FARMERS' UNION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 22 April 1907, Page 2

FARMERS' UNION.

T.UtAXAKI EXECUTIVE MEETING. The 'l'aranaUi Executive of the Now Zealand Farmers' Unioii was lieid at Uawera ou Thursday last. Present: Messrs Forsyth (president),ia the chair, Maxwell, Lambie Davidson, Thomson, Chapman, Allhuse'n and Jones. The Minister for Labor wrote thanking the Executive for tile kind expressions regarding the Minister's eonduet in respcrt to the late slaughtering strike, saying it was a matter of great satisfaction that the trouble lmd beon terminated. ; Mr J. Virgin, secretary Tarata branch, forwarded £4 4s, provincial and colonial ievy.

The Lincoln road branch forwarded

•C 4 Cla (including ,ti 10s to light the Land Bill) anil Mangorci branch sent 3s.

Jt was reported that ;C2G 13s had been sent to the Colonial Executive from 'this province, and there was now. In hand £!) 18s, with more to come. The remits from the, various branelus to lie considered at the provincial conference during May were dealt ivith, those approved being authorised to be placed on the order paper. The subjects included aspects of the iand question, the abolition of quarantine for blackleg, dairy farm employees and the terms of their engagement'so as to en-

nitre a week's notice of leaving being given, the need for immigration of farm and domestic laborer?, valuation of Maori and European i.inds (to 'the disadvantage of the latter), reduction of

Customs duties on the noe'essartes of life, urging the more expeditious reading of the buck-blocks, objection to the extension of the franchise m the election of local bodies, .special taxation for especially heavy traffic on the roads, favoring a secret ballot system, objecting to the referendum, dealing with taxation and valuation, noxious weeds, and general.

A rather lengthy discussion arose out of n motion of Mr Maxwell's that •tlie West Coast Settlement leasees should l>c given it be option of ojbtaluing the freehold

Mr Maxwell and .Yvs' Lambie strongly supported tlie proposal. Mr Maxwell pointed out that there was a serious discrepancy between rli'e taxation value

of native land lying in Its native state and land just over lite fence which, by hard labor, had been converted from fern into a meadow. Nine-tenths of the real improvement 8 put into Uto land were to he absolutely confiscated unless the riglit of conversion to freehold could be secured.

11l- Davidson and Mr Chapman were just us strongly opposed to the motion. ll> Forsyth opposed the building up of n system of native landlordism. Tlie remit was approval . It was resolved that the Conference l>e held at New Plymouth on Jlny 15 and Hi, to begin at l'l.KO o'clock the ilrst day.

Mr Allhusen pointed out Mint the secretary of the Ashnnrton branch of the Vnion hud written to the Millers' Association, regretting its action in Importing wheat into New Zealand, Mr AllliUsen moved. Thai.- the Colonial Secretary be written tf. asking that the attention of the A>hhurton secretary

e drawn to the rule which forbids proincial interference wi'h colonial nflirs. The moier if 111:' Union ink notvn nt this kitld tllev conld lint liject to labor unions if iliey urged mi, bunts or olh"i' manufactures

should uoi be imported,— Mr Davidson seconded the resolution, which was carried.

Mr .Mlhn-eii mnv-d a of thanks to Mr Hutchinson for redlining eantrOi of his > "e'ieii-pnain for milking machines. end the hope was expressed that lie won!.l continue to do so.—Star.