to whom he said this told him that they might as well try to stop the tide with a pitchfork as try to get two " cockatoos ” to agree on anything- If they had a roller between them both wou’d want to roll the same day, and if forty owned a rylf whqld be w®! 8 ® than evefl' Bjis idea was that if th'cy %ere not' treated reasonably let them get their OWQ mills, employ their QWQ hands, and defy millownera and bands, There was no man more inclined to give fair wages than he was, for he always Uked to get them. Mr Corcoran said i he farmer paid for everything. At Hem® 0 ine/Q trifle of a (Som-tas w a 4 T n t 00 . tQ - WIW $1.8,00,000 and the baker put a price on Bread that dost £50,000,000. Some might say this had nothing to do with the farmer an 1 gave ft lit*.!' -1 vl’ r.'l !i: si'file 000, O'.-i- aeo taxalit'n •■•amt 1 tern heavy uu-v ha-i j i !;;:c to look into it. Aw pre-Mr.: fc»»/r.er.-: not well off, and had to <io with-, a m:. lathings they ought to have in order io work their farms. They had r,o do ovh.u was right— first to theme! w an si t i*«n to everybody else. On the motion of Mr Ward, seconded bv Mr (V.rc:.:.*-n. ideetdt.i "Th«f----i with aatonUhm-:-;; j ■■ 1 K’.rtu Canterbury Executive nave t*aen op in resolving that' the Union should

hold aloof in ■"• - where there is a dispute between ne farmers and their employees, and me- rungly • f (.pinion that if the Union us o b* of .my use and permanency it must akea i. on > a mited body in supporting n.iy pa. iiuul ,r branch* in any dispute itniny have with employees where farming interests are concerned.’ 1 Mr Orbjll move 1 aid Mr Wad seconded, and it was decided “ That the South Canterbury delegate be asked to place the position of this branch with regard to tao demands of the threshing mill hands before the Colonial Conference and ask the conference to rule that the Union will defend any action before the Arbitration Court where farming interests arc involved and authorise our de'egate in this particular ease to collect evidence which would assist to defend the case. All expenses in da- • fending any cases before the Arbitration Court approved of by the Colonial Executive to be refunded out of the general funds of the Union ” Mr Hertslett took it that the other unions should back them up, or there would be nothing in the word “ union ” at all. The secretary should write and ask that this Union be supported with funds. Mr Corrigan said they must not be divided. In 1891 lie was in the Railway Emp’oyees’ Union and they hid no grievance, bat t()ey st nek because of the maritime strike. If the rest of the Farmers’Union dil not bick them up they should cease to be a union, and then lie down before those wh > were forcing laws on them and say, “ For the Lord’s sake treat us fairly.” The secivary (Mr C Akhurst) suggested that the chairman ask the Executive to take ■he matter up, for it was impossible tor this branch to m vo all the others.

Mr Hortsletb said they simply demanded support, not asked it, and if it was not received th y were no union. Mr Garland said perhaps they had n >fc heard the oth<>r side of the question. They flattered themselves that they paid good wages, but did they know what the millowners paid. Many men worked from month to month and had little more than their tucker at the end. They would nob care to treat their own men in the same fashion. He thought that had the men been met before, the matter could have beet amicably arranged. If they did pay by the hour it would nob affect them much. In a great number of cases they paid more than Is per hour now on good crops. Mr Corrigan said that when the men only made tucker the unfortunate “ cockatoo” did not make tucker at all ; he know men whose harvest left them £1 per acre in debt. Mr G. Miller agreed in the main with the remarks made by Mr Garland. When in Otago they had had threshing done by the hour and by the bushel in Canterbury. It often came to 5d in Canterbury but never in Otago. He thought that, had the millowners taken notice of the demands in the first place, matters would not have been so far advanced. They nvght not have a great admiration for the Union, but it deserved consideration. When they were working by the hour they could steady the men if a crop required careful hand ing—it would then be all the same to the men, for they were paid. Messrs Borrie, Kolcher, and Pelvin said they received no request to meet, simply the demands.

Mr Mills said it was a strange thing they held a meeting on a citation,

Mr Borrie said the TJ Q i°n was not a large one. Nope of his men belonged to it or knew anything about it. Mr Mills said many men were afraid to say they were unionists in cise they were sacked.

Mr Hertslefct asked why mill hands demanded a shilling an hour and tucker ; other men who worked equally hard did not get it. Mr D. R. Buckingham said most of the men were satisfied. If the demand was carried good men and good mills would suffer; bad mills and bad men would gain. He knew plenty men who made £2 10s to £fi a week clear, and that was more than the speaker could make off his farm. Mr Kelcber said that if the millowners as well got paid by the hour it would be the best thing they ever had. He would like to know how farmers viewed this proposal. Mr W, Bell said that in Otago they paid 9d per hour and provided a feeder and driver. It ran per bushel, about the same as it was hero at present. This closed th«> discussion. RAU..WAT IMPROVEMENTS. On the motion of Mr Douglas, it was decided that a petition be drawn up and sent to all places adjacent to the railway between Timaru and Oamaru, pointing out the great inconvenience to passengers caused by stoppages and jolting when goods trucks were attached, and stating that the traffic warranted a special goods train without interfering with the present time table. Also, considering the line is straight and level, trains take a ridiculously long time, and it might easily be shortened half an hour. They also call attention to the bad state of tl e t; uoks. This is to be sent to the member for the district for transmission to the Minister for Railways. Mr Corrigan moved that an amendment be brought in in the Workmen’s Compensation for Accidents Act, wh ! ch entitled a worker to payment from the date of hia accident. At present he only got half wages after a fortnight, and as most accidents only laid a man up for that time, tbu unfortunate workman got nothing, Policyholders could well afford to pay a shilling or so a year extra. Mr Corcoran seconded this. He said that an employer would nob turn an injured man away, and he could not with any conscience stop hia wages. At present the insurance companies were getting money uudor falsp pretences. The motion was carried unanimously! The next lecture was fixed for Saturday, July 12th..