FARMERS' UNION

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 281, 24 May 1912, Page 5

FARMERS' UNION

, TARANAKI PROVINCIAL CONI FERENCE. By Telegraph—Press Association. Hawera, Last Night. The annual Taranaki proyijicial conference of the Farmers' ;Uhion took place at Hawera to-day. Mr.' R. Lambia presided. In his opening address he referred to the loss the executive had sustained by the removal from #he district of Mr. J. W. Jones, the president. The meagre way in which the was supported ha.d left it short ofrfunds, but he hoped that in the future it would be better supported. The return of four freehold members to the House wa» gratifying to the union, and it was a, good deal due to the efforts of the union that the freehold was where it was now. He hoped it would not be long before an agricultural college in Taranaki was turning out scientific practical farmers. Although farmers escaped to a great extent from the effects of trades' unionism, interference had sometimes been threatened, and in view of the manner in which labor was organising it behoved all farmers to unite and stand together. In politics the union was, not a party machine, and any political candidate was only asked whether he supported the union's platform, and never asked whether the Government or the Opposition was supported. He referred to the good being done by cow-testing associations. Regarding preference to unionists, he said that he regarded this as iniquitous, and he advocated freedom of contract. ' The following were the principal remits adopted for the Dominion conference:—That the valuation of the Lands Act be so altered as to permit all improvements, of whatever nature, made to the land, and also the,capital value on a five per cent, basis of any special rates paid on such land for reading, etc., being reckoned as improvements; that all native lands shall be placed on the same footing for taxation purposes, both local and general, as land held by Europeans, all lands not required for the natives' own use to be purchased by the Government and leased with the right of purchase; that the Dominion executive be asked to carefully watch any movement in the direction of obtaining an increase of Customs duties on articles required by the farming community, and to protest against such increase. The conference also carried remits urging the Government to encourage, in view of, the scarcity of farm labor, the efforts of those who are making an orgamsed endeavor to bring, suitable labor to New Zealand; the necessity of the Government providing more rolling stock for raihvavs, so as to better provide for the requirements of fanners and the public generally, more especially with reference to the delivery of metal for roads. The conference p<i«m -a. resolution asking branches to instruct their representatives to endenvnr to prevent the Local Government Bill coming into law in its present form. Mr. James Davidson was elected president, Mr. A. Hunter vice-president, mi . Mr. E. Maxwell delegate to the Dominion i conference.