N.Z. FARMERS' UNION

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 220, 23 January 1911, Page 7

N.Z. FARMERS' UNION

TARAXAKI PROVINCIAL EXECUTIVE. Tim monthly meeting of the Tainnaki Provincial Executive of the Xew Zealand farmers' Union was held at Hawera on Thursday, in attendance were Messrs .1. Davidson (chairman), K. Maxwell, 11, U. Sergei, W. Cleaver, J. Thomson, A. Allhusen, E. Marfell, W. Rog,?rs, A. Hunter, and J. F>. Sim (secretary). Leave of absence was granted to Messrs J. W. Jones (chairman), Lambeth, Preece, Forsyth and Virgin.

CORRESPONDENCE. The Dominion secretary of the Farmers' Union forwarded copies of the report published by Mr. W. D. Lysnar, of tiisborne, on the handling of Xew Zealand meat in London.

The secretary also wrote in reference to transfer of membership from one branch to another, stating that this question was laid before the advisory committee at its last meeting, and he was instructed to intimate that an addition to any rule could only be made by the Dominion Conference. According to Rule 21! n ew rules had to be submitted to all Provincial Executives not less than thirty days prior to the annual conference. He would, therefore, with the Taranaki Executive's consent, accept their resolution as a remit for the next Dominion conference.

The same secretary enclosed a draft proposal submitted by the Auckland Executive -in regard to the formation of a Farmers' Party; also the proposal re the formation of a land and estate agency from the Taranaki Executive. —Mr. Maxwell, ivs one who had attended Dominion Conference, said the question had been up the last two or three years, but the whole trouble had been the vagueness of it. Apparently the proposal had now been put down on clear lines. He moved that consideration be held over until next meeting, so that members could go thoroughly into the matter.—Mr. Sergei seconded, and the motion was adopted.—ln reply to a query, the secretary said the land agency question was still in the hands of the Dominion Executive.

Mr. J. f). Wilson (president of the New Zealand Farmers' Union) supplied some details asked for by >tlic Executive in connection with an agreement made between the Parliamentary Tariff Committee of the House, the agricultural manufacturers, and the representatives of the Farmers' Union. —The secretary said he had looked up the Act and there was no material point that was not mentioned. —Mr. Marfell believed there was one effect of the arrangement, and a peculiar one in that the agents, particularly for American implements, were able to make a'bigger profit than previously. —In reply to the chairman, Mr. Marfell said ho had only hearsay evidence as to proof of what he had stated. The agents said ttie business was now worth doing; previously there was nothing in it.—Mr. Marfell said he had no definite information to put forward, but he feit convinced that farmers were not deriving any. benefit, but the opposite. Open competition would be much better for the farmers. Before they took any further action in the matter he thought they should ascertain from Mr. Wilson whether the farmers' representatives at the Conference got what they desired for • the Union. It may have been that they had to give in to the majority. Mr. Thomson mentioned hearsay evidence to the effect that agents got more profit than formerly.—On the motion of Messrs Maxwell and Hunter it was decided to ask Mr. Wilson whether the arrangement adopted was considered beneficial to the farming community.

The Domiiiiinn secretary ako advised tilat a small number of replies had been received in regard to remits referred hack to branches. On the land valuation question (he Advisory Committee considered that the replies indicated that the Union was in favor of the present system of valuation provided that a more equitable method of arriving at the unimproved value lie adopted: (1:) By the appointment of representatives of the farmer in each district to assess the valuations along with the Government Valuer; (•>) by a more liberal allowance for improvements, adding, say, 20 per cent, to visible improvements, and deducting from capital value. A large majority of branches favored the Government being requested to enact that Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards receive all auctioneers' and pub-lic-house licenses. Similarly, there was a large majority who considered it necessary in the interests of both wool-growers ami hums that all owners of 1000 sheep or more should have a registered brand. As regards bind settlement, the replica were unanimously in favor of the optional system, and on the question of organisation most, of the replies favored the provinces attending to their own particular districts.

