FARMERS UNION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 305, 19 May 1911, Page 3

FARMERS UNION.

(<Vn;inui"l from page 2.) • : indn-li/. Thr unii'iprovoil v:ilno c. ;- purely imaginary, an i liow Could il : .■ ,-'\.>i| • I- va ■■ ijuiic impossible for .1 nun lii arrive al ilic miiisi |»rov«>cl value nt iin old improvoiL holding. All ihai i-Diilil lit' said was tliat tlie amount laxi'il was what was left after substracliiig tlif ; .iiniiiil of Hie visible improvcmraU from tin- capital value 1 . On a proju-i-Jy worked and farmed property the visible improvements were only a very small proportion of Ilic actual improvenicn!eU'eeted. The eareless farmer, of course, liatl nearly all bis improvements in sight, in the shape of fences and buildings. Dealing witli tho improvements outside tlie farm, Mr. Maxwell said that ,Cl an acre might easily be more than the present unimproved value of land in Ihe back-blocks, ten miles from any road. Hut could they estimate the unimproved value of the same property when served by good metal roads, railroads, and so on? He emphasised that the capital invested in other industries paid incometax on profits only, but the farmer had, to pay (he land-tax even if the farm were rim for the year at a loss. That alone was a great injustice, for many fanners had lived many years and netted nothing, only building up mortgages on their land.

Mr. Virgin (Tarata) opposed the motion, lie complained that Mr. Lambie's argument dealt only with land, and thus made the comparison with other industries unfair, for there was no such exemption there. The farmer was a great deal better off than some of the speakers seemed to think, and it would have been better had the remit never been brought forward, or the matter discussed.

.Mr. .las. Thomson (Ngaere) considered Hie million one in the rifrht. direction, contending that gradually improvements were dwindling to vanishing point. The vnluvrs. often men who had made a failure of funning, look no trouble in arring at the unimproved value. Mr. A. Voullaire. (Riverlca) asked how many fanners had £,IOO clear from an investment of .C(!000 in land. No man intcresleil in other industries would lie satisfied with such an income, which was al the rate of 5 per cent, on capital invested. The it in:i ivas carried. xoxious \tf;va)s. Mr. Swiiidlehiir.it (Eltliam) movct, and Mr. Swelling seconded, the remit, - "That in comparatively clean districts the N'oxiou- Weeds Act, he more rigorously enforced." -Carried. AITTKi'XKKnS' COMMISSION'S. Mr. Gray (Lowgarth) moved, and Mr. t-iwadling seconded ~"Tha I this Conference protests against auctioneers dicriminating between dry stork, the ,'i oer cent, commission charged for dairy srvk being excessive."

The president pointed out thai i lie a,lt ' ti "" '- ""ere largely responsible for financing dairvmen. lie said that at the dairy herd -ales perhaps thirty'or more clients were waiting to see the auctioneers, waiting to lie financed, and there was much hook-keeping an«l trouble of one sort and another before that sale was quite finished up. Drv stock sales were on a totally different'and less difficult footing Tn some other parts the commission charged was far heavier than here. At Addiugfon. for instance, yarding fees at (id a head were charged! sale or no sale; here there were none. Several other points were mentioned bv the president as showjng that Hie auctioneers were not on such a "good wicket" as seemed lo he believed. Again, arrangements were bcine made to reduce commissions eh.irgcd for selling sprin«in<> heifers in line-. " '"

Mr. Kor-uh opposed the remit. _ Mr. Virgin s „i,l the higher rale of •"> per cent, wa- charged "only on >ingle animal-, or in twos, and the auctioneer was entitled to it.

Mr. Maxwell said the auctioneers might remove the discrimination bv making the charge of ii per cent, all round Mr. Maxwell slid that the Union had been instrumental in reducing the commission to the present rate? ft was quite unfair, though, to charge higher commission on account of financing which should he a separate business. And, too, many of the auctioneers' bisgest losses recently were in the eases of men dealing in calves and drv stock. The remit was carried. RAILWAY CIIAKCES.

