MEN ON THE LAND.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1810, 25 July 1913, Page 7

MEN ON THE LAND.

FARMERS AND THE PREMIER,

REPLY TO REQUESTS,

At the conclusion of the recent Dominion Conference of tlie New Zealand Farmers' Union a deputation from tho conferenco waited upon tlie Prime. Minister to put various matters raised at the conference before Mr. Mossey. The president of the union (Mr. J. G. Wilson) congratulated tho Premier on the securing of tho freehold for tho farmer. This ho considered was in tho interests both of tho individual and tlie State. Mr. Wilson. referred, also, to tile death duties on charitable bequests, land valuation, light railways, including tho question of the monorail, revision of the Customs tariff, with an objection to further protective duties, preferential rates on railways, more rolling stock on tho railways to cany the increasing products every year, immigration policy, post and telegraph matters, tho Defence scheme, Board of Agriculture, Stallion Bill, Clean Seeds Bill, Farmers' Mutual Insurance Act, Mortgagees' Indemnity, Preference_ to Unions, Workers' Homes, and Native Lands.

The Prime Minister thanked tho president for his congratulations on tho freehold. He considered the greater number of freeholders in the Dominion tho better. They had in contemplation an amendment of the Death Duties Act in tho direction suggested by' Mr. Wilson. Tho Government had devoted attention to light railways, and the question was being investigated by a Public Works engineer (Mr. Furkett). They did not propose to increase duties on any articles required by farmers, and they hoped to bo able to reduce duties on somo articles. There would bo an increase, probably, on motor-cars. It was not wise, however, .to give away any source of revenue with the enormous liabilities the country had to faco next year. The question of preferential rates on imported timber on the railways would be investigated, and an effort would be mado to increase the rolling stock. The Government was doing more with tho. problem of immigration than had been done for m&ny years past, and they could not have too many of the right class of immigrant. He would look into tho postal matters dealt with by tho conference, and refer them to the Postmaster-General. The question of a Clean Seeds Bill was very difficult, and lie could not promise legislation this session. The Stallion Bill was being printed. He had_ nothing to add to his previous remarks in regard to workers' homes, save that he thought the experiment would be perfectly successful. In regard to Native lands, he might say they were not going to 'wait for individualisation. There was a Bill in the course of preparation which went further in the way of increased facilities for tho purchase of Native land than anything that had been attempted up to -the present, but was perfectly just and perfectly fair to the Nativo ocople. In regard to :Defence, he might r say that he was tho first member of .Parliament to motion in favour of military training. "I am a very strong supporter of the present system of military training," said Mr. Mnssey; "at the same time we have to bo particularly careful that the expenditure does not exceed reasonable limits. We,have also to do our duty in connection with naval defence, and tho two together run into a very largo sum of money, aud there may be increases. But I feel sure the people of New Zealajul are quite prepared to do their j regard to the defence of the, country."