FARMERS' UNION CONFERENCE.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 27 July 1917, Page 4

FARMERS' UNION CONFERENCE.

FARMER'S UNION .CONFERENCE. WELLINGTON, July 26. The Farmers' Union Conference decided to bring prominently before the farmers of the Dominion the necessity for their producing all the wheat possible during the war crisis.

It was also decided to ask the Efficiency Board to represent to the Goernment that it is desirable to introduce 6 o 'clock closing for the sale of alcoholic liquors during the period of the war, and for six months after. It was resolved that as the future of the Empire is dependent on the friendly co-operation of Capital and Labour, this Union urges the holding of a conference between the various trades unions connected with farming and other industries, and consider the adoption of a minmum living wage, and a system of profit-sharing by all classes of labour.

A special committee set up by the Farmers' Union Conference to consider the dairying industry, shipping difficulties and the Meat Trust, reported that in its opinion there are geniune grounds for believing othat neither the shipping nor meat control was working satisfactorily. Therefore it made a series of recommendaitons, to be forwarded to the Government of New Zealand, urging it to take into consideration the reforms which the committee considered urgent and essential. The recommendations, inter alia, urge the Government to centralise shipping, to expedite unloading and reloading, at one or two central ports; demands that the Government see that shipping space is apportioned equitably according to the amount of produce awaiting shipment at each port, that all shipping companies trading to New Zealand and plying for freights and passenger traffic should be declared by Statute law to be common carriers; that immediate steps be taken by the Government of New Zealand, either alone or in conjunction with the farmers and mercantile firms of the Dominion, to acquire sufficient ships to relieve the serious shortage for both the intercolonial and Home trade, and at the same time to be the controlling factor in settling freight rates to be charged, and, if necessary, compulsorily acquire some New Zealand trading ships that have been or are being sold to outside companies; that the Government of New Zealand should communicate and endeavour to arrange for the Imperial Government's consent to discontinue the system of nomination at this end, provided for in connection with the sale of meat to the Imperial authorities, as it is mainly beneficiai to such firms as work in conjunction with the meat trusts; that a committee or individual, answerable only to the Imperial Government, should be appointed to control the handling of surplus meat in England; that it would be a fair arrangement, and in the public interest, that payment for meat should be made on the hooks by the Government, as it is probable that .some millions of sheep and lambs will be shut out of freezingworks; that the farmers of the Dominion be recommended to provide as much winter feed as possible; that representations should be made to freezing and dairying companies of New Zea- , land to provide further cold storage [ for butter, cheese and meat.

The Conference adopted all the recommendations. IMPERIAL WOOL PURCHASE WELLINGTON, this day. The Dominion Conference of the Farmers' Union passed resolutions expressing the opinion that the offer of the Imperial Government to purchase next season's wool clip at the same price and on the same terms as last year is satisfactory, hut demanding that the Dominion Government should stipulate that payment must be made for net weight, namely, no draft allowance, also that valuers should adhere strictly to schedule.