FARMERS' CONFERENCE

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1805, 18 July 1913, Page 10

FARMERS' CONFERENCE

RAILWAY MATTERS. PUTTING REMITS THROUGH. / • ') The Dominion Conference of the New Zealand Farmers', Union was continued yesterday, the president, Mr. J. G. .Wilson, ■ ocdupying the chair. , A "Betterment Act." Consideration of tho Betterment Act was brought forward in a remit, "That the Betterment Act bo .repeakd, and that lauds taken for Public Works be paid for at prices subject to valuation," moved by Major Lusk (Auckland). "It is an Act,that should be repealed," said.Major Liisk, in moving the remit. ', Mr. Wilson: ! havo been looking for a ■Betterment Act and I can't find it.': Major Lusk: I "am"afnlid it must' be there, because officers of the Railway Department havo been lately in the East Coast district stating that they wero going to tako certain valuable pfcees of land under tlio Betterment Act, without paying'for ' them. Tho position is that wo consider it a great hardship that a. man should havo a corner of his valuable frontage cut off without compensation. ' Mr.'Wilsorii'Mr. M'Callum proposes a Betterment Bill in the Honse now. I do not sec how we can ask for the repeal of an Act that does not exist. There uiiist be some other Act you aro thinking of. > Mr. J. M'Queen (Southland) thought that all land taken for. public works 6houlcl be taken undfir the Public Works Act. ' ■■■' • ■••••■' . Major.lusk .said, there wa9 certainly at one time an Act which gave the Government power to take land for railway purposes without payment. Mr. Wilson: There is certainly not now. Major Lusk:-If the conference .i 9in doubt, about the law, perhaps the conference will- allow tho matter to stand, back to allow me to take legal opinion. The remit was referred back to the Dominion • Executive. Customs Duties. 'Mr. A. A. Ross (Auckland) moved: "That this conference would urge the Dominion Executive to watch qlosely any attempt by interested, parties to further increase the Customs duties on farmers' requirements, and to take every opportunity to press .for reductions and removals ■of any . duties which place undue burdens xm the farming industry." "You have all heard of the Old Man of l .hs Sea," said Mr. Ross, in moving tlie remit. "We are in the same position with. Tegard to these protected industries." The posjfcion was going to heroine a very serious question, said Mr. Ross. The industries which were most' highly protected were the very ones crying out for more protection. This was done by interested parties. The Government whb inclined to move in the line of least resistance. 'He contended that the union, as representing the greatest body consumers, should take action to 6tDp increase of duties, and tako every opportunity to get them reduced. Major Lusk seconded tho remit. I hey found in some cases that Customs dufties had amounted up to 40 per cent. The Minister for Customs had recently been asked to increase ccrtain duttes. Bootmakers, despite a 40 per cent, protection, said they could not compete with English nnd American manufacturers. They admitted that tlieir wages here werei 10s. a day, and if they could not pay. with that duty something was rotten an the state of affairs. The point was tbat the ametimers should -not have .to pay about 30s. for J2l worth of goods. ; The remit was carried.

