The Fawners' Union.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 163, 14 July 1904, Page 4

The Fawners' Union.

DEPUTATION TO THE PKEMIEK. ill! SEBDO-VS REVLY. A deputation from the Farmers" I nion waited 0 n the Premier to l»v before luiu the recommendations of tho conference, Mr Sudilon Said there was so much to Bay on both sides of the land land tenure question that they had to come to the conclusion of the late Mr Holiest on, who told Parliament, he believed leasehold and freehold should go side by side. It must not be forgotten that far-seeing statesmen had endowed universities, boroughs, harbour boards, churches and educational institutions with down and native lands, and these tenants might lie claimed to be as much tenants of the Crown as those holding directly under the Crown. They must not come to a hasty conclusion where the interests involved were so large, and the proper thing to do under the circumstances was to get the fullest information to put before the people so that thev would bo able to come to a right conclusion, lie hoped Ulc.v would „ 0 t think for a moment that the Government was shirking, its responsibility m the matter. There was no doubt that tenants, even some Crown tenants, did not obtain advances on their improvements with the same freedom as freeholders could. (Hear, hear.) The question was whether something could not be done to place them in as good a position as freeholders. A bill hart already been prepared, under which Parliament would bo asked to give the right to acquire native innds, just as large European estates, under the Land for Settlement Act. An regards giving local bodies more money, he hud for years held that local ladies ought to have greater powers in doalitjg with roads and bridges, leaving only the large questions to be dealt with by the Crown, and raving the latter the cost of .administration.. As to the Government lending departments and the mutual insurance companies, he asked the farmers to furnish him with all information when they were ready to start, and he would submit the particulars to the Ooveriiment lending departments to ascertain if they considered the mutuals a suitable medium of insurance for properties mortgaged by Crown tenant,") to tho State. On tho constitution of land 'hoards tho Premier said he would have no objection to seeing tho members elected by the electors of tho district, who all had an. t)q)ial interest in dealing with the patrimony ot the )>eople. The boards in some cases had been arbitrary. Friction could sometimes be avoided by the exercise of met and fsymimtlty. In regard to' the county franchise he thought the plurality of votes should be modified. We would be neglecti»g a great

opportunity if we remained without un expeiimential dairy station a»d a scientific stafi. Aa to education, Mr •Sottdon sand to carry out the continuation classes and instruction of teachers they would have peripatetic teachers, and the first thing was to ask Parliament to give the neceshury appropriation for the appointment and payment of these'instructors—(hear, hear)—and thoy wanted more of them in the country. As for a council of enducation, he pointed out that he alretody had the counsel of the Inspectors' Conference, the Teachers' Institute and the Parliamentary Committee, but the constitution of a council oi education as ! suggested was worthy of consideration, and if rapiired, he would be most happy to take into his counsels those able to advise him. On the question of labour, legislation, he advised die conference, il it desired representation on the board or court in agricultural disputes, to give evidence on the amendment bill now before the Labour Billn Committee.