N.Z. FARMERS' UNION

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 1, 23 September 1918, Page 8

N.Z. FARMERS' UNION

Conference resolutions

j :V ; MINISTERIAL REPLIES i - ; :i3ir. Jaraea 'Allen (Acting-Prime Minister) has, .says the Farmers' Advocate, sent the following replies, to'"the iesoi. lutions of tho Dominion Conference I of the New Zealand Farmers' Union :— j . -I'l have to acknowledge' receipt of ''your' letter of August- 21, forwarding various resolutions passed by the Dominion Conference of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, recently held at Wel- ■ lington, and havo to thank you for I samei . : ";■ ' Raoa Meetings. I '"the matter of the curtailment of !; raoe meetings is ono for the Govern- : ■'. merit to decide, and .your resolution i with reepect to this will ho referred to ; Cabinet. ; '. r; { Enemy Goods. J _ ;"Resolution dealing with the flood- ; jng of the Dominion with enemy mnnu- \ factures after the war -will be brought ! before the Prime Minister on his re- ] turn to New Zealand. J Control of Prices. ''■.. ''Resolution dealing with the control ; of prices raises a very difficult' prob- ■ lem; which the Government is doing J its best to solve.'. -...Tho question of the i prices of material'and machinery imI ported from-outside is. not under tho I New Zealand Government's control, nor i'is the matter of freipht charged for 'the carriage on such imports to New I Zealand. I shnll havo pleasure in j bringing the matter before Cabinet.

! Prica of Manures and Oil Fuels. ' "I fear it is not practicable for. the i New Zealand Government to regulate j.the.prices of taamires,: as these are,.in ; jnost instances, I understand, obtained ; froni outside New Zealand,. This quesj tion will, however, bo referred to the I Minister of Agriculture for his coni sideration., So far as I know, the ! supply of .oil fuels is controlled in or- ; der that the requirements of essential ! industries may have'precedence. Your ! resolution on the s'tibject will bo re- \ .ferred to the Minister who is dealing j with, this matter. j Referendum. J "The resolution that your union will j resist''any attempt to'extend the priiiIciple of the referendum beyond the * limits of the liquor question has been . noted. .•..'■■■. ... ■ • '' Legislativs Council. ! "With regard to resolution No. 9, I ; was not aware that the forming and ; pastoral intej-este had been overlooked T when • the recent Legislative Council ! appointments were made, I shall have ■pleasure in placing this resolution before the Prime Minister on his return.

• Nitrogen. ' ."Respecting the resolution dealing ;-■ with the shortage of coal and the large j' demand for nitrogen , for fertiliser pur- ; poses, this will be referred to. the ;' Minister of Mines, who also happens to '' be, for the time being, Minister of

' Defence Matters. i The Minister of Defenco (the Hon. i Sir James Allen), acknowledging the : 'resolutions-- passed ■ by the" Dominion 'Conference, writes:— ! ' '-'I-have to thank your, union for the assurance that the producers will sup- : port the Government in carrying into ! effect any measures which the Govern-i'-inent deem necessary to take in ■eend- ' ing additional reinforcements to help i the.Empire at this critical time.

;: ; : Military objeotors. ' "The resolution suggesting that men i refusing to .-'carry,.out .Vtheir military ! duties be disfranchised.'for,, say, seven "years, will/be referred for the con- ! aideration of the Government. I. . Essential Workers. i "With regard to the third resolution, I understand that where there '■ i?' any, doubt at all in the minds of the , : members of the Military Service Board ; with regard to exemption, the invari- : - able practice is to' apply to the local ■ .trustees of tho . National . Efficiency 1 Board. ; ... ': ." ]■■■'■' Territorial. Camps. ] '"Respecting the resolution re the ! suspension , -of Territorial camps during I the period of the war, this matter is ! at present receiving every eonsideraj tfon, out': I would, impress upon your .■union the very valuable assistance that j has been given to the Defence .Beparti ment in selecting non-commissioned [officers and officers for the expeditjoni ary force rowing- to -training acquired Lin Territorial camps. You may rest ; assured that the Defence Department, iwill do everything it possibly can to" I oonserve production." ■ ■

! Regulating the Supply of Oil Fuel. The Acting-Prime Minister, reply-. ' Ing to the resolution passed ■ relative j to tie supply of oil fuels during the i war period, says: "I beg to inform you !.• that on July 1, 1918, regulations were [ gazetted controlling tho importation, • sale, arid distribution of petrol. The i regulations provide that no petrol can : be imported into tho Dominion except 1 in pursuance of an import license is- ; Sued to the importer by tho Minister i h Charge of and Supplies. • on the recommendation of tho Board ; of Trade. To distribute petrol in any I Quantity of more than four thousand , gallons at one time it is necessary to j take out a distributor's petrol license. "Under the regulations the importer and j distributor are required to limit , the ! consumer to a supply not exceeding '■ their actual requirements 'for a period ,of twenty-eight days. Further,, the i licensee, in supplying, petrol, is given i preference to those consumers who re- ■ quire it for essential uses, as defined i. hy the Minister in Charge. For the i purposes of these regulations, petrol ; mean's and includes petrol, , benzine, j motor naphtha, gasolene, distil- : kte, napthalate, and every other (form I of product of petroleum (with the exi ception of benzoline) which gives off I an inflammable vapour at a temperai ture of less than-100 degrees FafirenI, heit."

!■■ Fuel Alcohol,. ■ ■ The Controller of Customs advises ["that "regulations setting forth the conI ditions under which fuel alcohol may he !'. mamtfnetured aro under the cousiderai tion of the Government."

!' , Station Telephones. j' Respecting the resolution nrging i: that all officered stations be connected • with the local telephone bureau in their i respective districts, the resolution is ! fijlly met under existing arrangements, i aj3 practical!} , all stations at which sta- !. tionmastors are in charge are already i; connected with the local telephone I bureau.