THE FARM CONGRESS

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1192, 29 July 1911, Page 8

THE FARM CONGRESS

• ■ . $ j DOMINION UNION. •■ THE WORK 01' TUB FINAL DAY, The tenth annual conference of the Dominion Farmers' Union was brought to a close yesterday, the president, Mr. J. G. Wilson, presiding. Excursion Fares, On behalf of the Otago Union, Mr. Phillip moved:—"That tho conference bo requested to take steps to havo the railway rates i'oi" Farmers' Union excursions placed on the same scale as those of friendly societies."

Tlio president remarked on the difficulfiea iu the way of such a proposition, but various speakers urged that there was no reason why the concession should not bo granted. Tho farmers, it was urged, were about the only portion of tho community which had not the benefit of a special rate on tho railways. Mr. Ensor thought -it was time,' seeing the privileges extended to tourists, commercial travellers, etc., that they went into tho whole matter of privileges on the railways. Mr. Talbot did not think they should ask for the privilege. Mr. Makgill agreed that.they should not ask. The motion, was carried. Local Government Bill. The "Wellington Union moved: "Thafc the conference urge on the Government the need of parsing the long-delayed Local Government Bill." Mr. Kevins paid they had been pro r mised a Local Government Bill for many years past, and it was a important matter to enable tho local bodies to iinanco better in the future. They would have to bo very careful about tho franchise, which was the rock that they might split on. Mr. Phillip moved, on behalf of Otago, that an addition should bo made to provide that country elections should be held in July, instead of November. Thp president snid this was more a matter for the counties' conference. The niotioa was passed. Registration of Dogs. Mr. Kevins (Tenni) moved, on behalf 01 tho Wellington Union-. "That the registration of dogs should be in the hands of local bodies only; the present divided control between "the local body and the Maori Council being detrimental to the proper registration of the dogs." Several speakers gave their experience of tlio clog trouble in various districts. Major liu'sfc (Auckland) said dogs' wero a very considerable nuisance, and tho dual control was not satisfactory. , Mr. Lane. (Napier) said dogs were a grave nuisance in his district. Ho moved that the following addition be made to the motion.—"And that local bodies take steps to destroy all unregistered dogs." The original motion was passed. Local Bodies' Arbitration. The North Canterbury Union (Mr. Eorrell) .moved: "That county councils 'and raid'boards be urged to submit.all technical disputes to arbitration, on a petition being presented by, say, ten per cent, of tho ratepayers. Mr. Sheat (North Canterbury) seconded the motion. On the suggestion of the president, it mis decided to refer the matter to the County Councils' Conference. District Boundaries. , The Wellington Union '.. (Mr: Nevins) moved: "That the boundaries of , counties and ridings ba adjusted to follow tho lines of communication and of interest, instead of arbitrary lines on paper, as is often the casD at present." Mr. Hcckly thought this was another matter that might" with advantage bo left to tho County Councils' Conference. This course was agreed to. Combines and Prices, On 'tho motion of Mr. Phillip (Otago), it was decided: "That the conference bring i under the notico of the union, the question of combines promoted to keep up tho price of farmers' supplies, with a view to suggesting a remedy for same."

Experiment' Farms. On behalf of Auckland, Major. Lusk moved: "That consideration be given to the methods under which experiments arc carried out on the Government Experiment Farms, and that tho Dominion Advisory Committee be requested to consult the Minister for Agriculture upon the subject after making the necessary inquiries'."

Major Lusk said tho Auckland conference members showed that tlio methods fornierly adopted nt these farms were unsatisfactory, and that they were costing too much. They thought improvements should be effected or the farms turned i.nto something e\ie. In their opinion tho whole question Should be looked into fully. He was more in favour;of experiment plots, and of an agricultural college, than experiment farms. The people did not take much notico of the farms, as the public had lost confidence in them. Tha men in control of the farms frequently knew less than tho men who visited tho farms. Mr. Makgill (Auckland) said there was reason for the lost confidence referred to. There wore glaring instances of tho experiments' being entirely useless, but ho believed the methods had since been much improved, although they were not what they ehoufil be. Tho feeling was that they were not getting value for the money.. He thought expenditure on tho farms should be curtailed, and tho money spent on an agricultural college. The.president asked that the Auckland conference should arrange for reports from complainants to the Advisory Committee on tho local farms. The motion was carried. Auctioneers' Licenses, Etc. Mr. Makgill (Auckland) moved :-"That Ihe Government ho requested to enact that the Hospitals and Charitable .Aid Boards bo tho recipient of all auc-tionc-eiV, publichouse, and niotoi , vehicles' license fees." Mr. .Fester (Southland) seconded the motion, which was carried. Indebtedness to the Crown.

