FARMERS CONFER

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2833, 26 July 1916, Page 10

FARMERS CONFER

ANNUAL DOMINION ■i GATHERING 'f '■■' T r \ - FIRST DAY'S WORK ;-'_ The fifteeutb annual Dominion Conference of. the New Zealand Earners' ;pnion was opened "in .Wellington yesterday. The roll call answered as follows :— ~ Dominion president, Sir James G. Wilson, Bulls; vice-president, Mr. G. W. Leadley, Ashburton; advisory committee —North Island: Messrs; E. A. Campbell (Wanganui), T. Moss (Eketahuna), A. A. Ross (To Kauwhata); South Island: ■'Messrs; "Geo.". Sheat - (Dunsaudcl), J. .M'CJueen (Invercargill); treasurer, Mr. :W. J. Birch, MartoU; secretary, Mr. E. ; C. :Jack, Wellington; provincial presidents: Auckland, Mr. A. A. lioss (Te Kaujvhata); Taranaki, Mr. R. Dunn (Auroa); -Eawke's Bay, Mr. H. M. Campbell (Napier); Wellington, Mr. Thos. Moss (Eketahuna); Nelson, Mr. W. Thorn (ltichmond); Marlborough, Mr.H.D. Vavasour (Blenheim); Wostland, Mr. J. Bell (Reefton); Pelorus, Mr. G.. Anderson (Mahau);' South Canterbury, Mr J. Talbot (Tiiuaru); Otago, Cr Jas. Begg Southland •Mr. W. A. Cox(Kauana); delegates—Auckland, Messrs. D. H. Lusk- (Te Kuiti), J.' •Boddie (Te Kuiti), P. Kcegan(Taneatua); : ;Hawke's Bay: Mr. R. =Av'Trotter (Hast-' ,ings); Taranaki: „Mi\ E. Maxwell (Opurake); Wellington: . Messrs.., H... Booth

(Feilding); G. X.-jlarshall.' (Marton):; ■'::';Nelson: Mr. F. Whitwell (Waka'pua'kaj; . "Marlborough: Mr., A.'. Mackny' (Blenheim); North Canterbury: Messrs. R. ..Evans (Kaiapoi), Wm. Bailey (Surnner.Christchurch); South Canterbury: Mr. ■ A. Garland (Waimate); Otago: Mr. A. -Eraser (Lawrence); Southland: Mr. John ':■ 'M'Queen (Invercargill).-:, ■ ; :■- Sir James Wilson,..ill liis'.capacity as ■■•;.'. president, said that it was again his ''pleasure to welcoiuo the. delegates, and ' , "he-'-'did so oil this occasion with greater .>■'.' warmth because heknew that: the. loss .' of-a week's valuable time meant, a, .:,'..- greater sacrifice than in former years. ; The shortage ■ of workers demanded tho .';' closer, attention of the-farmers, and ■ . therefore their presence betokened the, ■; keenness of their, desiro to advance tlie /.agricultural interests of the Dominion. .'•.':'. 'There-were many questions on.the order '..'■paper which showed that the vision or ■..'.Hie-farmer wns broader than his fields; .-'.'. that the interests' of the people-of .this : .,v : land were paramount to the interests of •.'■•'; the farming class.'. These: conferences -were not only beneficial to farmers, but ■' were educational, and peformed the' im- ... portant work of educating public opin-. , : ioii. : "They enable us to place onr ... views before the public, and correct many : .;"■' erroneous ■ ideas that prevail in ■• regard. t)i;'the business of farming. They also ■v serve to inform tho town-dwellers' that .. we are anxious to see many more seek- :. -.'ihg their • life's -work in . the country. : • These conferences teiid' towards a better appreciation of the difficulties the farmer l'Hs to contend .against, and to foster ,the .idea'of mutual help." ; The'presi- . .. de'it then proceeded to deliver aJengthy '. address on various important subjects, ■ \ which references, are "treated under ■'. special headings in.this-issue. '■'■,-,,* Water .'on .Holdings.' .-Major lusk' (Auckland) moved: "That it be a recommendation, to. the f Lands Department that an endeavour be made ''..to find water on. sections of land, not '■":: watered by streams or springs, before siich land is offered for settlement." He • said that in Auckland and elsswliere "•''■ land had been offered by the Government when there was no surface water avnil'flblo for the settler. : Yet in some of the . places 'streams'- were, running under- ': ■ ground, and the idea, .was that water- ;' .'diviners should be employexl to locate these before the land was.settled. Such .a. course -would be of great-benefit to -.. , the.people who- settled the land. . ' ■'..The motion was seconded by.Mr:--A. A. '■) Ross (Auckland) and carried. ...i Drainage and Settlement. -Mr. A. -Av-Ross (Auckland); ''moved:; '■,'. "that before Wooks of land (swamp) are .... opened ..for,:selection .they • be-< properly' ■drained. and'-roaded."; lit: Ross .deemed . the; question to-, be one.: of- : great, import- '. ance, -ahd declared that''through' the "• State's! failure properly to tb'ain .swolmps - a': great deal of money, had been'lost.'ln 'tlie''case of; the JTauniki land the settlers , had/been put on the land too.soon after . tlieTilrainage"■' operations. Later on' the ■ .land'went -up in value, ycithoiit much .■'. improvement. Regarding.,loading, . it-was good policy, and payable in the long'riin, to.send:the,road ahead of the settlers. : '-•'■ ■ ■•■•' ■.'•■' ■', , : ! ... 'Mr:; P. Keegan (Auckland). seconded : !

