FARMERS' UNION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 294, 6 May 1911, Page 5

FARMERS' UNION.

THE OTAGO CONFERENCE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Dunedin, Last Night. The annual meeting of the Otago biaiich of the Farmers' Union was held to-day. The chairman advocated an expenditure.of ii 100,<KK> annually on treeplanting, referring especially to Central Otago. Touching on the immigration qusction, he saiu that unless tliev populated the country with the white race they could not expect to keep it with the millions at their doors, ou tne northern side. Remits as follows were adopted:— Crookston branch—That while appreciating what had been done in the alteration of the Crown Suits Law, the Union feels that the State should be put on the same footing as private employers in compensation claims. Kaitangata branch—That the Union endeavor to have stock sold by liveweight, this being in the opinion of vendors the fairest method. The following remits were also adopted:—Seeing that the Government cannot see its way to cut the Canadian thistles on Crown lands adjoining private property, thistles be taken out of the first schedule of the Noxious Weeds Act; that the Conference supports the (iisborne and other executives in their endeavors to have the present unsatisfactory system of handling New Zealand produce in England altered; that while the Union should advocate that lessees of the 999 yeare' leases should hare the right of purchase at the original value, all other leaseholders should have tnat right only on payment of the present market value. FIRE INSURANCE SCHEME. At the annual meeting of the Farmers' Union Fire Insurance Association, the chairman, in moving the adoption of the annuat report, stated that the total amount of insurance was now £152,060. The directors recommended the reduction of rates on some risks, and also that a proportion should be reinsured. The increase of business since \ the last annual meeting was The retiring directors were re-elected.