FARMERS IN CONFERENCE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 158, 29 July 1909, Page 2

FARMERS IN CONFERENCE

VARIOUS TARANAKI RESOLUTIONS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Wednesday. The limners 1 Union Conference resumed to-day. The following motion of the Taranaki delegates was curried by ' 13 to 0, after considerable discussion:— "That while there is so mucli waste land in New Zealand (both Crown and Native) awaiting settlement, this conference considers it inadvisable to continue borrowing money in the foreign market for the purchase of private estates, while by the sale of Crowli Lands sufficient money 'could Iw procured lor the settlement of Crown and Native lauds under tie Lands for Settlement Act."

A motion was carried that a petition be presented to Parliament embodying the resolution passed by the conferenc in regard to opening up Native lands and that an advisory committee be empowered to select witnesses to give evidence before the Parliamentary committee of the House to show what was being done in regard to embodying tiie ell'ect of the resolution in an Act of Parliament. Mr. V.. Maxwell (Taranaki) moved, ''That the present system of taxing farmers upon the so-called unimproved value of their holdings is unfair and out of proportion to tlie way in winch tiio capital invested in other industri.s is taxed, and this conference considers the present land tax should be alioiished and that farmers should pa,\ either on their income or on the annual value of their land." Captain Bell seconded the motion. The President thoiignt the motion was out of order. It proposed to nltc; the whole system of taxation and hud not been considered by the branches. Mr. J. M'Queen (Southland) said the motion would oulv land farmers in another dill'icultv.' They should go straight for taxation on the capital value.

.Mr. E. Campbell (Wanganui) said the present system was a better one than that -proposed. There was a chance of improving the present system, but there was no hope of sweep ing it away. The motion was lost by 13 votes to 7. Wellington, Last Night. The Dominion Conference resolved to petition -Parliament in terms of the conference's resolutions in regard to the opening up 0 f native lands and land valuation. It ivas resolved:— That the Government should share the responsibility of fencing iniieascd and reserved Crown lands adjoining settlers'.

That the Government be requested to discontinue requiring owners to furnish returns of land values, as they appear to be quite valueless.

That imported timber should be admitted duty free and no dill'ercntial rate should be made in rail carriage between New Zealand-grown and imported timber.

That immediate steps be taken to make the fifth plank of the Union's platform cll'eolivc, namely, that taxation through Customs should be for purposes of raising revenue, not for protective purposes.

That this Conference protests in the strongest possible manner against a Ministerial position being allotted to a ""■iiiber of the House who is not responawe to a European constituency. That the Conference endorses Sir Joseph Ward's action i n oll'erin" a Dreadnought to the .Mother Country realising that self-help is the first principle of the safety for the people and considers it a cheap insurance for the safe transmit of the products of the Dominion to the markets of the world. Hint while there is so much waste laud m New Zealand (both Crown and native) awaiting .settlement, this Conference considers it inadvisable to con-i-'nue borrowing money in the foreign market for the purchase of private estates while by the sale of Crown lands siillicieut money could be procured for the settlement of Crown and native lands under the Lands for Settlement Act.

That no sehomo for military Irainin" will lip satisfactory until we have con" pnl.sory sen-ice throughout the Dominion and the I moil recommend tliat tlio sum promised liy the Dominion for ~ Dreadnought, stmiflliiiiir approaching x.i,()UO ■ (Kill, lie. jiaid within the next two years. That this conference bring under the notice of tin. (iovi-rnmeiit the injustice "»hi- liy imposing taxation on "i-uwlii" Hax. on

Unit the conference reall'irin tin. .necessity for doing away with the present system of construction of public works |,y day or co-operative lalior, a-nl that all such works should li 0 let l,v contniet as being- the cheapest anil best method.

'J'hiil iusuhdi.il v ans s ], oll | ( i ]„, S nj,|,|j p< [ f"r~lhe transit of butler, etc., by rail. Tlint more trucks for the carriage of cattle should |, O jnovi<lo<|. " That sheep trucks should be supplied with grating battens. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. Mr. J. G. Wilson was re-elected president; Mr. 0. \y. Leadler (Asa-, burton), vice-president; Mr. A.'K. Kiissell, treasurer! Messrs. J. C. Cooper. \\\ 0. Birch, D. McGregor, junr., and 11. J. Rieliards an advisory committee.