the motion. Ho said that n. million of money might have been saved if things had been worked right when the Rangitaiki Plains were being drained. The motion was amended to rend: '(That beforo blocks of land (swamp) 'are opened for selection, they should be 'properly drained and roaded, where a. comprehensive drainage scheme is necessary." In that form it was agreed to. Roads and Boundaries. On the motion of Mr. T. Moss (Ek'etahuna), it was resolved: •'That the Government be requested to instruct the responsible officers to mors carefully study tho formation of the coiirtry when cutting up land for settlement, and. see that boundary lines and roads are placed in the best possible places." Mr. Moss said that there were many instances of bush roads being put in the'wrong, place, and ho gave an instance from,hi.* own district where a road could have run over comparatively' fiat.land, but in fact avoided it, and took a circuitous course over broken country.' ; '~

Division of Settlement Landsr ' Mr. R. Evans (North Canterbury) moved: "That when the Crown deals with lands for settlement land in any County Council's area', the council be represented in .the locating of the roads, arranging the subdivision of the. land, and fixing the rentals of same." . , Mr. D. Jones: (North Canterbury) seconded the' motion. • • Mi. E. .Maxwell'('Paranatal moved, the following amendment-:—"That when Crown lands and land for settlement lauds :are being.surveyed for the purpose of being made available for settlement the .local' body under' whose jurisdiction the lauds will come, shall, lie consulted as to the location of the roads." . . After long discussion the following amendment by Mr. A. Garland (South Canterbury) was carried:—"That on tho purchase of lands for closer settlement the County Council or local control in that area be represented in the locating of the roads, and in the formation and drainage of the same." Which First—Roads or Settlement? Mr. E. Maxwell (Taranaki) moved: "That the Government be-urged to construct wheel traffic roads into new blocks of surveyed land before opening same for selection, and push on the work of the present roads in the back blocks." Mr. Maxwell said it was wrong that settlers should be permitted to take up land to 'which there was no road. 'The motion was, seconded by. Mr. It. Dn'nn (Taranaki). Mr. P.Keegan, Major Lusk (Auckland) and Mr. Bell (Wostland) opposed the motion on the ground that such a policy would delay settlement. • The motion was carried by 1G to .6. National Endowments.

The following motions touching the question of national . endowment were carried:—By Auckland: "That all present and future occupiers of rural national endowment lands be granted the option of purchasing the freehold." By Southland: "That the Government-'be again urged to place the National Endowment Amendment, 1908, as'proposed by Mr. M'Queen, on the statute book."

"Talking of wheat-growing, one Labour "member wns reported, to' have said that it was the duty of Government to force the farmers-to - grow--wheat," re. marked Sir James Wilson 'at the ■ Farmers' Union Conference yesterday. "What a curious commentary on a member's knowledge! It is a fact which has been proved that With wheat at ss. it takes from 23 to 25 bushels to pay expenses. Anything under that is grown at-a loss to the farmer. Wealth, the creation of which benefits everyone, is the difference between the cost of growing anything and sale—the profit, in fact. Tlie country' is. poorer if the farmer loses by the transaction. For the moment the people may get cheaper ;flour; hat the land has had so much taken from it of its stored wealth, which will cost money tn replace, and if the crop has not paid to grow, the fanner< musii • necessarily restore it from his capital, or, which is much the same thing, from his profits ou other crops, if there are "any. They may pass, as many Acts of Parliament ».s they like, but-they'will not get. farm, ers to grow -wheat at a loss! .It-is, infinitely better to buy wTfeat from Australia, where it can bo grown cheaper, and turn the land here to "more profit able use."

•A reference to the great topic of the moment was made by Sir James' Wilson at the Farmers' Union Conference yestenfay. "'The war," lie said, "is still the absorbing topic of conversation and ia ever, present in our thoughts. We scarce dare think of tiie empty homes which, though far from the scene of the war, «Te too common, but we are thankful . that ths fighting qualities of 'our boys' have been proved and that their Spirit is exemplified by the !•• d who wrote to his parents: 'If I don't come through I shall be firry for. you, but don't grh-ve for me. I am where I want to be and am happy.' Or the boy who wrote to his mother, 'If I don't corns back., keep your tears for privacy like the Roman matron, and send six more t<s take my place.' I suppose that every person in the room is concerned in someone's fate during;'. this war. Some are mourning the loss of those dear to them; others scan the papers daily, fearing to see someone's name in Uic list of casualties; but still the fight must go on. We are one and all determined that it can onlv have one conclusion—victory for the ".Allocs.' It is not, however, to remind you of sad happenings that I likb to addresi you to-day."