Preferential' Rates. A. large number of remits dealing with railway matters were considered,' having for their object the doing away with freight charges which were considered unfair to the farming community. Remits were passed urging the abolition of th© present system of charging extra Tail t'retehts ' on certain classes of imported goods;-the removal of preferential rates on hardwood timber and imported coal, and pointing out the unjustness of the penal rates on flour, etc. One remit from Southland, in urging the removal of extra carriage charged on imported timber, sidered that the importation of timber should be rather encouraged, as by'this means the." New.'Zealand forests would be somewhat conserved. , .Mr.; A. A'. Ross (Auckland) quoted figures to,show that the increased freight •jii certain imported goods was a great hardship to inland settlers. The rates on local cement were fis. ,9d., as against lis. 9d. for imported cement; corrugated iron, local 10s. lid., imported 17s. 5d., ; with .import duty of, 25.; posts and rails, local 235.' 6d., imported 35s .2d., and Bs. import duty; sheep dip, local 13s. 5d., imported 265. lOd. The increased freight ior imported timber was 50 per cent. All these were a hardship on the inland jettler. Mr. ' G. Gardner (North Canterbury) Baid this was a ciucstion they had been hammering away at for years. Now Vas their opportunity, when the new Tailway manager -was-coming.' It was. not a matter of: Customs, but a penal rate on the inland settler. "Commission of. Lunacy" Wanted. Mr. J. W. Queen (Southland) said they were led to believe that the whole matl»r of rates would bo considered when tho .new manager arrived. The farmers should'mate a, stand.On timber they, Lad to pay the Customs.duty, and then an increased freight. .' It,.was • guite a }>enal duty. It was. a well-known fact that their .fosests were being worked out, spd was it not a good thing to conserve the forests? , What was happening? They were being compelled to deforest the land to make ports, etcs., owing to the penal rates charged oil imported timber. "It seemed a matter" for'Vi. 'Commission of Lunacy' to oonfflder," concluded Mr. M'Queen. He did not see liow thoy could get certain matters righted without such a commission. (Laughter.) Mr. G. W. Leadley (Ashburton) thought they should keep hammering away. The Auckland remit: "That tho present system of charging extra rail freights on certain 'classes of imported goods ia very unfair to inland settlers, and should bo abolished," was carried, as embracing the whole, question of preferential tariff. For Agricultural Purposes. An Auckland remit asked that the Gov-ernment-should convey agricultural lime from the nearest available source of supply upon the railway any distance free, in lieu of the 100 mile limit of free railage, as at present. Reduced freights for nil road metal for local bodies, and that the freight on manures should be the actual cost of haulage, was asked. Mr. S. Chambers (Hawke's Bay), in opposing the free carriage of lime, said he fould not see how the Government should ho asked to carry goods at a loss, when no private company would think of such a thing. Mr. W. J. Birch (Marton) also opposed the remit on this question. He did not think they should be selfish. .The 100mile concession ought to satisfy them. Mr. Leadley did not think there was inything wrong in asking the concession The Governmwt gave concessions to theatrical companies, Tacehorse owners, etc.It was done with a view to getting traffic. (The concession to farmers would lead up •to their produce being carried on the railways. Mr. A. Hunter (Taranaki) thought the 100-milo limit was unfair on the man outside that radius. He suggested a very small-charge over the whole line. The Auckland i;emit for free carriage of lime was carried. The remit dealing with road metal was carried, but the request for actual cost d£ haulage for manure was withdrawn. Hiring Trucks Major Lusk (Auckland) moved: "That na-rs of trucks on the-Government railways bo granted the right of hiring by tho truck, and loading same with any cluss of goods they ■ may desire, provided that no inflammable or explosive goods be carried." ' . "I 4m eometfhat torn between two fec-l-

ings," said Mr. Wilson, referring to tho remit. "As chairman of the county in which we have a tramway, I have something toi do with railways. Wo find farmors difficult to deal with." Continuing, Mr. Wilson said that the Railway Department looked to get something like Ite. s. day from each truck. There was great delay in unloading, etc., by farmers, and sometimes trucks were kept four or five days. Every day's delay was so much loss to tho Government. Tho remit was eventually carried. "Survival of the Fittest." "That the Railway Department should place a ticket on all empty trucks at star tions where they is no with the name of tho porson who ordered tile truck oil it, and such track should be retained to that person's order for eight hours," was moved by Jlr. A. Mackay (Marlborough), who thought there was u general complaint up and down the Dominion. A man ordered a truck, and when he went for it someone else had taken it. # • "It is a question of the survival of the fittest," said Mr. J. Bell (Westland). Tho remit was earned. At Flan Stations. Greater facilities for loading stock and goods, iind greater care in transit of stock was asked in a remit jnove.d by Mr. K. W.' fialrvmple. An Auckland remit on the same lines was withdrawn, and tho Wellington remit carried. "That this conference wishes again to draw the attention of the Government to tho necessity of connecting railway tablet stations' with the telepnono system of the Dominion," was moved by Mr. A. A. Ross. Ho said that already one station had baan connected, but the Auckland branch put through the remit to hurry them up. Tho remit was carried. Mr. A. Hunter (Taranaki) moved a remit that the Railway Department should notify country consignees by collect wire or telephone, if necessary, of f the dispatch of stock or goods at flag stations. —Carried. ........ Common-sense Proposal. Mr. G. W. Leadley (Asliburton) moved: "l'nat the following suggestions be sent to the Minister for Railways: 'That no' railway trucks be sent out without being supplied with tarpaulins.' 'That a receptacle be placed at the end of all trucks used for. tno carriage of grain, etc., for the purpose of carrying the sheet when not in use." Mr. Leadley drew attention to many complaints which had been made in the South Island through trucks coming out without sheets. It had'resulted in goods being destroyed on many occasions. Mr. C. H. Ensor (North Canterbury) seconded the • proposal. There was an enormous amount of grain destroyed, he said, through trucks being left uncovered. Mr. D. M. Philips (Otago), while agreeing with tho proposal to a certain extent, saw a lot of unnecessary expense if each truck had covers kept in receptacles. There were so many things, such as coal, which were not necessary to ! cover. The remit was carried on a show of I. hands. Te Aro Goods-shed. A Temit dealing with the necessity of urging the construction of a goods-shed at Te Aro _ railway station was withdrawn, the president ruling it out of order. Rolling-Stock. "That the attention of the Railway De■partment be again drawn to the scarcity of Tolling-stock for the Conveyance of farm produce, and to the loss and extreme annoyance caused to farmers thereby," was moved by Mr. W. Ford (Southland)., It was a well-known fact, he said, that there was a scarcity of rollingstock. " j

