AUCKLAND FARMERS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 170, 11 April 1908, Page 5

AUCKLAND FARMERS.

RESITS FOR CONFERENCE. , j MOTION FOR SEPARATE POLITICAL ' ' PARTY. (BT TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAI, CORBESPONDENT.) l! Auckland, April 10. i Tho Provincial Conference of the Auckland , Section of the New Zealand Farmers' Union is to be held here on May 21 and 22. Th® -1 order paper includes a number of important subjects. . ■ ' AGAINST LANIJ NATIONALISATION. The land question looms largely in the r(v mits, and the Auckland Provincial Executivo , . is going to move a protest against any attompt. by the New Zealand Government in ; the direction of land nationalisation, and an . j opinion that the legislation of last session, by i which nine million acres of Crown lands wore removed from the optional system, when 1 -j thrown open for settlement, is tho first stop ■ ..■■■■ in t)iis direction. It will also move express- ' ing the opinion that no tenure, is satisfactory j to the farmers of this country unless provi- . sion'is made by which the selector can acquiro tho freehold of his section after ho v bas . > complied with the conditions of residence and i improvements, and that the optional Bystem ; should apply to all settlement land equally with Crown lands. - , Among other proposals of the Executive it 1 that only ratepayers bo empowered to vqto oil | local government matters, and that the most ■ ; emphatic protest be recorded against the pro- .. i pojjal to extend tho Parliamentary franchiso : for the purpose of local body elections. The Executive also intends to suggest re- • : questing the Government to . protect propertics against danger through mining tailings V. ; : :;j being in rivers. ; , The co-operative system of carrying out • J public works is also to come in for criticism, • ! and a motion will be, tabled urging that all • • public works should be constructed. on tho • . contract system. . ! ■ ■- A definito issue as to whether the Farmers' Union should form a separate political party' ■ i will be put by tho following straight-out-motion:—"That the time has ■ now arrived ' < for the New Zealand Farmers' Union,to form V- -'r< a separate political- party, and to run its . own candidates for such, seats as it is con- v . ', sidcred desirable." ; The Conference, is also to be asked to im--V■ « press, upon tho Government the paramount > importance of roads opening up good land as tho foundation 6f the prosperity of the coun- : \ tryARBITRATION ACT. ' -! ...Farmers object to citation before an Indus- ' trial Court, .and therefore the Executive is to . i move:—"That this' Conference is of'opinion that the 1 law ought to be' so amended; that • farmers cannot bo cited before the Concilia- :: tion Board unless a- majority of the ; Farm Labourers' Union js. in favour of same; and unless'the members of such Union are com- , 'posed of a : majority of'tho farm labourers in -.•» the district.'' '. .. ' / Tho Drury branch will go a little further, • i and will move:—"That tho Farmers' Union v . ; strongly urges, that the Arbitration. Act as : . - applied to farmers be repealed or amended," ..:. and it adds a riotb' that, when the Act was passed through tho Lower House,, the late • • . Mr. Seddon' stated that it was not intendod , . to apply to farmers. .- ' This-, Branch also .: strongly urges that the .Union .should take , . a more active part in politics. ,: The Kaipira i Flats Branch thinks the effect . -i of the Arbitration Act " has been to creata a large amount of unnecessary friction, and ; to increase tho cost of living without beaie.fiting tho, wage earners; therefore, its con- > •••; tinuance on the Statute Book is no longer ;*1 justified." '•:• / The Awaroa Branch suggests That tho ■ ;.j Government should amend the Arbitration ."■. .. .i 'Act r so that at least 50 per cent, of tho em- • • y;;i ployecs .of an industry must bo members of . , a Union before tliaKUr.ion has power to cite « tho employers to appear before an Industrial- . ; Courtthat the Farmers' Union ask all can-. ■ didates for Parliament beforo next election.. >: if thoy will pledge themselves to try and so . : i amend tho Act, and that farmers bo asked _ .■■■/• to vote only for candidates who will give such i. n pledge." ' .. ' V.';, 1 .;