FARMERS' UNION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 209, 28 May 1908, Page 8

FARMERS' UNION.

\ WELLINGTON PROVINCIAL CONFERENCE. YESTERDAY'S PROCEEDINGS. (by telegram.—special correspondent.) Follding, May 27. The Wellington Provincial Confercnco of tho Farmors' Union lapt evening discussed in committee tho Organising Committee's report. After two hours' debate it was resolved:— ■ "That the Organising Committee-bo. instructed to endeavour to form district v, branches with a view to obtaining, lectures and addresses on interestins subjects."' BASIS OF. LAND TAXATION.. _ This morning Mr. W. J. Mooro, Maknri, moved:— '' . , ' "That .the value'of rural lands'for taxation and ■ other purposes shall in future be determined by its' producing value .and not as at present by tho sale. • ■ value."' Mr. Whyte, Pahiatua, seconded, and the motion was carried. TAXATION. OF FOREST TREES. . Mr. R. B. M'Kenzie, Rongotea, moved:— " That in order to encourage tho planting of forest trees all lands over one acre in extent planted with forest trees should be exempt from land tax and local rates." Mr. H. A.'Novins, Te Nui, • seconded. Mr. F. W. Venn, Shannon, thought, they should be careful lest they should encourage the advance of an army of millionaires who would crowd out all tho little fellows and plant hunting, forests. _ , The motion w=s carried. ■' DRAINAGE RATES. Mr. F. W. Venn, Shannon, moved:— ; "That the Drainage Act be amended so. that 'the ra-tina be. on. tho. acreage instead of valuation, .as at present,,, .where the local authority considers such' system more just and equitable." , Mr. Balsillie, Palmerston, seconded. ■. ■ Mr.-R. B. M'-Kcnzie,- Rongotea, said the motion, favoured tho towns as against tho country He opposed. ' Messrs. H. S. Hadfield, - Paraparaumu; M9SS,-Eketahuna; A.- Monk, jWaikanae; and Cabt. Hewitt, .Palmerston, also opposed. Tho motion was lost. . ' "" GOVERNMENT BOUNDARY FENCES. Captain • Hewitt, Palmerston, moved:— "That when permanent Government , reserves adjoin private holdings (freehold or leasehold) the Land Department shall . pay half tho'cost of fencing and .keeping .; the; ffences in • repair, and destroying noxious weeds." " ■ Mr. ■ M'Gregor, Hunterville, seconded, and it was carried. . CROWN LANDS.. Mr. 1 Ellingham,' Horoeka, moved - , "That the 'Government bo urged to open up the Growii'Lands of east side of' Puketoi. Range for selection undor the optional system, as recommended by ■ tho Crown Lands Ranger." This was carried. . ' 1 , SUBSIDIES TO LOCAL BODIES. . .'J Mr.-W.'B. Slatheison; Eketahuna,;moved:— . "That subsidies to local bodies should - • be on a graduated "scale in proportion , ■ to tho rate struck, ,as recommended by ■ tho Lands Department." The motion was carried.. ; . ! . AUCTION'SALES.- - , Mr. T. Moss, Eketahuna, moved that auctioneers' liccnse fees should be. shared equally between-the local bodies-in''whose districts tho sales are held. ... . ' . , ; Mr. Falconer, Shannon, seconded, and the motion was carried. ' 1 ' Mr. Balsillie, Palmerston,' moved that the names of vendors and . buyers of stock be given when stock is 'sold -at public auction. It was explained that this was to prevent "trotting" at sales.>• •.. - ■ Mr. Howie, Waverley,i seconded, and the motion i was.'carried. . . Mr.\F. W...Venn, Shannon,'.moved that itbo a recommendation to the Fanners' Unioii to consider the' advisability: of. selling beef by. weight instead of at per head as at, present." ; ■ ' Mr. 