Mr. Virgin (Tarata) moved--"Tliat lliis Conference enters a„ emphatic protest against, ilii* system now in vo"iie on tlie New Zealand raihvav.s whereby two or more fanners taking sheep (rams for instance) from one station to any onj destination, cannot combine together to hire a truck or trucks and send them as one consignment; and would ui"c the Dominion Incentive to brum tlio ma tier to the notice of (he Minister for Hailways, for his favorable consideration" Jlc stated that at Wanganni recently he had hired a truck to send rams to lug ewood. ft was not full, and another Inglewood farmer's sheep were put in the truck, and the second man was char*, ed at the individual rate for traveling in his truck. Then the Department re" fused to allow him to add seven more rams to the truck at .Uauulalii. The prcsideui said the ranis should have- been -'pooled" in the name of one : man. and nothing said about it. The remit passed. OI'I'NAKK RAILWAY. Mr. Hunter (llaweral moved, and Mr. Kwadling seconded—■'•That in view or the heavy and growing Ira flip on the. county roads in South Taraiiaki, this Conference would urge upon the (!o- j verument the curly construction of the | Opunakc railway, so as to relieve the settlers of the excessive burden imposed upon them in Hie upkeep of the roads; through the 101 l yales and heavy rating." The speakers referred to the excessive cost of loading in the locality, and the certainty that the line would pay.

It «T>s agreed not to raise the question of route, it being recognised that the railway would be of great benefit to the district, wherever .constructed. Mr. Dunn moved an amendment lo urge the fiovernment to borrow sullicient money to build the Opunakc branch and other necessary branches. Mr. .r. Conaglen seconded the amendment, which \\js lost, anil the motion was carried.

COWTKXTIXG. Tin' Conference- adopted without <liscnssion Ihi' remit of the Kit ham branch —"That this Conference considers that cow-lcstina' should lie more widclv practised." KARA! IiAHOHKRS Afr. Ilixlfro (I'aloa) moved that the. Government lie a-ked to encourage sonic scdieme wherein suitable youths from 13 to IS year- of a;je could lie helped to c c from Great l'rifain to Xew Zealand as farm laborers. After much discussion the remit was amended and passed in the following form:—"That, the Government he asked I i cni-nuraae oiri" scheme such as Mr. Sedgwick's, wlienbv -uilablc \oiilli.- can In- helped to conn from Great liritain to Xew Zealand as farm servants, it having been shown tint the farming industry has been jjroatly hampered by the; dearth of suitable labor." PASTEURISATION. Mr. Swiridlchurst Kltham) moved, and Mr. Maxwell seconded—"That the pas-

[ means m >.|,ii-. : ; ■,.■ ■;■ i.Mi. 1 '.:■ I-;, u.••■■.• in pi'.'-! and c'l'. i) ;..!:::.; u:ni ... I l.il lIU llil.l ji.l.Uli 111,':-. .\!r. S\v...|i:iri- -aid ;iial in his di-ir/V I uupi'-ivLcui-i-rd ,-kini milk was giving i>.'tlev re-whs lliiin the pasteurised mill;. The Iroiildc was I linl there was too much !il;h i;:i sunn, of I he I'arnis. and t"o iinle f 1.1.-j.ielioii. Some ill' l|ie fanners -reined lo 'iiiiuk I hat pasteurised milk could he put iin vv. in re. in any dirty can- or :! mi'jlis. !•'.•.<[ in any -uiTouiidi:!g-. and \!r. ihrnu-v said lite i-;periini nt- by lln- Aoiienjtn-'; ! i) ])artiiieiit. as -el, nut ill llie F.ir.il'.•,••.'■.!■i:ini;il pilblislied by the Iteparlincill. .u ,e most ennelnsive. Mr. <'oiii" iee. also .supported the remit, iiml -a'- 1 ■ ie experience of pasteur-iv-i I»tr whey ; : Auroa was very satisfactory. Mr. li. T. Williams opposed the remit, urging that the ease for compulsory pasteurisation had not .jpcii made out. In the first phiee, it wmild cause a good deal of expense to dairy companies. But dirty surroundings, starvation and exposure had more than skim-milt; ;o >'n with the spread of tuberctiloMs. \'.-i pasteurised milk would remain pure if it were taken home and tipped into a barrel or some other utensil that had not, seen water for a couple of years or so. He knew of cows that were often ! left, standing in saleynrds whilst a eold ] southerly gale was blowing, for eight | or nine hours. Then they would be driven for some miles, and placed into a corner of a so-called accommodation paddock, with six barbed wires for shelter. Tf they treated 18-monlhs-old cattle like that ''something must so inside.'' Mr. Maxwell: Unfortunately, nothing goes inside. (Laughter).

