FARMERS' UNION

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2526, 29 July 1915, Page 8

FARMERS' UNION

THE DOMINION CONFERENCE

t BEMITS DISCUSSED

Sir James -Wilson was agaiirTn tlio tshair at/yesterday's Bitting of ,tlip Dominion Conference of the Now Zealand Farmers' Union. The debate on tlio. question of amend-

ing the; National-Endowment Act was

■ contirnied, and tho;'remit- from : North i Canterbury was finally carried ih the foli. • lowing- form:—"TJiat a Bill,should be .:: introduced to Parliament to amend tlio . National -Endowment Act, *1907; on the following hues "That- all national en- ■ dowment lands hold at the date of tlio

passing;pf this' Amendment Act shall, as soon-as-suitable: opportunity offers, . ■- , :b6 sold for cash, or ■ leased with tlio •i ■'/ opinion of purchase., • Where lands are already leased'.the option to purchase to be offered to tlio present lessee at the • actuarial valuation of tho State's m- .. terest in tho.land, and tho payments by ■: ■ way-of purchase to be made by uistal- ; ■ ;ments of not- less 'than-10; per icent. of the ascertained valiiOi , "- v - Remits 011 .tlio samo question from - Wellington, Southland,' Taranaki, and Auckland ■jvere-withdrawn. ' ■ . Land Valuation] Etc. ; Various, remits auider the heading of were discussed, and ■ • the following from Auckland were carried — > : . "That'as tlio present system of valuing land for , taxation purposes ■ has - proved s it complete' failure, owing to tho *:■-;!;impossibility 'of - accurately . separating' . the iinproved from : .the ■ unimproved ■:■•.■■. value,..tins conferenco considers a much , fairer.and a much simpler way would be to tax. on the annual • value, with tho J;. : - ; same',exemptions/ as', capital invested vm otheir industries, .the-annual value to he it'.- .' ; 6 per cent. of. the capital value.' 1 . "That ..the 1 recommendation- of tlio 1;,: :; jValuation Commission-that the Govern- • ment have the right to purchaso at owners' tuiiniproved value and assessed v {valuation of. improvements is a dangcr- ■ ous suggestion, and unfair to owners, ■ . .unless a. definite basis is laid down, setting out are, to be ' . valued, and whetlier all tho unexhausted ■:■ : improvements are; to be, allowed for from tho original native state of the property, '■.v with a full definition of what 'uncxhaust- . ■ ed' is ,to mean, so that owners may be in a' position to ■ arrive at . their own . , values 011 a basis which- is definite and. clearlv understood;" u . .: ".' A proposal from. Pelonis Sound, that , the number of elective, menibcrs of-Land •Boards should bo- jncreasedj was .defeated by an overwhelming 'majority. - /i The conference resolved: ."That it bo a recommendation to the ; Government :from-this conference that'i all payments 1 ; of taxation on .incomes eamed'.by mem- , 'Lers of tho Expeditionary Forces during v : their absence from the Dominion ba remitted." . ' ' Railway Matters. . . ' It was also resolved (Marlborough re- . : jiit) :- "That the : Government bo urged to complete' the trunk lines, >a's- speedily possible wlien funds are f available." Four remits, relating; to differential railway rates, appeared on. the Order .-■■: .Paper; and a committee was set up .to' . ; interview the General, Jlanager of Railv ways on the subject, and if necessary to seo. tho Minister.' Tho committee .will s • report -to tlio conference' to-day or to- , ' morrow. a On the recommendation of tho Auckland delegate, it was agreed,, that' the .• l ; ■ Government sliould be urged to carry r'. :road metal" and .scoria -for settlers at -4 ;''the. same":rate,,'as they are carried for local bodies. -... ■■.■ C ' ■ V The following remits from, Auckland

:'..-'..-i-Swere also carried: ■■;■ / "That the Minister of Railways be . \urged to consent to the settlers' '■wish'

■ . to; be allowed ■to hire "trucks -at a i ) fixed pnoe in which they can load any

mixed 1, goods 'ot material- not 'dangerous."

■' "That tho Railway Department he requested, to' see that .railway guards give receipts' for goods and prepaid 'railage received at flag stations." ;y : ; On tW'liriotiori pf the North Canterbury delegate, it was decided : "That it be a reoorii.mendation-to the conference to bring under the notice of the Gen--01 al Manager of Railways the necessity for having Ca 'list of consignees posted up at. all flag stations when a truck containing miscellaneous goods is left." ■ It was further .decided: "That .this conference. desires' to place on record t'heir appreciation of tie. efforts of ..the Railway Department to : label - trucks with tho names,.of consignors, and asks that this should be done in all instances even .wlien tracks are picked up at wayside stations by the guard aud left at their respective destinations." • The conference expressed the opinion that tlie time has arrived w'heii.the Railway Department should undertake tlie loading of cream can,s. ; After brief discussion' tlie following tw<>' remits from Taranaki were .'carried:— .

'"That .the Government be urged to obtain more rolling' stock for the convenience of settlers, as great inconvenience is, of tdri. caused by not being able to obtain necessary trucks and vans."

■"That .the Government be asked to &nsider;'tho-. question of reducing the ."cost- tb exhibitors of agricultural implements and stock by allowing them to be moved from show to show without having to return to their original point of consignment' after each show before a refund in freight could be obtained."

Resolutions were also carried urging tlie Government'to establish a scheme 'of through- hooking_of all,produce by sea and rail, to'provide insulated trucks with,hooks once,a week for tho carriage of' pigs from country stations to the city markets, to. reduce . the railway cliarges 011 spirits used.for motor power, to provido crossings where railway lines are built across dedicated, but unused rc-ads and to utilise, to the host advantage . portions of railway lines not in service.:' - 1 ..