Farmers' Union.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 252, 6 September 1902, Page 3

Farmers' Union.

A meeting of theMorven branch of the Farmers’ Union was held in the schoolhouse, Qlenavy, on Tuesday evening. Mr Corrigan, president of the branch, occupied the chair, and there were 25 settlers present. The chairman stated that the objects of the Union wep to give farmers an opportunity of discussing all subjects affecting their interests, E(o had never heard it proposed at any Farmers’ Union that the wages o! the workmen should he reduced. Farmers, by banding themselves together, could secure better markets for their produce. During the recent war a large demand bad oome for oats, the contract for which bad been secured by two or three wholesale merchants, and a] a consequence the farmers of Canterbury had lost something like £90,000. If the farmers worked through some of the co-operative societies things like .his cmld be averted. As another instance, potatoes had recently been a drug in the market, and some wholesale merchant, had purchased a large quantity at £2 or £2 sa, and now the price was quoted at £4. Correspondence was read from the Minister of Lands, stating that a reserve of 60 acres would be set apart as a recreation ground for the district. On the motion of Mr Corcoran, seconded by Ur A. Niool, the action of the president was approved, and a vote of ' thanks carried to him for his action in securing the reserve. A long dLoqiwion then took place m reference to the dispute between the threshing-mill owners and the Workers’ Union as to the ra e of wages that should ba p .id to the threihing-mul hands, A

that a levy if Is amenher i-li »il't he made 10 aa st thi mitt owners to >sist the dem.i Ms of Ju i for J per hour and kc-p w m not en'crainfd. and he following faool irim, proposed by Mr Ha dy, and - cjnd d oy Mr Fahey, was c.me I uaftoi noii-fiy ; '* L’tiin thi.branch of the Farmera’ U no i take no. . action in the dispute between the Mill ■ owners’ Aasocia ion and the Workers’ j Union.” Several ppe here considered I t .at the demand for Is per hour and |k! p vv is too h gh, while a worker l present strongly supper e l the demand. 1 Tie chairman (-ug’.ened that the I farmers might purchase a toreshing mill plant an 1 work it for their own benefit, nut it w is pointed out that this would be a m >st difficult arrangement to carry out satisfactorily. On the mo‘ioa of Mr Callaghan, seconded by Mr Carlson, it was decided to hold the meeting of the branch at Vlorven and Glenavy in a’ternae months, the next meeting to be held at Morven on t h- first Tuesday in October. Five members paid their annual snhscripl io : • f iis, and the meet ng cl a d with n v >ie nf thanks to ih ■ chairman.