Mr. Connglen said tlic Danes had proved pasteurisation to be effective ami necessary, anil (lie Danes had been longer in (lie bnsinoss than New Zealanders. and had made a success of it. Mi'. Lanihic said that if the herds were clean (here would be no need for pas(.i>iirisin<r skim-milk. Mr. Maxwell: But if there's one cow un.-omid vein make all the in'"; unsound. Mr. Umbie: Well, she n.-rsi he rc.it our.

Mr. Marl'ell considered tlie time was not ripe fur this compulsion, and pn=-(curi-ation had not been proved.

The ii!-i---i ?. -)'. >•■••„> ■ : i-iirl'-al ii.n was a j. v-ved -ucccs's,. i;o| niiiy in reducing morlaliiv from tuberculosis, but in adding In the feed value of skim-milk and whey. Of course, starvation and exposure had much to do with it. Killin? "IV infected cat tie was uracil, he said, but b\- the time she was found mil she had done her mischief liv her skim-milk lieinir fed to calves. Were 'tier milk pasteurised, there would be no (limner of it. lie thought it was "up to" the fanners In help the Department in tliilnatlc,-. The remit was carried by 13 lo CI. KLKCTION* OF OFFICERS. Ollicers were elected as follows: - President. Mr. 7. W. Jones re-elected I: vicepresident. Mr. Davidson; treasurer. Mr. Thomson; auditor. Mr. A. Yoiillaire; delegates to the Dominion Conference, the president and Mr. E. Maxwell; executive. Messrs AV. Tinier*. L. I.ambie. E. Maxwell. E. Marfeli. S. Forsyth.' YY. (Scaver. Hunter. Dunn. SwimllchiirsV flrav. Virgin, (i. Prccce, 1!. Williams, rnullaii'c. and president, vice-president, treasurer and auditor, ex officio. IWPJJAMENTARY CAXDIDATF.S.

•Mr. Coiiajrlen moved, and MniClnaver seconded, lliat the questions to he submitted (o Parliamenta'rv candidates be re-lrieted Lo--(l) Freehold' for land leiiurc: (2) tariff for revenue purposes only: and (.'!) freedom of contracl.

There \v:is n good deal of discu —ion. and eventually 'mi amendment liv Mr -M" S il-ft-11. Hint candidates failing lii' L mr pledges In support these tliree'nue-iiou-in Parliament lie not supported In the Farmers' ["iiion. was curried. IN'SCKAXCF..

The Conference adopted tlie Opnnake remii that. individuals who may have a I'.overnmcnt mortgage oyer thcii pruiicrlies have Hie right to insure iii anv reputalile office. Mr. Maxwell iminieii out that this matter considerably allVcted' Ihe Fanner-' Mutual Fire ' Insurance si-lu-me. The Cnvomment made it a linn condition that borrowers from the State. Department must insure with the State. a_ condition which was not. absolutely insisted upon anywhere else, and which was not. a proper condition, and militated against the splendid henelils conferred on the fa mi ini; comiminitv bv the syslem of State advances. Messrs Dunn and Maxwell stated that the condition was not existent in some of the State lending departments. MANTJtIXO KXI'KUfMEXTS. In speaking to the remit urging branches to experiment with manure-, erops and fodders. Mr. 1). S. Maxwell said the Toko branch had conducted several experiments and rout-growing competitions, gaining much knowledge and many members as a result. The remit was passed. THE AXXL'AI, SLIJSCItiI'TIUX.

