FARMERS’ON ION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1853, 6 September 1906, Page 3

FARMERS’ON ION.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE,

PRESS ASSOCIATION Wellington, yesterday. Tho Farmers' Union conference resumed

this morning. A proposal in favor of looal bodies being given power to appoint one of tho ussasso.'s to sit in tho A-sessiAont Court in tho district affected was carriod. It was resolved that tho regulations respecting free placos in secondary s-ohoob are unsatisfactory, seeing that no speoial oonsideratiou is given to oountry ohildron. Tee oouferenco this morning disoussed tho reciprocal treaty p.oposals. Mr Loadley moved: “ Tdat tho proposal of tho Government to admit Australian flour duty free is ouo whioh if given effeot to will seriously interfere with tho profitable occupation of iarge areas of most valuablo land in Now Zealand; that tho growth of wheat is an industry whioh absorbs a largo amount of labor in production, furnishes a luge and valuable traffic to the railways, and is conduoivo to the prosperity of New Zealand as a wholo." This, after a loDg disoussion, was carried, with only one dissenter.

Wellington, last night,

At the Farmers’ Union Oonforenoo today Mr Phillips (Auckland) moved: “That while the union ayoids taking any part as a uoion in par'y politic’, every real political question may, and should, bo taken an interest in and be disoussed at branoh aud other meetings. ’’ Tho President expressed the opinion

that tho line for the uoion to follow was to tsko a side in politios only on the ground of principle, and when the principle was gained to resumo a non committal attitude.

Mr W. L'ssant Clayton (Poverty Bay) urged that if tha union was to become a power in tho land it must take decisive action. The motion was oarried,

The Union resolved that looal bodies should be given power to appoint one of the assessors at the Assessment Revision Court iu districts affected, and that no valuer should be appointed under the Valuation of Land Aot unless ho possesses local.knowledge, Other resolutions passed were that the question of agricultural education for rural districts be kept prominently before the education authorities and publio ; that a local government bill should be placed on the Statute Book at the earliest possible moment ; that every endeavor be made to resist altering the voting in connection with rural looal bodies ; that the attention of Government be drawn to the shortage of farm and domestic labor, and to tho retarding of development of the country thereby, and that Government be informed that this council urges the adoption of a strong forward immigration polioy ; that the construction of publio works by co-operative labor be discontinued in favor of construction by Bmali contracts.

Mr W. G. Wilson was re-eleoted presi dent for the ensuing year.