THE FARMERS' YEAR.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1761, 28 May 1913, Page 10

THE FARMERS' YEAR.

UNION CONFERENCE.

A REVIEW AND PROSPECTS (By Tclejraph.—Preea Association.) Masterton, May 27. The Provincial Conferenco of lira New Zealand farmers' "Union opened to-day, Jlr. .1. 6. Wilson, president, occupying tho chair. "The past season in tho Wellington Province," said tho president in his ad J dress, Vim's been a most prosperous one for farmers. The snisou and prices have heen good. Wool, tho staple product of tho Dominion, has brought tiK> highest prices wo have had for many years, alcriuo has been as high, and coarse crossbred, uf which tlio bulk of ouj' iwrth Island wool still consists (especially farmers' clips) lias realised better prices • than we liavo known for years, while the shortage which was reported lias realised moro than iast year's clip, for the value of wool exported lias readied mark, viz., ,£8,005,W0. Lam hi rs, too. liavo fetched higher prices on tiie average than usual, and I gather that tin quality has been good. In some cases, the rape was not quite a success owing to a i'.-w months dry weather in tho spring; but 011 tlio wholo farmers have boon able to fatten most of their lambs, despite tho strike, which occurred during tlio busy season. Tlisre will, however, not bo quite so many exported 'as last year." The Dairying Industry. "Bu.llock fattening," continued tho speaker, "is almost a thing of the past, as most of tho fattening paddocks are ilow being devoted to dairying, but prices have also been good in this line. Dairy farmers have liau a good season. The increased number of cream pasteurising plants has improved the quality of the butler, but the cheese of the Dominion ' has not given entire satisfaction. It has arrived in lingland somewhat indifferent in flavour, and sometimes 100 immature, I and greater caro will require to be taken j if the good name of cur cheese is to be 1 maintained. I often wonder why in a | district liko T'aranaki tiiey do not put up a central ripening room available for all the factories in the neghbourhood, as I they do in Canada. There is still far too : little attention paid to summer and wini ter fading amongst fannersj and with all I alowaiice for the present stage of developI ment, there is yet much to bo dono 111 I this direction."

"Pasteurising of skim-milk is--not carried out as much as it should be, for the health of our stcck, but a simple inexpensive machine has yet to Ijo iound. The casein industry has made- a good start in Wanganui, and several large factories have entered into a contract to supply their milk for conversion. Companies are thus able to pay out al>out Is. id. per lb. for butter-fat, though the milk is robbed of part of its feeding qualities. It is stated, however, that by tho addition 01 a small quantity of phosphate of lime that tho whey is of equal value to skijn-miik, and that in the process of conversion the whey, heated to 130 degrees for about an hour and a half is then sterilised.