Mr. M'Queen seconded tho proposal. The remit was carried. . Through Booking. - Mr. I. Tunnicliffe (Nelson) moved: "That the Government be again urged to adopt tho scheme of through booking by rail and seal" It was a matter affecting the whole of the Dominion, he said. They had previously urged it, but did not expect anything now till the railway manager arrived. He would no doubt have had experience of tho matter, and would realise the need for such a scheme in New Zealand., : Mr. J. Bell seconded the proposal, which covered the latter , portion of a " "Westland remit. Mr. Wilson agreed that the matter was one of some moment. He personally had interviewed the Manager for Kailways about it, and eventually the scheme of through booking by parcels post was adopted. This was not altogether satisfactory. The full benefit of the scheme did not reach the farmers. He was informed that the Postmaster-General was anxious to get a workable scheme, and was. conferring with, his officers. The present scheme only applied to officered stations. - Mr. E. ,C. Jack (secretary) suggested an informal conference of interested parties. The Department would be favourable'to such a proppsal, he thought. Mr. Tunniclifle moved that the words: "That the Postmaster-General be asked to convene a conference of all interested in the matter," should bo added to the Nelson remit. The amended remit was carried. Suburban Rates. .. Mr. A. A. Boss' (Auckland) moved:, "That the travelling public have the benefit of suburban fares." Mr. H. A. Nevins (Tenui) did not think they should press" the matter. The only point they should moke some complaint about, was the overcrowding of country trains with suburban passengers. •. Other speakers' thought that if the "20 mile radius people" got a. concessionwhy not others? The remit was lost, and a North Canterbury . remit on the samo' 6ubject was withdrawn.

Improving Stock. A Taranaki remit, urging the Government to pass the Stallion Bill, as prepared by tho Veterinary Department, was, carried, covering several other remits on the same subject. An Auckland Remit. "That the time has come when the Government should further encourage the importation of pedigree stock by arranging a reduction of freight and quarantine charges, and that quarantine be shortened where possible," was passed. Mr. C. J. Rea«es, Chief Government Veterinarian, said that the whole question of quarantine and charges on Somes Island had beep under consideration by ,the Department for some time. Contagious Mammitis, Contagious mammitis was considered in a remit from tho Wellington branch. Mr. Reakes said that the disease was one of the mast difficult the Department had to deal with. The Department were trying to- find some vaccine to stamp it out. Effective preventive methods by the farmers would do a great deal. In many cases the disease was spread by milkingmachine cups. Sterilising teats of cows after they were milked had proved very effective. The experiment could easily be' carried out by placing some antiseptic in a shallow dish, and holding the teats in it for a few seconds. Mr. Wilson asked could it not be made an offence, under the Police Offences Act, for a man to sell a cow as a dairy cow. knowing it, to be suffering from contagious mammitis. Mr. Reakes: If we schedule this disease. that man would be able to put up a good defence by saying lie thought it was not the contagious disease, but the ordinary sort. - Such a -.remedy as suggested might harass great many farmers. Mr. Reakes promised to go into the matter to see if anything further could be done. Bovine Tuberculosis. Mr. Reakes, in replying to questions regarding bovine tuberculosis, said the Department fully realised the necessity of doing everything possible to. oifcrcoinc the disease. A great (leal was being done, and last year they condemned 2G(B head of cattle. He was glad to (ay tho

