20 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Jury, 1901. 
association thought the industry could be turned to better account. We 
accordingly applied to the Department of Agriculture for information as to 
what could be done with the rice then under crop, and we were referred to 
Messrs. Robert Harper and Co., of Brisbane. This firm made us an offer of 
from £7 to £7 10s. per ton for the paddy. I may here state that the seed. 
originally introduced by Major Boyd had been allowed to deteriorate, so we 
took steps, again with the assistance of the Agricultural Department, to get 
seed of good varieties. We went still further, and have had a co-operative mill 
erected at Pimpama, with the result that the rice industry is now well established, 
on what appears to be the.right lines, in the Logan district. 
Mr. T. W. Crawrorp (Mosman): It seems to me that all present are 
agreed upon as to the advisability of organisation. On looking at the programme 
I find there are representatives present from about eighty to 100 societies, 
which proves that the agricultural industry is, in a sense, pretty well 
organised. That organisation, however, is not complete. For one week in 
every year, it may be said that the agricultural industry has a complete organisa- 
tion, but for the remaining fifty-one weeks we are, to a certain degree, disor- 
ganised. I trust we will be able to agree to some practical scheme to give 
effect to the opinions expressed here to-night, and what I would suggest is the 
appointment of an executive committee which will be representative of the 
industry throughout the State. If this is done, whenever an emergency arises. 
we shall have the necessary organisation to deal with it. 
Mr. T. E. Courson (Rosewood) : There is not the slightest doubt but that 
the farming community is the worst organised in the State. Nearly every other 
trade and section organise for their own interests. There is truth in Mr. Lee’s 
statement that there is a certain amount of petty jealousy amongst farmers, 
which keeps them from organising. As for the suggested Chamber of Agricul- 
ture, I would be glad to hear what are to be its functions. I take it that one of 
them is to place the products of the State upon a proper market. I remember 
at a previous Conference, a committee was appointed to draw up a plan for the 
distribution of our produce and for the supplying of articles that we required. 
This executive was to be in Brisbane, or some other central place where we 
might be appointed to meet. The committee had hardly been formed, however, 
before I came to the idea that the scheme was impracticable. There was Mr. 
Swayne at Mackay, myself at Rosewood, and so on; so I did not see how the: 
committee were ever going to be able to meet together. I have worked as hard 
as any man for the organisation and good of farmers, and my experience is that 
you will generally get more kicks than ha’pence for your pains. Mr. Robinson 
states that all the competitors get prizes at the small country shows. If he 
comes to the next Rosewood show, I can promise him the sight of plenty of 
exhibitors going away with long faces. 
My. T. Buraess (Forest Hill): It is hard to know why in the name of 
common sense farmers come here to run themselves down. J am a farmer, and 
am proud of it. Iam not going to make reference to a lot that has been said, 
except that a lot of it had better have been left unsaid. The question of 
organisation is an immense one, but the farmers recognise its value as much as 
any one. But there are difficulties connected with the organisation of farmers 
which probably do not beset any other calling in life. Look at our surroundings, 
at the distances and roads over which we have to travel, and compare them with 
the surroundings of many of our commercial classes. You will then get some 
idea of why farmers do not organise. I do not deny that there is a lot of 
indifference shown amongst our farmers on this question, but are we going to 
give up trying to bring ourselves together because the way to success and the 
way to union are beset with difficulty? Not abit of fear. Rome was not built 
in a day, and farmers are not going to be organised in a day. But the 
organisation is coming, and one of the best evidences we have is the splendid 
gathering of farming representatives that we have here to-night. Many have- 
travelled hundreds of miles to attend this Conference, and the way to success. 