Of the Future, "Of tho future ft is always a somewhat hazardous task to speak. There seems, hnv.:evcr, no reason to expect any rapid fall in the value of wool. The stocks at •lomo are light, and all the world over there seems to be lessening numbers of sheep kept. Australia has quite a number of bales less wool than the previous year. Tho rains which have been' so plentiful —too plentiful, in fact, and somo damage has been done by floods all over Australia—should make the coming season a good one, and tho clip larger, but there have been many losses during the drought which will keep down the quantity. "The United States of America are apparently going to take our wool free, so as to reduce the cost of living. 'X his must increase the demand for our wool, but not so much as some people think. Each suit of clothes takes about 71 yards of cloth a yard wide; i ( t takes about ono pound of wool to ijako a yard, and in Great Britain, this is sold by the manufacturers at from 2s. to 2s. Gd., although at the present cost of wool these pnees must increase, ltougbly, about one-third of the cost of cloth is paid for the raw material. The result will no doubt bo that instead of the Americans buying the lMit-in-greaso expensive wools, which always went) up 10 to 15 pel' cent, when they wero buying, 'tltey will ba able to buv the rougher, heavier lots, including locks and pieces, which hitherto the tariff lias barred them from doing, it they require more wool tliiey will, or course, put prices up. If. on tlio other hand, tho tariff is lowered in 'piece goods, which seems likely, the wool- will bo manufactured in Great Britain and exported. In any caSe, whatever change in values takes place, it is fairly certain it will bo in our fnvour. ' "Our meat seems to bis fetching good prices, and tliero is no 'reason to expect a lower level being •readied in the near future. In butter and cheese there 19 scarcely tho samo prospect. Cheese must I>s improved to fetch tho prices of a year or two Kick. Butter lias a serious rival in margarine, especially when the formeT is high in price. Yet it is scarcely likely that much lower values will rulo than last year. After tho result of last year a consignment, it is likely that most; of tlio lvntter and cheeso will bo sold in the Dominion, and this generally results, I lia\e notiocd, in prices being kept up. IlwaO who liavo bought, take caro of that. lr»ue is gocd at Homo; there is immense expenditure on tho Navv, and if war is averted, which seems fairly certain, «o mav look for good prices for our produce. Much, however, depends upon ourselves. It is the quality of any article that attracts. If wo can keep up the qunhtj of onr , produce, or rather ' year by year, there is no fear but tiKlt shall get tho top price."

■ Railway Matters. It was decided to deal first with railway matters, in view of the visit of the Minister for Railways to Jlaslerlon. Jlr. Mathesun moved: "lliat the railway charges wilj nbvcjr be satisfactory uutil tliey aro made uniform throughout Now Zealand at por ton per mile, according to tho cost of traction. He considered lliat tho rates should bo uniform and not pulled about by influence. Jlr 11. Morrison, who seconded the motion «aiil that tho executive had received a letter from the Wairarapa Automobile Wociation drawing attention to the cxce«ivo rates charged for the carriage of benzine on tho railway. Benzine was largely used by farmers in connection with farm work. After a. brief discussion the motion was lost on the voices. Jlr. W. .T. Birch moved, and Mr. IT. T Richnrds seconded -. "That the Government be again urged to remove tho preferential rates on hardwood timber and imported coal on New Zealand railwajs. The motion was carried. On the motion of Mr. AVmgate,_ the following remit b.v the Palmerston Norlli branch was carried: "That signals or oilier means of warning be provided at dangerous railway crossings nnd plantations neir crossings lie kept to allow approaching trains to bo seen.' _ jlr IT )t. Bnnnv moved the following remits- "(1) That, the Government bo requested lo provide insulated trucks for I he cavringc of dairy produce by rail {FeaUici'ston); and (2) Thai', tlio Government be urged to provide belter means for the carrisgo of dairy prodncp_from the factories to the port of export. Jlr. Law said that he considered pork should be included in tho remit. Ho had seen pork carried under conditions almost as bad as a pi* stye. Jlr. Bunny agreed to including the words "pork for local sale" in tlio remil. , , The motion, as amended, was carried. ~ ♦ . , The following remit was received frum Wanganui: "That the Government be requ'-'Med to provido greater Inoihtics for loading stock at Hag stations. Air. ]■!. Fletcher, who moved Hie motion, nsketl nenmssion fo include Die words, ' find delivery of goods," alter tho wonl ••stock" This was agreed, w. Atr. .Fletcher referred lo the urgent necessity of better facilities at (lag stations for loading stock on delivery of goods, farmers being considerably handicapped in (his respect. Jfuch inconvenience, ho saiil wns experienced by farmers, owing to Ihe lack of proper facilities at fia-j stations. Jlr. Heggic seconded tho mol'Mr. llond (Waiknnnc) said that the remit deserved tho support of thq farming

community, as the lack of facilities were very.'.noticeable.

