ORGANISING FARMERS

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20739, 24 February 1939, Page 10

ORGANISING FARMERS

SHEEPOWNERS’ MOVE

WAIKATO SUB-EXECUTIVE FORMED

AUCKLAND PRESIDENT’S VISIT

At a representative meeting of over 70 Waikato sheepfarmers in Hamilton

yesterday a sub-executive of the New Zealand Sheepowners’ Federation was set up following an address by Colonel N. P. Adams of Clevedon, president of the Auckland branch of the federation. Mr F. C. Johnstone, of Waitetuna, presided. The personnel of the

committee elected is as follows: Major J. C. Fillcry and Messrs F. C. Johnstone, 11. Johnstone, C. S. Alexander, A. Main, J. G. Reeves, E. L. Tucker, A. McKinnon and 11. W. Upton.

The objects of the federation were placed before the meeting by Colonel Adams who stated that he had just returned from a conference in Wellington where, in conjunction with the Farmers’ Union and the New Zealand Workers’ Union, an effort had been made to fix a new award affecting employees in the sheepfarming industry. No decision was reached as the employers’ representatives could not agree to the increase in wages asked for. A further meeting would be held in the presence of the Minister of Labour, the Hon. P. C. Webb. Value of Organisation Colonel Adams pointed out the important part which the federation was doing to safeguard the farmers as employers and stressed the need for increased membership to back up the federation’s stand in this matter. Organisation was responsible for the strength of the powerful unions today and he considered it was time that farmers awoke to the need for placing their support behind an organisation which had to deal with employees’ unions in conciliation, arbitration and possibly legal proceedings. “It is said that we do not represent the bulk of the farmers in New Zealand. but whose fault is that?’’ asked Colonel Adams. He added that the federation had also been accused of standing for the interests of the big sheepowners, but, while some years ago that may have been true he could give it the lie direct to-day. There were over 31,000,000 sheep in the Dominion, owned by 32,000 farmers of whom 18.000 owned more than 500 sheep. The present membership of the federation stood at 3000 and represented a holding of 13,000,000 sheep. Extension of Act For some time it had been the endeavour of the New Zealand Workers’ Union to extend the scope of the Agricultural Workers’ Act end without a strong union to oppose the demands the farmers would get nowhere. At the present time the federation and the Farmers’ Union were working in the closest co-operation. However, he was opposed to the federation being merged with the union but it was his hope that some day each branch of agriculture would lie represented by a federation and that delegates from each of these bodies would form a central council to consider the interest of all types of farmers. Opposition to the division of sheepfarmers and dairymen in separate federations was voiced by Mr F. C. Roberts (Te Kowhai) who said that such a division would give the Govern- i ment, as all governments had done, an opportunity to play one section off against the other. All farmers were exporters of primary produce and he thought the time had come for them

to stand together under one union. In reply Colonel Adams said that as relations existed at present between the federation and the Farmers’ Union there was no chance of the Government doing what Mr Roberts had suggested. “Trivial Squabble” Mr R. G. Young (Gordonton) said he had been surprised that the federation had occupied its time mainly in a trivial squabble with the Workers’ Union. Surely the broad issue was the rehabilitation of the sheep industry, and the federation should be working in conjunction with the employees to bring home to the Government a realisation of the unsatisfactory condition the industry was in at present. Colonel Adams said the whole argument against the claims put forward by the employees’ representatives in Wellington had rested on the inability of the industry to pay. A motion to form a sub-committee of the federation in the Waikato was then put forward by Mr Alexander, and, after considerable dicussion, carried unanimously. Major Fillcry offered to act in a secretarial capacity in the Waikato for the next three months.