UXRAWFACTORY COXWTTOXS FOB. LAX!) The Publi,- Trustee notified receipt of letter from the Executive re Parihaka lands.

Mr. Maxwell thought the matter should have some notice. He thought it a .serious thing indeed that the Public Trustee should impose conditions that were manifestly unjust, it was most improper that" a public ollicer should he allowed to do this, lie was quite certain that if anyone else attempted it there would dc a' howl about it. Such action waagainst all ideas of land settlement now. "Following is the resolution forwarded: '•That the Executive greatly regrets that the Public Trustee cannot see his way to alter the conditions so as to allow a more reasonable amount for improvements, and whilst noting his remark that an increase miirht unduly burden the reversion, the Executive cannot see that that justifies the greater portion of the lessee's necessary improvements being confiscated."

The chairman suggested tliat the | Public Trustee be again asked what he purposed to do in the matter. ■Mr. Maxwell said that the public ha I endorsed the Executive's opinion by only applying for (wo sections. Mr. Allhuscu remarked that the interview with the Public Trustee which had been published in the papers showed that it was intended to reduce the prices. Mr. Maxwell said that it was not the price but the conditions that were at fault, People in the district were entirely in agreement with the action of the union. " The only point was that the case had been altogether under-stated. The Public Trustee had said to his interviewer that the people who held the adjoining lands would take up the sections and not erect buildings. This was quite l contrary to the (lovcrnmenl's idea of occupation. He referred to the expense of bushfelling. grassing and fencing of the land in question, and described the position as a gross injustice. Mr. Mart'ell moved the following re- [ solution:—"That this Executive desires to call the attention of (he Public Trustee to the fact that a verv small proportion of the sections on the Xewall run M'iiriliaka) are taken tip, which, in view of the continued land hunger, can onlv be accounted for by the unsuitable conditions and would again ask th:it tlt-se conditions be modified in the direction previously asked by the Executive."— Mr. Rogers seconded and the motion was adopted. The secretary was also instructed to point out that in the Executive's opinion the principle of opening up lands should not be to exact the utmost from tenants.

DAIRY STUD BOOK.

Mr. Maxwell made reference to a resolution passed at the last Provincial Conference in connection with the establishment of a dairy stud book. He understood that through some misunderstanding tli? question had not gone any further, but lie thought something should lie done. It was an important matter to thi! dairy people. Uy the careful rearing of hulls it would mean thousands of pounds to the dairymen of th:>. district. People paid a great deal of attention to the buying of heifers that were supposed to be good, hut did not give nearly as much attention to the milking pedigree of the bulls. The practice was to buy anything that would get the cows in calf. He hoped the question would be kept prominent, and then some action would he taken. He would move:

That the resolution adopted at last Conference in reference to the establishment of a stud book he forwarded to the A. and P. associations in Taranaki with a request that they give it consideration.

Mr. Thomson thought the work was entirely one for agricultural societies. Mr. Hunter regarded this question as the most important of anything they could consider in this part of the country. He pointed oqt that there would be a difficulty in working satisfactorily with each separate breed society. There should be good organisation behind such a movement so that records could be kept very carefully. He instanced the methods following in the past of breeding animals for show standards that were of no use for milking purposes. The breed societies in other countries had done a lot of good by working a scheme of the kind proposed. The resolution was carried.

'Following is the remit dealt with at the last Taranaki Provincial Conference: "That in conjunction with the testing of dairy stock for stud purposes a herd book be kept and stock eligible to be placed therein shall be cows giving not less thiin 3001bs of butter-fat for the season; hulls whose dam and great-dam on the sire's side have produced 3001bs butter-fat for tile- season." The chairman thought the matter should be dealt with by by the A. and P. societies. He went on to show that the average dairy farmer was not anxious to purchase purebred bulls. Mr.'Maxwell pointed out that giving effect to the resolution would lie a good beginning towards improving the standard of dairy stock. GEXERAL. The conditions drawn up by the committee in connection with the prize essay on the Union's achievements were approved—Hawera Star. i