THE FARMERS' PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 95, 18 May 1909, Page 4

THE FARMERS' PARLIAMENT.

SUBJECTS TO BE DISCUSSED. Following arc the remits ndm the various branches which are set uowh tor discussion at the animal Taranaki .Provincial Conference of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, which sits at Slratfo'td on .lath May:— ' RAILWAY FACILITIES. Pafea.—Tiiat in view of the serious loss and inconvenience caused to settlers during the last two months owing tt shortage of trucks to take away fat stock, the Railway Department be urgJd to provide improved facilities before next season. SPEED OF MOTOR CARS. Tarata.—That ibis conference is of opinion that the time ha 6 arrived when some action should ;be taken to regulalc the speed of motor cars for the safety of the travelling public. PURCHASE OF PRIVATE ESTATES. Opunake.—That while there is so much waste land in New Zealand (both Crown and Native) awaiting Settlement, this branch of file New Zealand Farmers' Union considers it worse than folly continuing borrowing'in the foreign market to purchase improved private estates for the purpose of leasing to settlers; the Oovernment acting as agent for the money-lender in collecting the rents to pay interest on the borrowed money thereby creating a gigantic system 011 absentee landlordism that must ultimately prove disastrous' to the Dominion. UNIMPROVED VALUE. Opunakc.—That .the present system of taxing farmers on the so-called unimproved value of their holding is unfair and out of proportion to the way in which capital invested in other industries is taxed. This Conference considers the present land-tax should be abolished and that farmers should pay cither on their income or on the capital value of their land.

Xgaire. That this Conference emphatically protests against the continued increase being made by tlie G'jvernmeiit Valuation Department on the unimproved value of tlie rural lands of the Dominion.

Executive.—That the system of valuing on the so-called unimproved value should be amended. POLITICAL REPRESENTATION. Stratford.—That the Executive in future advise branches privately of tin persons they think the most suitable to represent farmers in Parliament. NOXIOUS WEEDS. Warea.—That the Conference considers it urgently necessary that the Noxious Weeds Act should be carried out more effectively, as blackberries and ragwort in particular are spreading at an alarming rate and becoming a menace to the prosperity of the district. OPUNAKE RAILWAY'. Matapu. That the Government be urgently requested to construct the Opunake railway. SECRECY OF THE BALLOT. lAwatmiii.—That it is desirable in tlKi interests of the secrecy of the ballot that the marking of voting-papers by numbering or otherwise be done away with so as to obtain an absolutely secret ballot.

DEFENCE. Kaimata.—That thia Conference fully endorses the action of the Premier, Sir Joseph Ward, in offering a Dreadnought to the British Government, for the reason that being prepared for -war is the best means to avert it. Executive.—That the Conference is in favor of universal compulsory military training. DAIRY INSPECTION. Xgaire —That dairy herds 1)o more frequently inspected bv qualified men. PREFERENCE TO UNIONISTS. Executive. —That the Conference approves of the resolution of the Employers' Federation on the question of preference to unionists. RAILWAYS. Warea.—That the Conference protests against the present method of working the railways at U loss, as it k a great injustice to those districts having to pay taxes for that purpose, but who are not in u position to receive any benefit from the working of thcin. MANORIAL EXPERIMENTS. Eltham.—That the Conference strongly urges all branches in the Taranaki province to carry Out experiments to find out the best manure or manures for top-dressing grass' pastures. FARM SERVANTS AS MEMBERS. Executive.—That farm servants be admitted to tlie Union at half the ordinary subscription. FASTENINGS AT RAILWAY GATES. Executive—That the Government be asked to provide a more suitable fastening for gates at station yards and private crossings.