FARMERS' UNION CONFERENCE.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 179, 2 June 1916, Page 1

FARMERS' UNION CONFERENCE.

The 16th annual provincial Conference of the New Zealand Farmers' Union was held last week in the Oddfellows' Hall, Cook Street, Auckland, and was one of the best attended and most instructive conferences yet held by the Union. The delegates all seemed to enter heartily into the discussions on the various remits and were able to take an intelligent and active interest in the vaiious matters affecting the farming community. There is no doubt that this conference is an education and it seems a pity that the various branches do not endeavour to get more of their members to attend and thereby stimulate the interest among the members generally. One particular noticeable feature was the intelligent way the remits were handled by the proposers and seconders, showing evidence of careful thought and prepared detail. COMPULSORY MILITARY SERVICE. A remit urging upon the Government the advisability of enacting legislation whereby Compulsory Military Service can be put into operation whenever necessity arises was proposed by Major Lusk and met with ' practically unanimous suppoit. Major Lusk said that theie was no doubt that the necessity had now arisen and we had to be prepared to tight to a successful finish and to secure our quota of men we must resort to conscription this being now the only fair way of keeping up the strength. Mr N. Ohlson, Onewhero, in seconding the remit, said he had one son who had been to Gallipoli had got wounded and was invalided | home. This lad had now recovered and was off again and yet there were families with two or three eligible boys in his district who had not even offered to take their turn. Some had eyen been buying motor cars and t wring round the country dodging the recruiting sergeants. As far as he could see married uieri were more willing to go than single ones. (Laughter). Mr J. C. Boddie, To Kuiti, made a stirring address on this question in the course of which he said we must rid ourselves of the idea that with conscription a blind machine would be put to work that would take all and sundry. We could be assured, he Baid, that reasonable consideration would be given to all, but conscription would certainly get at the man who through mercenary reasons was continuing to benefit by the sacrifice of his neighbours and compulsion was the only way we had of getting at him. He thought that in the interests of humanity a man should consider no sacrifice too great where his family or other relations did not constitute a bar to his going. However, he said, conscription cannot come too soon and it is the only just and true selection. Several delegates were of opinion that it was a mistake to call up all the yousg men first but that a start should be made at the other end and the first selection should be made from men of the age of say 40. AUCTIONEERS' COMMISSIONS A remit protesting against the high rate of commissions charged by auctioneers in this area, there

being no reason wliy such commissions should rule higher in this province than in the southern districts, was proposed by Mr J. S. Montgomerie, Mangere. The mover considered this was one of the most important questions affecting the farmers • that was before the Conference. In other parts of New Zealand the rate of commission was about 21 per cent. The auctioneers here heve a good thing on and dont feel inclined to give it up, but if any business should be a co-operative one auctioneering should certainly rank first. Mr N. Ohlson (Onewhero), in seconding the remit, said he had lived in the South Island, where a much smaller commission ruled. In Whangarei, where the farmers owned their own business, the commission was2.\ percent. " The farmers," said Mr Ohlson, " provide the business for the auctioneers, and they just ride over us rough-shod." The remit was adopted. PAEROA-POKENO RAILWAY. Tne Maramarua branch requested that the Minister Railways be asked to consider the necessity of starting the Paeroa-Pokeno line at the Pokeno end, so as to give further access to the Hauraki Plains. This remit was coupled with a similar one from Patetonga, and in speaking in support of it Mr A. Mclnnes, of Maramarua, said that this route, besides saving some -17 miles between Pokeno and Paeroa, would open up a large arei of fertile country in the Hauraki Plains, would tap a lot of coal-bearing country, in one place there was the largest coal seam in the world, some (50ft in thickness. The line would also pass through large deposits- of shingle, highly suitablo for roadmaking. This shingle could be put on the trucks at 2s per yard, and with the difficulty now experienced in getting roading material the deposit i,the finest in the province) would when in touch with a railway prove a very valuable asset to numerous local bodies. Considerable discussion aroso over these and other railway requests, and it was generally agreed that it would be in the best interests of all not to specify any particular work.

An amendment, strongly urging the prosecution of various authorised railway works in the province so far as funds and material would permit, was carried.