Mr. Kevins said that from Ms oxperiencs tho settlers along Hie lino were in a. very Rood position. Ho considered that something should be dono in regard to (lie carriage of stock on tlio railway. Cattle suffered considerably through shunting operations, and sheep also suffered in this respect. He, himself, had rocoived a bull by railway recently, and tho animal had been injured in tho leg, and was only just recovering. He considered that greater care should be taken in shunting. He moved to add to tlio remit, that greater care should bo taken of stock in transit. It was decided to add tho words to tho remit. Mr. .T. Morrison said that better facilities for unloading stock were certainly desirable at tlag stations. As far as the delivery of goods was concerned there was as much blame attachable to merchants as to the railway authorities. Tho railways wore not always to blame for goods not coming to hand promptly. The remit was adopted. Noxious Weeds. Mr. Bond (Waikanae) moved, "That it be tlio duty of tho local bodies to keep the roads freo from noxious weeds and not the adjoining ownera, as at present. The liailway Department to do likewiso as regards the railway lines." Ho said that the question of weeds, growing 011 tho roadway was a serious matter to settlers. Mr. Ryder (Tinui) said that ho could not support the remit. It was proposed to tax tlie whole of the county through the remissness of tho landowner in allowing weeds to grow* on his property. Mr. Moore agreed with Mr. Ryder. Farmers Bhould not throw all the responsibility on to iooal bodies. Farnierewould keep the weeds down better than. local bodies. It was ridiculous to ask tho local body to clear tho weeds.

Mr. Bunny said that the farmers should accept tho responsibility and keep things as the.y are. It was a big question, and he was'not prepared to support tho remit.. Mr. Matheson moved as an amendment that county councils should clear tho roads where settlers aro not liable for the elor.racco. Mr. J). M'Gregor said that if farmers \>?ro compolled to clear to the centre of tho road in some instances, it was not lair to ask other farmers who adjoined a. railway to clear tho whole road. Mr. Campbell seconded the amendment. Mr. Richards said that it was not fair .to ask settlors as a whole to clear weeds off the roads when the blame was on private individuals. Tile amendment was further amended to.'read, "That, 'it be the duty of local bodies to keep their roads freo from noxious weeds whore no person or department is responsible." Mr. H. R. Elder seconded. The amendment was carricd by 17 votes to U. Other Remits. The conference also passed a icsolulion favouring the establishment of a Board of Agriculture by the Government, and it was agreed that in granting the i'eo simple to Crown tenants the most stringent conditions should bo imposed, so as to make reaijgregation impossible. It was further decided that prousiop. should Ixj made for establishing village settlements. The Pollution of Water Bill was discussed, a nrajority favouring action being taken to improve tho existing conditions.

The Hon. W. H. Herries attended llio conference in the afternoon, and promised renmderation of tho following remits;— (1) That the Government be urged to lemovo the preferential rates on hardwood timber and imported coal on the New Zealanu.railways; (2) That signals or other means of warning be provided at dangerous railway crossings, and plantations bo kept down to allow approaching trains to. be seen; (3) that tho attrition of tho Government be drawn to the practice of burning tho growth along raiiwav lines by the Railway Department aim not sowing tho same "down, thereby encouraging this growth of noxious weeds and other pests; (1) That tho Government bo requested to provide insulated trucks for the carriage of dairy produco by rail; (5) That the Government bo urged to provide greater facilities for loading stock at (lag stations. Tho Minister said ho was entirely in sympathy with the wants of the men on tho Inncl, and would assist everywhere possiblo.'

Banquet to Vlsltorß. At a banquet tendered to the visiting delegates by the local Branch of the union,-there were 150 present, including the Hon. W. H. Heiries, ami Mes.-is. Buick, S.vkes, Escott, L'ampooll, und Guthrie, M.l'.'s. The Minister and members emphasised the important work of farmers' unions, and stated that the Government iras al-w-tys prepared to forward tho interests of th<? farming community,, Reference mad 'o tlie grantiug of rao'frichold was loudly applauded. The conference will sit to-mor:w morning, and the business is expected to conclude in tho evening.