A motion was put forward by tho North Canterbury Union-.—"That any person indebted to the frown through any of its Departments may have tho privilege of paying that debt into any Money-Order Office in the Dominion." It )va.=, explaintd that often country settlers who wanted to pay their debt., to the -Crown had to go into the City Department. After a short discussion ,the motion was withdrawn on tho understanding that further information would he supplied to the Advisory Committee. A similar course was taken in regard to the following motion by the same union :- "That persons keeping accounts in the Post Office Savings Bank should be allowed to havo money deposited to the credit 1 of their accounts at im'y branch nf the. Post OfGco Sarinas.J3aulL.in -now Zealand by any person." Insurance. Thp Taranaki Union (Mr. .Tones) moved:—"That individuals who may havo a Government mortgage- over their properties have the right to insure in anreputable office." At present, it was stated that they had to insure with the .State Office. The motion was agreed to. Co-operative Works. ■ Tho Taranaki "(Inion moved:—"That this conference protests against the way in which the so-called co-operative works of the Dominion nroboing carried out, and now respectfully,desires the Dominion Executive to urge upon the Ministeo lor Public Works the desirability »f again reverting to thu 'Contract System of Labour.'" The motion was seconded by Mr. Sheat, and carried. ':: Horse-Stealing. It'was decided on the motion of tho Otago Uuton-,—"That, owing to the pesi-

lion of the law relating to horse-stealing, tho union bo asked to take somo stops to have same amended at as early a data as passible, tlio executive considering lliat the lan-, as at present, is very unlair tc horso-oiniers."

Wool Brands. A motion was tabled by the Auckland Union:—"That tho registration of woal brands for owners of llocks of 1000 and upwards bo made compulsory." The mover. Major Lusk, iaid the consensus of opinion was that tho registration should be compulsory, because ;t has heon found that where a brand of wool had l>Eo.n selling well unscrupulous men had adopted the brand. it was unfair that people should be able to imitate, or copy a brand. Mr. Vavasour said that anybody could register his brand, and no one else could use a brand that was registered under the Trade Marks Act. The president said ho understood that tha Irado Marks Act did not apply altogether, although the name of a place could be registered, but the Minister was at present considering the question if amending the Act. Mr. Talbot thought it would bo eufficwnt if they coiild register if they waiiced to, but he did not think it should ba compulsory. Ho moved that tho Government Ixi asked to so amend the Trade Marks Act to enable any wool brand in be registered.. Mr. Phillip seconded the amendment which was carried.

Land Agents' Commissions. On behalf of the Auckland Association, Mr. moved:—"That tho Government be urged to legislate in the direction of land agents' commission, so as to put a check on land booms by laud agents and speculators, in tho direction that land agents be licensed on the samo grounds as auctioneers are licensed." '' The motion was lost on the casting vote of tho chairman. Farmers' Field Day. The following motion put forward br Major Lusk (Auckland) was carried:"That the union appoint a day to be called Farmers' Union Day, on which sports, picnics, or any form of amusements may lie held in the various districts, that will give the farmers, their wives and families an interest in tho union, and thereby increase its membership." Bank Closing Hours. It was decided on the motion of the .South Canterbury Union that the banks throughout tho Dominion bo asked 10 extend their closing hour on Saturdays to one o'clock. Stock Commissions, In regard to stock commission?, ths Taranaki Union moved: —"That this conference protests against auctioneers discriminating between dairy dry stock, the five per cent, commission, charged for dairy stock being excessive when fold mi lots of five or more"; and the Wellington Union moved:—"That this conference is of opinion that tho rate of commission (a ppr cent.) on _ the sale of dairy stock, whether by auction or private sale, is an excessive and an unjust tax on tho dairy industry."

( Both motions were referred to the provincial executives of the unions concerned. This concluded the business. Voles of Thanks. After a vofe of thanks had been pnsi ed to tho retiring officers, several speakers spoko in high terms of nrnise of the chairman's efforts on behalf of tho conference and thn Dominion. The wr/onl opinion v.'as that no man could po=-sibl/ do more in the position than Mr. ;Vilson did. .•'/'"■'• '!'"'■. "/■■■■■'' '■■• -'■ --• ■ A special vote of thanks was aho papged to the secretary, Mi. E. Jack, for tho work he had done for the conference.