FARMERS' PARLIAMENT

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1804, 17 July 1913, Page 10

FARMERS' PARLIAMENT

ADVANCING; THE INDUSTRY. * DAIRYING RIATTERS. ' (IMPORTANT REMITS CARRIED. The New Zealnnd Farmers' Union Conference was continued yesterday, the Dominion president, Mr. J. G. Wilson, presiding. Many important remitß were larried during tho day. South Island Main Trunk. Mr. E. F. Goulter (Pelorus Sound) moved: "That this conference enters a strong protest against such an important :ine as tho South Island Main Trunk line being regarded as secondary to any lino at present under construction. We also recogniso that the delay in completing tho line is a serious drawback to the sheep farmers of Marlborough, who look upon Canterbury'.as the main outlet for their surplus stock.'" Mr. Goulter considered it was of national importance that the "missing link" in tho middle of tho lino, should be completed. The line was easy of construction, extending from Mills to Parnassus, a disance of 6(i miles. Mr. MaSsey had promised to put the lino through in eight years. The Auckland branch recognised tho national importance of tho line, and passed the remit that tho line was the only one that be gone on with. It would complete the railway system from Auckland to the Bluff. . Mr. G. Anderson (Pelorus Soujid) seconded the remit. Unless they took a t-trong stand the matter might be put off for another eight years. It affected the farmers in tho Sounds very materially. ; They mostly dealt .in store sheen, anil their principal market was Canterbury... At present tho lone: sea trip lowered tho price which they got for their stock. By putting the line throjigh the small man ■. would derive. great benefit. Tho' lino was not a branch one, so they .had no - apologies : for urging its' con-' btru'ction. I

Mr.' A. Mackay (Marlborough) considered , that to avoid any question of local importance, that the part of the remit' after "construction" should be withdrawn. The president pointed out that -there was the question whother the Teinit was ji local one or not. Air. G. W. Loadl.v (Ashburton) considered they, should not draw the line too closely' .on such questions. Considerable discussion followed as to Whether the remit was more of local importance or of national Importance. Mr. W. J. Birch (Marton) thought.tho remit should bo concluded to -read that the Main. Trunk lines should be linked up. ' He moved as an amendment: "That the Main Trunk lilies of the Dominion bo linked up by the State as soon as possible." • Tho president thought the amendment would get over the difficulty of any local importance being attached to the remit. Jt would bo..quito as effective as the Marlborough remit. The original proposal was withdrawn, and; Mr. BirchV motion carried." A -'North Canterbury remit dealing with the .construction, of the ChristchnrchWaiau -railway wag withdrawn. Foncing Railway Lines. ; "That the Government be asked to fcnco all railway lines in the Dominion," was moved by Mr. J. Bell (Westknd) and carried. • Main Arterial Roads. Major VuslC(Aucklaiftt) moved:' "That this conference is of opinion that the only satisfactory - -solution of 'tho problem of construction and -maintenance of the main arterial, roads is for tho Government to undertake the work; and suggests that part of the Crown land rerenuo should bo made available for this purpose." A majority of tho.-speakers opposed-tho motion, and the following amendment was mov-ed by Mr. K Maxwell: "That this" conference is of opinion that where main roads lead through largo areas tho native or Crown land from which the local authority is deriving little revenue, that -the .'•Government should construct the same and hand over to the local authority free of cost, and tlicit a larger subsidy be paid for maintenance of the same." Major Lusk withdrew his motion in favour of the' amendment, and this was earned.

