N.Z. FARMERS' UNION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 194, 20 September 1909, Page 4

N.Z. FARMERS' UNION.

TARANAKI PROVINCIAL EXECUTIVE'

The usual monthly meeting of the Taranaki Provincial Executive of the New Zealand Fanners' Union was Held at Hawcra last week.

The Kaimata branch wrote regretting that the Executive Had found fault with its action- in sending a resolution re the Dreadnought offer direct to tile Premier, and claiming the right to express its' opinion mi all public questions.—Mr. Lanibie proposed that the letter from the Kaimata branch be received and the branch be informed that the Executive, while it would not think of questioning the right of any branch to express an opinion on any subject, would point out that the rules of the Union provide that remits should go through the Provincial and Dominion Executive.—Mr. Davidson seconded the motion, which was carried.

As ii recommendation from the Opulmke branch, Air. Lambic moved: "That as the. present s.vsteni of valuing land for taxation purposes has 1 proved a complete failure, owing to the impossibility of separating the.improved from the unimproved value, this Executive considers a much fairer and much simpler way would be to tax on the annual value, with the same exemptions as money invested in other industries, the actual value to be 5 per cent, of the capital value." In moving the motion, Mr. Lanibie said that m assessing values at the present time a great many of the improvements were lost sight of. The improvements that followed hi the wake of settlement were not by any means confined to the farm. They took the shape of dairy factories, halls, churches, etc. He instanced a ease where the unimproved value of his land had been put down at £ls, and when he had added on his improvements' the value had reached £37, which was much more than the land was worth.—Mr. Forsyth seconded the motion, and' pointed out that the land was bearing more than its share of taxation.—Mr. Maxwell referred to the cry about unearned increment, which was made far too much of so faT as the land was concerned. In other branches of industry there was created, by settlement and the development of the country, unearned increment of, in some casesJ, incalculable value. He had much pleasure in supporting the motion. —Mr. Murray said there was another , side to the question. They could not get away from the fact that there was . an unearned increment in land. If they i watched the tiend of legislation at Home . Whey would see that it was trying to reach the unearned increment by taxa- . lion.—Mr. Virgin thought the motion i was too drastic, and he could not sup- - port it.—The motion was carried, Mr. . Virgin dissenting.—Mr. Maxwell moved: i "That a copy of the resolution bo sent i to each Provincial Executive, and. they i be requsted to have the matter discussed , in the provinces, with a view of having i it thoroughly ventilated before next Do-

minion Conference." —Mr. Bridge seconded the motion, which was carried. Mr. Davidson 1 moved: "That it be a recommendation from this Executive to flip Dominion Executive or the Advisory Hoard to use every endeavor during the coming session of Parliament to have Native lands rated the same as European land*."—Mr. Lambic seconded the motion.—Members generally expressed themselves strongly on the iniquitous position, the Native lands occupied so far as rating is concerned. The motion was carried.