FARMERS’ UNION.

Shannon News, 12 November 1928, Page 2

FARMERS’ UNION.

MANAWATU PROVINCIAL EXECU- * TIVE. The monthly meeting of the Manawaiu provincial executive of the Farmers’ Union was held on Wednesday in the Band Room, Levin. There were present: Messrs O. Pf Lynch (president), 11. T. Kent, C. P. Jensen, J. A. McLeavey, H. Denton, H. Bowling, J. Balsillie and E N. Budden (secretary). Apologies for absence were received from Messrs Harold McLeavey. F. Maul, 11. Bond, and F. G. Gower. No correspondence was listed, and the meeting was devoted to a consideration of the minutes of the Dominion executive meeting of October 16.

It had been decided by the Dominion Executive to write and thank the 33 members of Parliament who had defeated the Summer Time Bill at the end of July and to express the hope that they would also oppose- the Bill in the future.

The chairman remarked .that the Act at present in force, advancing the clock half an hour, had been brought down by Governor’s message on the last day of the session and passed before anyone knew anything about it. The purpose of a Governor’s message was to bring an important or urgent matter before Parliament. The present -measure had been brought down in that way because the Government thought there was a little political advantage to be. gained. It did uot go to the vote, but was passed “nem. con.,” as a Government measure.

The secretary, in reply to questions, stated that the Manawatu executive had always been opposed to the general principle of daylight saving. PORK EXPORT.

The provincial executives, were asked to consider the pork export question and submit their ideas to the Dominion executive for consideration at its next meeting. The chairman said his own idea was that the pig producers should work in with the dairy companies and become their own exporters. The subject would come up again, and in the meantime members should evolve something that would heln the industry. FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEABK.

A resolution had been passed by the Dominion executive emphatically expressing the opinion that the importation of all stock, together with bulbs and plants, from countries infected with foot-and-mouth disease should be prohibited. This received the endorsement of the local executive. VALUATION OF FARM LANDS.

The Dominion executive postponed the following remit by Mr Jensen, for consideration at its next- meeting:— “That the Government be asked to appoint a Board of at least three men to value all farm lands occupied and farmed for. 20 years or more, such value to be permanent and based on the production of the unimproved value.” The Dominion secretary reported that the following provincial executives did not support the principle of the remit:— Auckland, Southland, South Canterbury, Mid-Canterbury, Southern Hawkes Bay, Hawkes Bay, West Coast, North Canterbury, Pelorus Sounds and South Taranaki. The Wellington provincial 'executive supported the remit. Alternative suggestions made by several provinces would be circulated for consideration.

Air Jensen stated that the valuers were in the southern end of the district at present. “I don’t know whether you are acquainted with the Act,” he said to the chairman.

“I ought to be,” replied Mr Lynch; I was assessor for about 15 years. Mr Lynch: Well, you tell us. The Chairman: They give a fellow carte blanche to do their valuing, and the supervising valuer goes over it all and alters it. Nobody knows whether it is in accordance with the Act or not. We suggested that the productive capacity of the land be taken in. They have that in their own files, and need not look at the land at all. Mr MeLcavey: Suppose that a man is carrying more stock, by good farming and fertilising? The Chairman: That could easily be adjusted. The man who is running two sheep to the acre and using fertilisers is losing a certain amount of income for labour and material, and his net results may not be much more than the other man’s. They come and value according to sales made of land in the locality.

Mr Balsillie: They put men on to value the land who know nothing about it. The Chairman: That is right; it is guesswork. Mr Jensen: I have no quarrel with the valuers, but I have a great deal to say against the Act. It states that, where there is a bona fide sale, that sale can be taken into consideration — that it is a fair value. I hear lately of land that has changed hands at up to £IOO an acre. The increase has been nearly double in#a few years. According to the Act that land can be valued at that amount, to a bona fide buyer. All the valuer has to do is to take the improvements and value them, and what remains is the unimproved value. What is your remedy under that Act? You have none.

The chairman* said that Mr Jensen was wrong in stating that the selling value of adjacent property was the standard. The Act was not in actual operation.