FARMERS' UNION

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3147, 27 July 1917, Page 8

FARMERS' UNION

ANNUAL CONFERENCE

THIRD'DAY'

-. .* . - I /■'■■' ■■■.'■ ■■' ■•■ ' ('_ The annual Dominion' Confeaeaoe .'the New Zealand .Farmers' Uaien I>sm Continued] in .Wellingtonj-veetMAay. Sir Wames Wilson presided; -•

" The.following resolutions.were carried: i' Beturned Soldiers.—"That this conference, should use , its'influeuco to assist ■returned soldiers back to the occupations ( "to which they havo been trained, or, it' ;ihey so desire, to go on to tho land. ' ". .Waste Products;—" That in tho opinion of this.'conference tho timo has ariived when acicntific research should be to prevent waste and to prof>*ide for the utilisation of waste products.'"- ■ -

L , Roads.—"That .the .-.Government bo fiurged to;financp,.,the:.'upkeep of all aTterKal roads, thE"-work-to be carried .out by illocal bodies under a .Government engineer." ;: I Looal Bodies. —"That local bodies be :'jempowered to borrow such sums of i'money as they may deeni necessary for j.the construction or improvement of the fifoads in' their district.

i_. ■ Local Bodies Election].—"Tlrat the K'local Bodies Election Act he. amended, -<as follows: No person should be. allowed iito rote on a miner's right who has not pbeen the holder'of a raining privilege for t"at least three months: previous to an 'selection." ~ :'. _. ... y.. Sohool.Committee Elections.—"That no under frwonty-oria- years of age be' Sallowed to vote on a miner's right at a fjchool'committee election." i Telephone Charges.—"That this conference strongly urge the Postmaster-Gen* feral to revert to tho old method of ! : charges on telephone messages, it now pbeinß an unfair, charge, in the event of Jaot being able to get the party wanted." . , Country Post Offices".—"That the -post in country districts should be open >cn holidays -at the time the mails n.ri;*ive, instead of- from '9'. to 10, as at pre- ■ ...:'.-■ .;-.'.:' I 1 Rural Deliveries.—"That increased pofi-l-'tal facilities be. granted to backblock and that when such facilities pare asked for, an officer of the Postal Department be asked bo confer with tho •Seople of the district, so- that a true idea wf their request, may be arrived at. (■ Farm Workers.—"That a system be. demised to promote immigration to this f'«ountry, and'that special inducement [.'should be given -to men with families i and who aro agriculturists." '. - Goods Sheds.—"That this conference (desires to call the attention of the Baili.way Department to the unfairness of the put ■on the use of country £goods sheds, especially when they . are factually empty, to enable farmers to "store produce awaiting shipment." Capital and Labour.—"That as the fu.turo of the Empire is dependent on the .'.'friendly co-operation of Capital and La-;'.-bour, this union urges the holding of a, /conference between the various unions '•connected with.the farming and other to consider the adoption of a j irainimum living wage and a system of ',profif>sharinpf by all classes of labour." '■■ Agricultural Education.— That the of Education be thanked for tho -encouragement being given to rural edui.eation by establishing bursaries for agricultural students, and urging that his vilarger scheme lie pushed ahead in order !?to increase the output of the Dominion.", .■' Harnessing the Water Power.—"That Sin view of the constant danger to all the .•principal industries caused by the fact >.that/'nie supnjv of coaj.is liable at any j.liitime to be held up .by industrial trouble, ;«ind also in view of the large demand ..for nitrogen for fertiliser purposes, .the ■■ Government be urged to proceed at the •earliest possible moment with its scheme .for harnessing the water power of the Dominion.". Also, "That in view of the ,'icoustant danger, to .all classes of the people of New Zealand through the ever- - Tecurrinj strikes by coal miners, this - conference would.-tfress upon the Government the absolute necessity, that exists ■ for immediate action in the direction of - harnesses our water power or other sources of power, are nt present ■ merely running to waste, but which could be used with the very best re- . suits." . ' .

I •■ Wool Draft.—"That this conference up- '.''• -'holds the resolution passed at the Wool Growers' Conference to the effect-that the draft of lib. per cwt. ; on' wool should • abolished as it is an unfair charge on ■ the grower and has merely become the : custom through long usage, but the time' As, ripe for the abolishing of such cus--foms." '■• Wool Packs and Corn Sacks—"That •+he Government'arrange for sufficient i shipninj to ensure the supply of the npoi; essary wool packs and corn eaek; for the L Domiuion's lenuirenients." ■ The conference will resume at 5.30 this morning, and is expected to conclude this evening.