N.Z. FARMERS' UNION

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2785, 1 June 1916, Page 8

N.Z. FARMERS' UNION

CONFERENCE AT LEyiN

YESTERDAY'S PROCEEDINGS

,(By Telegraph—Oiir Spccial Correspondent.)

' V■ Levin, May.3l. :■ Delegates representing the various districts of. the Wellington Branch of the ■New -Zealand Farmers' Union, continued '■.their, annual conference at Levin to-day. 'Practically-the whole of tho morning's sitting" took place in committee, the subi&cts .'for discussion being fire insurance, freight charges, and protection of farmers'. interests in general. In the after'noon the, motored down to the State Experimental Farm.at Wereroa, 'where instructive as well as pleasant ithreo hours were ..spent. Afternoon tea 'was provided, and a thorough inspection 'was made of thfc; experimental plots, tho 'orchards, and the dairy farm stock and 'buildings. At 4.30 p.m. the conference resumed its deliberations on resolutions 'sent by-the branches for provincial conciliation. Amongst the matters reported jonswas tbat of ■- r Co-operativo Fire Insurance. r The Wellington Farmers Union/Mutual iFire Insurance Company's executive rbrought down its animal general report, •whioh disclosed an..increase of. business ifor-the ; last'.twelve months. Insurances •novr total - .£350,000. . A sum of ,£75,655 was derived from new business done during ;th«-year. ; . Fire. losses amounted to >E2395, .of■-which'amount only was. on ,fanh : properties. The directors for the .next twelve months are Messrs. J. Bal•flillio and W. J. Basil. i. : Bookkeeping- For Boys, 'i. 'An; animated, though * brief, discussion iwas;,aroused by a .remit from Makara .(moved by Mr. Bryant): "That the Proirincial Conferenco approach tho Department, of Education, requesting that eleiinentary book-keeping, based on rural oujerations, be made a. oompulsory subject ,of the school syllabus for country schools, ;the subject being allowed to remain opjtional for other schools." ■ Tho. mover spoke of the increraing need and analytical book-keep-'ing" "which every up-to-date farmer felt, 'nnd he urged on all the delegates the [need for using every means of giving their [boysTproper training in this branch of {farm '.needs.' . j -The'motion was seconded pro forma b.v /Mr. Marshall (Marton) who said', there was little; chance, of a change beine'mado |iu tlio" primary scliool syllabus. Bo ■ was 'not against the proposal, but he knew [that "it was useless, for the executive already had approached the Education Department on thi3 matter, and had been itold - that the existing syllabus of prim* 'ary schools was so full that this addition 'could not be made to it. V " Tho president (Mr. Moss) took it that farmers were all agreed that their boys needed this tuition, and lie thought the remit should bo " approved. He would give 'if "his" hearty support. ' ,;Thc remit was carried oil the voices. Election of Officers. ; Officers for' tho ensuing year were .elected as follows:—President,. Mr. T. i Moss (Ekctahuna), re-elected; vice-presi .dent,, Mr. G. L. Marshall (Marton), reflected'; treasurer, Mr. W. J. Birch (Mar-ion),.,re-elected. , Before electing the executive commititee the conference discussed the proportional aspect. It was mentioned thai Mhere were 500 financial members on tho least, side of the Tararua Ranges, and ; 1200- on the west. The conference revived, that five members should be elect;ed -for- the cast side and eight for the ■west. Those., elected- were—West of the ■ ranges: Messrs. J. Balsillje (Palmerston), H.- Booth (Feilding), Ewan - Campbell l(Wanganui), K. Dalrymple (Marton), A. Howie (Waverley), E. Law (Shannon), J.

Perrett (FeildLng), A. Robinson. (Wanganui). East of the ranges: Messrs. A. 11. M'Leod (Martinborough), W. B. Mathcson (Eketahuna), Hugh Morrison (Masterton), H. Morason (Greytown), H. Kevins (Tainui). , On tlio motion of Mr. Moore, seconded by Mr. Perry, it waij. resolved that tho, executive be asked to hold one meeting in Masterton during- tho year, in February, during show week. Next Year's Conference. There was considerable discussion regarding the place-of next year's conference, and, Feilding, Marton, Eketahuna, and Taihape were suggested. Mr. H. J. Richards advocated the claims of Taihape, but tho expense to the union of travelling that far was deemed a bar It was fimally resolved to accept tho invitation of Mr. Marshall that tho next conference be held at Marton. Messrs. Bsotli and Marshall were elected the provincial delegates to the Dominion Conference to be held next month. Maori Owners of Dogs. .The- conference resolved that all Maori owners _of dogs be taxed tho same as Europeans under the Local Bodies Act. General objection was taken to the power given Maori councils to levy dog tax, it being alleged that the councils were dilatory in' enforcing the registration.

Agricultural Education.

Mr. Matheson moved: "That this conference wishes to urge on the Board of Agriculture the great need for developing tlio system of agricultural education, as on it depends in large measure tho future of tho Dominion."

Speaking to the motion, he said there was not one of the high scliooTs now existing that had been stt apart for the purpose of agricultural education.

• Mr. W. Perry seconded the motion, and President Moss said' that a member of the Wellington Education Board ho would Be .glad to forward the proposSJ. Mr. Balsillie favoured the proposal, but said that farmers themselves should move in the matter, instead of crying out so much to the Government. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Dickens (Pongaroa) said tho prim, ary schools could do more than they did. Some did their duty, but not many. The remit was adopted. ' Other Remits. Mr. Howie (Waverley) moved: "That tho Government be asked to put an import ,duty on hardwood, in lieu of tho differential railway tariff." This was carried. Mr. Saunders (Shannon) moved, and Mr. Broadbelt (Levin) seconded: "That the Government place, an import duty on white pine." Carried. A hearty vote of thanks to the Levin branch for its hospitality was carried by acclamation. The date of the next conference was left to. the executive to fix. A vote..! of thanks to the president brought tho conference to a close. OTAGO FARMERS CONFER PROTEST AGAINST EXPORT DUTIES. 'By Telegraph—Press Association. Dunedin, May 31. At the annual conference of delegates of the Otago Provincial Council of' the New Zealand Farmers' Union held to-day, it was resolved to protest against an embargo ou tho export of produce or the imposition of export duties. Tho conference also protested against tho award for farm labourers, as- it would bo unworkable owing to tho peculiar conditions which apply to rural work. A resolution was carried, "That the Government be approached with a view'to purchasing suitable lands for returned soldiers," also "That the Government take into consideration the establishment of a training farm for soldiers before placing them on Government sections."

The pi'oi>os,il that a tax on wealth be imposed in lieu of income and land tax was lost. '

The conference dccided in favour of raising funds locally by loan and taxation to pay for New Zealand's war expenses.