OTAGO FARMERS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 811, 7 May 1910, Page 8

OTAGO FARMERS.

- POLITICS, DEFENCE/; AND ■•';■•■•■". •';;'TENURES.': v I': : ;" ■ .(By .Tclegraph.-Press Association.) DunsrJin, May 6. The annual meeting of tho Otago branch of the New Zealand Farmers' Union was'held to-day. The president,' Mr. 6. H. Stewart, in moving the adoption of the annual report, said that tho present, system of land taxation and valuation was, he thought, on., the''■'.'whole':' l satisfactory. Although there had been a-'greattleal of complaint about mistakes, those, that had .arisen were .mainly l duo to valuers rather than the' -He sincerely wished that the farmers 'of 'New Zealand- could bo induced. to take up ■• tho question-of afforestation, as much.could bo- done for the Otago Central district by that means—as much as by pushing on the railway. He.congratulated the Prime. Minister on his statements at Winton regarding defence, and. said that he hoped that- the' Leader" of -the Opposition would reconsider his objection to increasing tho age limit. v The report' was adopted. , Mr. Stewart was, re-elected president, and Mr. Orbcll vice-president. Motions were passed as follow:— (1) That this branch is of opinim that more prominence should' bo given to the teaching of geography and grammar in primary schools, and that a-deputa-tion wait upon the. Education Department on that matter; (2) that the union draw tho attention of the Government' to the amount of gorso' in river-beds in different parts of the Dominion, and also to tho amount of ! sweetbriar on some of the sheep country, and that tho Government bo asked to devise some means of clearing same, "or. causing it to be cleared; (8) that lease-in-perpetuity tenants be given freehold at original valuation, plus 1 per cent., and that all renewable leases under the Lands for Settlement Act should have the option of the freehold at valuation less, improvements. ■•■'