'A. M'Gregor, Hunterville, seconded, and,the motion was carried.. '*,';.. : 'WASTEFUL PRACTICES. . Mr. R; B. M'Kenzie, Rongotea, moved that tlio practico. of trimming; hides and skins before; offering for sale, and so'reducing tlio .weight, is wasteful. This, it was stated,-is also a breach of tho Stock Act; as the ear's are. removed in the process.' Further, the practice of deducting .the tiiro off hides and; tho draught of wool is ..unjustifiable, and-a strong effort' should be made throughout the Dominion and all other British colonies' to get those, practices; discontinued. Ho statea> that the ono per cent, tare on the wool imported in'l9os amounted to £53,813.The 6 per cent, .trimming loss on hides made, also a loss of £5928, and tho half-pound trimming loss on sheepskins'a loss of 1 £25,038. Thus the total loss was ovor £84,000. per annum. ; ;• ' . The motion was' carried. .AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE: ' Mr. G.. C. Wheeler, Feildiiig, moved that tho Government be asked to set, asido as ,an endowment a suitable area of land on the Main Trunk -Line for an Agricultural College for the North' Island.'' He pointed out the. advantages to be derived, from a college like that at Lincoln, which, for , want of accommodation, were unobtainable oil ex-perimental-farms. , Mr. -W. J. Falconer, Kaituna, referred to tho liberal offer of Mr. W. C. Buchannn .of £6000 for an experiment farm in the Wairarapa. .... . Mr. C. H. Guthrie, Rangiwahia, said the North. Island was at a disadvantage in this matter, as compared with the South. : Mr. J, G.. Wilson, President, said that accommodation was being provided at Ruakura, whore thore, wero more applicants thari could bo accepted. Ho was told that' there would bo 16 students thero next year. New cottages were being erected. Mr. E. E. 'Fletcher, Wanganui, asked whether students,wero to be,taken at Lovin.' Mr. Wilson:' I do not know.- . Mr. Fletcher : It is undesirable to erect all tlio cottages at Ruakura. Some should bo at Lovin. . ; Mr.'.Wilson: Ruakura is a general farm, but the others aro specialised. Mr. Flefcher: Cannot tho students tako termsfat them all' in rotation? . . • . Finally an amendment, seconded by < Mr. Matheson, that the Government be asked to establish an Agricultural College •in the North Island was carried. " MOTOR CARS. Mr. S. J. Carman moved, and Mr. White, Pahiatua, seconded, that; this Conference re-, spectfully urge tho Government to incorporate clauses dealing with the motor traffic m .the'proposed Model-By-laws" Bill. ' The motion was passed. , . CARRIAGE OF STOCK. Mr. ,H. S.. Mason, Gladstone, moved that the' Minister for Public Works be again urged to permit of continuous loading on ' sheeptrucks in New Zealand: v '■ A .number of spoke strongly, in favour of the" motion, and, with an addition asking for false bottoms, the ' motion was carried. Mr. J. Higgie, Wangairai,,moved that,better, facilities be given to small railway. stations for loading and unloading stoci; anil produco. . . Mr. Fletcher seconded, nnd t'-" 'rotwi was carried, With the following addition .proposed by. Mr. W.. ,J. trucks are-ordered and forwarded to a flag station; such should be addressed to.tho persons ordering,, and any other porsons' taking tlio same should bo subject to-a penalty." RAILWAY CROSSiNGS. Mr. F. jHocking,. HunTerviile, referred to tho great annual loss of life on railway crossings,' and moved-that the Execiiti'vo bo urged to cbntiriuo the agitation for'tho improvement of the dangerous ' railway crossings throughout the province, notably, the one ou Vinegar Hill Road, near Hunterville. Mr. White, Pahiatua, in seconding, advocated the use of gates, which should :be closed when a train approached. Several instances of dangerous crossings were given, and it was .resolved that-the Colonial Executive be asked to interview the Minister on tho suhieot. ■ /

