FARMERS' UNION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 52, 22 July 1914, Page 4

FARMERS' UNION.

OPTIMISTIC ADDRESS. BY THE (PRESIDENT, By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, July 21. An optimistic note was struck by Mr. 'Wilson, president of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, in his addresß to the conference, which opened to-day. "No words of mine," he said, "could be so eloquent of the state of the Dominion as the fact in plain figures that our Dominion of 1,000,000 persons has exported 1 £24,000,000 worth of produce." He added that more eloquent still was the fact that out of this, 86 per cent, was the produce of the land; in other words, £•20,400,000 worth of produce over and above that required for New Zealand's own use was extracted from the soil and exported to various countries all over the world to pay the Dominion's debts arid leave a surplus over our exports. The increases in value of the products of this country were:—Mutton increased bv £301,252, lamb by £723,602, beef 'by' £115,028, butter by £83.304, cheese by £338,'094, and hides and tallow by about £150,000. Curiously enough prosperous times did not seem to make for contentment. One would naturally suppose that in times of plenty all would be so intent upon "raking in dollars" that they would not have time for discontent, "but," added Mr. Wilson, "we are not allowed this privilege. Grievances are manufactured and profitable occupation follows in the spreading 6f them', so that we must just accept the position much as we have to do in case of various parasites in our ordinary avocations. Unfortunately no "dip" has been yet found to effectually deal with the human "kind."

YESTERDAY'S DECISIONS. Wellington, Last Night.fi The New Zealand Farmers' Union Conference adopted the fo'lowing remits:— iLAND VALUES. That the Conference protests against the present system »f land valuation, because the unimproved value is forced up at the expense o* improvements, and in valuing sufficient allowance is not made for costs and loss of revenue incurred in preparing land for cultivation; that the Government amend the Valuation Act, in the direction of having the whole of special loans classed as improvements, a deduction of the repaid portion only being allowed to each, and the property owner's share to 'be ascertained by capitalising the special rate paid; that as the present method of valuation is unsatisfactory, the local body should foe empowered to appoint a man to act with the Government land valuer; that the mortgage tax be amended so that it will be on the same basis as income tax. RECIPROCAL TRADE.

That the attention of the Government be drawn to the desirableness of encouraging reciprocity within the Empire. NATIVE LANES. That on and after March 31 of' each year the Registrar of Native Lands be notified of all rates remaining unpaid to each local body, and that the unpaid rate constitute a legal charge upon the native land, and statutory power be given to register the amount against the land. # . . The Conference to-night discussed the treasurer's repprt in committee, and resumes its open sitting to-morrow.