FARMERS CONFER.

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 124, 27 May 1937, Page 24

FARMERS CONFER.

PROBLEMS OF TODAY

MEETING AT DANNEVIRKE

(By Telegraph—l Jress Association^.)

DANNEVIRKE, May 26.

The interprovincial conference of six districts of the New Zealand Farmers' Union opened here today with over 120 delegates present. Welcomes were extended by the Southern Hawke's Bay president, Mr. J. Livingston, the Maydr. and Sir illred Ransom.

Sir Alfred Ransom pointed out that apart from Crown lands the Government had at its disposal for closer settlement 57,000 acres of land previously acquired for this purpose.

Mr. R. Seiyers, tne president, in his opening address, strongly stressed tie serious menace : to the., farming community ot noxious weeds. They had aow assumed the proportion of a national problem, he said. He urged the conference in the endeavour to assist the dairying industry not to tie itselt to the hydrogen-filled balloon of rising costs He condemned the inequitable .system ot land taxation and the preseutj, system of arriving at the unimproved value, which he characterised as vague and indeterminate process.

Amongst remits carried were the tollo'wing:— " . ' "• '

That where iarmers under .mortgage relief give' orders and moneys are paid in advance tor interest and rent, 5 per cent, interest be paid on all such moneys received.

That the conference is> opposed co any further "interference by the Government in the tree sale by farmers of their produce without a referendum el the industry concerned.

That the Government exceeded ill ideas, of what farmers expected in taking ovei the marketL«i of dairy produce, and the time has arrived when dairy factory directors be given, a free nand and a straight-out minimum guaranteed price, fixed labour and other costs to be considered vvhen fixing "he same.

That the Government make immediate provision for the training of young men to qualify as veterinary surgeons

That the conference supports the proposed new regulations governing the importation of live stock from foot-and-mouth disease-infected countries.

A motion condemning . che compensating price as unsound, in principle was lost by 49 votes to 4.