Co-operative Labour. Repoits' from Auckland' and Marlborough protested against the resuscitation of the co-ORi'Vativo system on public . work?. • ...... Mr. A. A. Ross (Auckland) said that anyone-who had watched the system of co-operative labour would have decided that it had'.turned'out a'failure. The standard of work had been lowered, and there had been a waste of money. Mr. J. Bell said' that under the cooperative system there wero two classes of men working together, the man who was called a "crawler", if ho did an honest day's work, and the "loafer." A man was not allowed to work harder than his mates. . ' . . The remits were earned with the addition. that the conference considered contract labour should replace the co-opera-tive system. Butter-box Material. Mr. E. Maxwell (Taranaki) moved: ihat the conference consider the advisability of imposing an export duty on white pine with a view to its conservation, for our own use, as it is tho only Dative timber that is recognised as suiti\. butter-boxes." He considered thatthe industry in the future would be seriously hampered unless some such steps were taken. It was not with.a view i I, I®, butter-boxes at 'a cheaper Tate .that he moved the motion. It would take at least 25 years to grow such timber, and the future had to be considered. Mr. D. Cuddie, Dairy Commissioner, who attended tho confercnco in the afternoon, said there was no timber better than whito pine, as far as they knew. He coultl not say what quantity- was available, but there,was sufficient for vears to come. With regard fo other timber?, poplar and pinus insignu* had been tried, with good results. Any defects could bo got over by paraffining. .As to the paper boxes, many experiments had been made, but there were 110 manufactured boxes v.-luch 'gavp as. 'good results ' as timber boxes. Mr.- Cuddie thought it quite feasible timber, could be imported for butter-boxes at. a reasonable cost.' He further believed tlut the Department would be making a very exhaustive experiment, m tho near future, with timbers considered suitable for butter-boxes and cheese crates. It was decided to withdraw the remit. Care of Dairy Produco. Remits from Auckland and Wellington urging the Govornment to -toko better , caro of cream in cans, and all dairy produco loft at stations for carriage, in the direction of covering them from tho'sun xinu Keeping them cooler, and urging better means of carriage of dairy produco from tho factories to the port of- export and icr carcasses of pork for local sales, vero considered. • • Mr Cuddio thouglit they were all agreed that the railway peoplo should exerciso the greatest care with dairy produce. It seemed to him that the cause of deterioration in tho cream was often through its' being held too long at .the farm. The dairy, companies seemed to be competing with ono another over long distances, and farmers were often induced to send thoir cream fifty or sixty miles to get a better price. This was not in tho best interests of tho product, especially in tho hot weather. Mr. Wilson said it seemed unreasonable that people supplying such a perishable commodity as cream should not receivo as much consideration as was received by those sending less perishable' goods. It' did not seem a difficult task to provide tor covering the cans. Only a rough shelter was desired at those stations where cream was regularly dispatched, and where thero was no shelter now, Thy romi.ta -ffiora carried, J

; Pasteurisation, A remit urging compulsory pasteurisatioii of milk was held over to allow Air. Keakes, Chief Government Veterinarian, to 1 give some information on the matter. Speaking on tho subject, Mr. Citddie said that about 12G dairy companies had been prevailed upon to pasteurise whey, Fern Land, Mr. G. Andorson (Pelorus Sounds) moved: "That the Government should assist settlers with fern-infested land through the medium oil the Agricultural Department by making a thorough investigation into the whole subject, with a view to discovering sorno natural enemy to tho fern; also by a complete soil analysis of all fern land and experiment with various grasses, to deterniino the most suitable for fern country. We would also suggest the advisability of the Department entering into a practical demonstration on a block of fern-infested Crown land." Mr. Clifton, of the Experiment Farms Division of the Agricultural Department, said that the proposed soil analysis of the Dominion would bo of advantage. A great deal of lnnd in the South Island had been cleared by burning, suitablo stocking, etc. On lands which were not of great fertility the troublo was more emphasised. That applied particularly in the Sounds. Grasses much more suitable for rich lands had been sown there. Mr. Clifton said lie would undertake to visit the districts affected in the Southland meet the 6ettler9 there, with a view to doing something. The remit was carried, as was one urging tho Government to let the cutting of dauthonia grass-seed on Crown lands by contract. Noxious Weeds, Major Lusk moved: "That the Noxious Weeds. Act be rigidly enforced' in comparatively clean districts." Mr. Clifton said that at present he had .to use tho greatest discretion in enforcing the Act. ■ The remit was lost on a division. Disposal of Bulls. •Major Lusk moved a remit urging on the Government the- advantages to bo gained, especially by the small farmer, if the Government leased out the best breed of bulls, instead of selling them at auction. Mr. Clifton said the Department somo years ago earned out such a system. It was most unsatisfactory, because the bulls became infected with disease. Thev could quite understand that leased bulls were not cared for as well as privately-owned bulls. Judging*- from the experience of tho past, ho did not favour the proposal. The remit was withdrawn. The conference adjourned till this morning.