VISITS TO EXPERIMENT FARMS. Mr. A. W. Moore, Makuri, moved that the Government be asked to carry farmers arid their sous in parties .of six to experimental farms at excursion, rates, as is done in Denmark. Mr. W. J. Birch, Marton, seconded, and tho motion was carried. POST OFFICE BOXES: Mr. F. W. Venn, Shannon, moved that the annual rental'of post office boxes and bags, where letter-carriers do not exist, be reduced. ' • . ' : -,: .. OFFICERS ELECTED. The following officers, wero elected President, Mr. J. G. Wilson; vice-president, Mr. J. C. Cooper; executive, Messrs. Matheson (Eketahuna), Nevins (Te Nui), Moss (Eketahuna), Bidwill (Featherston), Escott (Woodvillo), M'Grcgor (Huntervillo), Birch (Marton), Wheeler (Feilding), Guthrie (Rangiwahia), Hewitt (Palm erst 011), Campbell (Wanganui), -Hockley (Hunterville), ' and Carman (Waituna West); delegates to the Colonial Conferenco, Messrs. C. Cooper and F. Hockley. " (■ , CONTRACTS. Mr. E. Ellingham, Horoeka, moved, and it was carried, that the executive use their best ondeavours to iuduco the Government to have all contracts over £100 let by public tender, and not by petty contract,' as at present. . PLATFORM. - On the motion of Messrs. Escott and Carman, it was resolved that the executive recommend the setting up of a committee to' consider tho, political situation r.s affecting the Union, and make susgestions to the Colonial Executivo in revising the political platform of tho Union. '' TIMBER DUTY. Mr. Whyte, Pahiatua, moved that, owing to the almost prohibitive price of building timber, the Government be to remove tho import cluty therefrom. Mr. Perrett, Sandon, said that if this were carried, it would bo equally justifiable'to re ; move tho duty on wheat.- • ; - The . motion was carried• on a /show of, hands. , . ■' MILITARY SERVICE. ' ' Mr. Escott, - Woodville, , moved- that the Conferenco support compulsory universal military training. He emphasised;the-danger of the Eastern-influx. 1 ... Messrs. Fraseiv Pohangina, Whyte, 'Pahiatua,' and Birch, . Marton, contended that .-Universal training/by discipline, would ;do great good, to tho youth of the race. Mr. R. B. M'Kcnzie, Rongotea, said the hurriedly-trained New Zcalanders proved good fighters in South -Africa,, ; and. there would be a'fortnight's notice before we could be attacked. Mr. E. H. Crabb, Kimbolton, . advocated the Swiss system, of six weeks' 1 compulsory training. annually. Mr. -Matceson, Eketahuna, -regretted thetendency. to militarism sucli as -Germany knew. The motion was carried. FARMERS AT DINNER. UNION DELEGATES ENTERTAINED. The delegates of tho Wellington Provincial Farmers' union .were entertained -at dinner this evening ;by .the branch-Unions of the district'around Feilding. Mr. J. H.,Booth, 1 chairman of the Feilding branch, presided. There ,was a-comprehensive toast-list. - : Proposing " Tho Legislature,", "Mr. : R. C. Bruce, an ex-member, said he considered the Farmers' Union had' scarcely justified its existence, because, owing.'to the apathy of some of the farming" community, the Union had failed to* attain the splendid success which bad lain 'within its grasp. .He had no sympathy .with., Socialism-, which, clogged the wheels of progress. Ho considered /that each legislative Act of Socialistic tendency was a registration on;tho statute book of, the.predatory:- instiiicts -of mankind."'' Theological outcomo of .the Socialistic argument.was that all property is theft, and when it came to that stagei the farmers must stir to save themselves, They should ladojit the creed of . the old-Norse' warriors, who, said : ',' I-'put not my trust in, gods,-nor in legions, but in mypwri good battle-axe." While; he • had • little faith in legislatures, he had great faith in some men who could bo sent there—men respected in, their own -districts' whoin' they could safely, trust' with, thoir,. bottoiri dollar. Such a -man was the, president of the Farthers' Union, Mr. J. G. Wilson. ■ (Cheers.) It; had- been.said that Mr. Wilson ought to be in the Upper House, but ihe'thought, ■■■pet-. haps, lib.could 'do better .with a freo hand about the _ country. He. called him the uncrowned- king of/'New Zealand. (Cheers.) 'J. Stevens, M.P., replying, said, hehoped' the day would; never come, when there would be a'split, between-the people of; the country districts : and the peoplo of- the; cities. -There was plenty of room here for a much.'