The Opnnake remit, "That (hi.- Conference is favorable to having the anuuai subscription throughout the Dominion raised to ,ijl," caused some discussion. The mover (Mr. .). Conngleu.) -aid that. •'Veil I hen the subscription Would be lower than thai of any organisation in the Dominion, a,id if the fanner- could not pay £1 a year the sooner the I'iiion pa-sed out of existence the better. Mr. Lanibic said it was a disgrace that die fanners, who claimed to I -be backbone of the country," should nut have money to carry on its bii-ine-. but members had to make private contributions (o (he fund-, for year- the delegale- to provincial and Dominion conferences had been paid no expenses, -, n ,[ t | n . branches would have to wake up ami "do the thing properly or leave it alone, and not make a fool of it."

Aii amendment was moved that the ■■nibseription bo ten Hhillimrs There wen' several speeches fur and a»:unst, Mr. Cleaver clct]:iiinjr emphatically that to raise the fee to l'l u,,u!d pei'lmp- tlie -,Miiicr the better." About 7 s l«l would lie best, for that would pav Hie Dominion and provincial levies anil ieaw a shilling for the branch. Mr. Maxwell didn't know whether it «" ; ll'l be holler to "raise it and bust the Rb.i'.v." ~r to re.lo.ee it by half and eel move members. mi,-. 'i'be president said Jul .other the si i!e M-riptinn fee <„■ the total niember-hip wnehl have to he maloriallv inerca.e.l. fl looked as if the delotratos'wmild have to e<i down lo ihe \,. w Zealand I '.infer-oni-e and plead poverty as mi excuse for non-pa.yinont „f the Dominion levies. Before now these fees had been paid by the ' bank on the treasurer's priiini-siirv'note, and it wasn't fair to lli.ise who were working the 'Union affaire that they should have to do this, besides paying their own travelling expeu.e^. The amendment was carried, hut was defeated by a fiirl.her amei|idmeni "Thai, the Conference express no opinion on (.he matter." POLITICAL PHOTKCTIOX KKDI-'i; \- TION. The exeeiilive withdrew the remit-' | ''That this Ginfciciieo is in full

will: Hi- olre.l.- ■■■: .'a- Farmer.-' Political i"o:.■.■:'■ .; I', A ' •:.. ;■,.'!■! cm.! uses its ; i■'!•:■:" '■ ':km .s. i'.; U: !.,■(■■■.■. .■, . .' aba!. l,nwgarth. '< !- . be t i.abavnce recommend the i-M'.--'ne ;li : , .; ihe bal-ance-sheet io ai! branches b: lane for discussion before ;iie annual conference. —Carried. T.uaia. T'i. I '' '- I '■.:: i'.-v. n-c draw the allenlion of i'ic Hovernnieiit Io the fact ibai a S.'.i-.: • number of -(anions are leaving tbi. i)■ n::;i:i<i ;! for the Commonwealth of .V.,-',in'.in. lb <;t .vhich niiisl. In- eertilicd as being ti'i" from heredilan disia-c-. while stallions that are rejected are allowed to travel the country and eventually have a deteriorating effect on horses. Carried. Toko. That Ihe (.'overnment be urged to lake immediate steps to abolish the extra charge made on imported timbers carried on the New Zealand rail-I ways, particularly in reference to hardwood timbers, which, are largely used by local bodies.—Carried. [."poll the motion of the president, a vote nf thanks was accorded the Tress and a similar compliment to the president, including a warm eulogy for lot services to the Union and to the farmers of the district, concluded me business.