prospects now looked very much better than they did a few years ago. There was a decreasing number of cows found to 1«> infected. Fnrmors should assist by reporting all suspected cases. The powers they had enabled them to do more than was done in most other countries. Jlr. A. A. Ross moved:—"That the Government be urged to make pasteurisation of all milk received at creameries compulsory, with the view to stamping out tuberculous disease." He considered the country was losing more through the cattle destroyed than would meet the cost of pasteurisation. There was also the loss of human life to be considered. The remit was carried. Postal Matters. Postal and telephone matters wero considered in several remits, urging: That subsidies for inland mail contracts should be for the quick 'dispatch of mails, and the mails should in all cases bo sent to their destination without delay, and have priority over passenger traffic; that the Government be asked to extend a cheap telepjiono system to settlers in outlying districts; and the country districts' post offices should not be closed for a half-day in the week, but tho officials in charge should bo given an extra fourteen days' holiday in lieu of the half-' days. All the remits wero carried. Local Government, Many remits dealing with questions of local government were dealt with. An Auckland remit to give more powers to county councils ,was passed, and a Taranaki remit to the effect that tho term of office of members of local bodies should be three years, with tho elections on the same day, was rejected. An Auckland remit suggested that tho Government, through the Native Department, should collect Native rates, and pay them over to local bodies. Mr. J. G. \Vilson opposed tho remit. "The Nattye Department would not agree to do it, and if they did agree, they would not' do it," he said. An amendment that the Government alter the Act relating to Native lands, so the accumulated rates be made a first charge on Native land, when individualised, was carried. An Auckland remit was passed, requesting the Government to direct that all moneys available for loans to local bodies bo granted only to those representing rural constituencies or small boroughs, with under 2000 inhabitants, for drainage purposes, until the country was properly opened by roads and bridges. Charitable Aid Taxes. Mr. D. M. Philip (South Canterbury) moved: "That a different system be adopted in relation to revenue for public hospitals and charitable aid boards, the present system being looked upon by many as a secondary land tax." It was hard to suggest a different way of getting the revenue, said the mover. Ho suggested a tax on amusementsMr. Wilson disagreed with tlie remit. There was tjjo much mado of the expenditure on hospitals and charitable aid. 'When it was reduced to the individual the amount was very small. In his county it amounted to only 7s. a year. The remit was withdrawn. A motion was carried that in cases where any section of the ratepayers in a hospital and charitablo aid district supported, or partially supported, by voluntary subscription, a medical man, the amount so subscribed should bo refunded from the hospital and charitable aid rate to tho local body representing thoso ratepayers. Election of Officers. Tii® election of officers resulted as follows:—Dominion president, Mr. J. G. Wilson (re-elected); vice-president,®Mr. G. W. Leadley (Ashburton); advisory-committee, Messrs. E; Campbell (Wanganui), H. A. Nevin's (Tenui), H. J. Richards (Levin), and T. Moss (Eketahuna); treasurer, Mr. W. J. Birch (Marton). The conference adjourned till this morning. "The Loafer and the Crawler." In a letter to the Editor Mr. Jas. Bell writes: —"Although I havo not the least fault to find with tho report contained in The Dominion of what t<'said 1 at the Dominion conference of tho Farmers' Union regarding the co-operative labourers on the railway works at Reefton, there have been statements made in some quarters regarding my remarks op that subjeot that are not quite correct. I have been understood to say that there were two products of the co-operative system, the 'crawler" and the 'loafer.' What I really did say was that the honest working man was called a 'crawler' by the man who would not do en honest day's work. Hence the honest worker had to work with the dishonest worker, so that the so-called 'crawler' had to work with the 'loafer';"