.greater population,: arid' lyhat was. wanted was legislation that would benefit all. Ho. hoped, in conclusion, ...that.-.it..was riot true that > his:, great, personal' friend; Mr. Lethbridge, was going to retire from, politics. Mr. F. Y. Lethbridge, M.P;, tfls6 replied to. tho toast, and said ho had, definitely debided to retire from politics,'' at-least,for the presont. ' ■ ; - Mr. J. G. Cobbe, a Feilfling townsriian, proposed "Tho Farmers' Union," .and emphasised tho identity of interests in town and country. Mr. W. B. Matheson; Eketahuna, acknowledged the toast. Ho saw a great future beforo tho Farmers' Union, and realised, it-was inevitable that they should becomo a.political party. It had;been stated that in the third year'of a member's, term his whole time.was taken up. in seeing that his. return to tho next Parliament tfas,assured. A Minister of tho Crown had said recently that during the whole;, of his. existence the first thought in his mind was how to stick wliero ho was. This, lie thought, was a disgraceful state of affairs. The' Hon. R. M'Nab could do. splendid service as Minister for Agriculture, and 'ho-had, lamented , that he could not' give full thought to that because tho /ground ho stood on was trembling. Ho (Mr: Matheson) thought "the farmers would be wise to strive to give tho Minister, for/Agriculture a;lo'nger term than three years free from party control. (Applause.) Mr. J. W. Bramwell proposed'the toast of " The .'Agricultural-'-and Pastoral Interest," arid said ho considered agricultural associations should, join'the Union" to form- a defence league against Socialism; ■ ••■; • '.'/' ■' Mr. J. G; Wilson acknowledged the toast, and said the Minister for ■ Agriculture was obviously trying to do the best for the farming interest, and it was a reasonable thing that he should not. belong to 'a party. The farmers wanted him ■to themselves, as it-' were, and ho was sure he could be-trusted to do no harm to other sections' of the community. /(Hear, hear.) . The; Wanganui Education" Board was just'beginning to learn successfully how. to teach agriculture. They were teaching' fivo-year-old children lessons about flowers, but what was wanted in Wanganui was a plot of .land for. practical work. There was the same'need in Feilding, and if Mr. Lethbridge, who had lately offered land for an experiment farm, would give or lea-so'-at _ a jjeppercorii' -rent twenty acres' for instruction in agriculture, it would do-immense good; The children wanted a place whore they could learn _ systems' of drainage, botany,:'and bee-keeping: If Mr. Lethbridge, or some, other gentleman, acted on his suggestion it would be. doing real pioneering work and establishing a valuable institution... _ 1 - ;.' Mr. Lethbridge: The land is there'for the purposo.at any timo. (Cheers:) ■ Mr. Wilson, continuing, said that'though Now/Zealand claimed to be in the van of progress, they had not a Chair of Agriculture. vHo hoped .that would'lie rectified, and ho believed-tliero could be found in New Zea'larid a suitable man willing to take up' the Chair. There was to bo a Veterinary Chair in Duncdin. but t-liero. was-room for an Agricultural Chair.-elsewhere. .- Mr. J. A. Gilruth, Chief Government Veterinarian, pointed. out the interdependence of different industries and different parte of the world. New Zealand could not send its meatand butter, to London if it had not been for the 'discovery of freezing' and the • invention of steam 1 engines and railroads. Again, if Britain liad adopted the tariff policy of all other countries, including America, wo could never have, exported, our frozen meat to the only 'adequato market open to us. Thore was.now a great need of more knowledfxe among farmers, and-more , application of knowledge., Other'toasts : followed. '