FARMERS' UNION.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 January 1917, Page 8

FARMERS' UNION.

TARANAKI EXECUTIVE. The usual month)}' mating oi the executive \va. held in ll'iwcro on. Thursday, when there wore present: Messrs. R. Dunn (chairman)-, K. Maxwell, G. H. Buckeridge, K. Lambie, W Duff, li. Orr, A. E. Washer, 11 Hodge, and J. Swindlohurst. Apologies for absence were received from Messrs. Norn., ami Mackie. THE LABOR DIFFICULri"'.

The Minister of Defence, in eply tD the executive's communication re -he depletion of laboi in connectioji with the primary industries, hoped at-an early date to be in .< position to place before his colleagues •. definite scheme for assisting. PRODUCERS' SHIPPING COMPANY. Tlie Marlborough Farmers' forwarded 3 resolution: "That this executive confirms the desirability of forming a Producers' Shipping Company in N'ew Zealand, and that the president be requested to circularise the Dominion executives of the Farmers' Union, asking their co-operation and support." In explanation of the resolution, they pointed out that the suggestion wa„ that a Producers' Shipping Companay should oe formed, with a capital of £O,OO C,OOO. of which £3,000,000 should be suosenbed, and £1,500,000 paid up. No Jiarea should be allotted _o anyone .no wa9 not a bona-lide producer, aiid that Sir James Wilson should be asked <,o call a conference of deiegaici from each provincial executive in New Zealand.

Tlie Chairman mentioned that j similar project was mooted in faranaki recently, and he was one of a committee appointed to go further into the matter. Five millions "was a big sum to of raising in the Dominion at the present time, and he did not think the/ would get it voluntarily.

Mr. Maxwell moved: "That the Dominion Conference br asked to make this a special subject foi their next meeting—to make it, in fact, the important business of ..he year—and that the executive take such steps with re-ga.-d to the necessary preparatory work as they think fit in connection therewith."

Mr. Bnckeridge was quite convinced that £3.000,000 would be a good sum to start with, but it was not going to be anything like sufijeient for all their requirementts. This control of the shipping of piodbee should br in the producer;' hands until it arrived on the market, but at present it was not. Tf anything was going to be accomplished, it would only be by means of concerted action throughout New Zealand. The motion was carried,

COMMANDEERING OF HIDES. The Chairman explained that he had received a belated communication from the Dominion Secretary, stating that the Government was desirous of obtaining information from the farming community with" regard to a. proposal to commandeer all hides not required for local purposes, or for the military requirements of Australia or Canada. The prices suggested by the Imperial Government were: Foi heavy or medium first quality hides, Is per lb.; for second quality Ud; for light first quality hides, lid; and for -second quality, lOd. This would mean Id or l'/ 2 d lesr than the present export values, and the loss would no doubt be largely directly borne by the freezing companies, but- would be reflected in the reiluced'price paid for stock. The following telegram had been, despatched:- "Communication re hides received too late to call a meeting. To prevent speculation, Government commandeer all hides, at present export values, Government to supply local and Imperial requirements, exporting surplus; Powdrell agrees with this, and my executive will endorse it." The chairman's action was endorsed. AFTER-WAR TRADE. .

' A communication, received from the Auckland provincial executive, discussing the resolutions passed at the recent Paris Conference, submitted some points, for consideration' of other executives. They were:— . (1) In the event of some of the self governing Dominions exercising their undoubted right to reject the recommendations, would not such a .our&e tend to can;, serious distrust amongst th„ Allies? rM, i.laxwell was of opinion tha. every portion of the Empire must b. prepared tp sink individual opinion i. the interest;, of the whple, and U„ moved: "Thai this executive b u opinion that such questions must be decided by a Council of the Empire.' Carried. EXPORT TAX. '

The following- further facts were submitted:— (2) If an export tax is imposed, it would iave to operate against all neutral countries as well as enemy countries, otherwise it?, enforcement would be impossible. (3) In the case of countries like N'ew Zealand, depending for their prosperity almost entirely upon tin production and export of nature, products, would not such a lax do more barm to ourselves tha.. to the enemy countries, seci.. that they would have an adv.:., tage in their trading with mm,., countries? (4) Would not the tendency be i. throw the trade oi -ill ncutr., countries more and more in.. «u Jiands of the enemy? (5) Is it not a fact that in the popular mind an exaggerated idea lias existed as to the amount of traue we did with Germany, and t.na few realised that whereas we imported 12 millions from Grexl Britain, wo only imported £OOO,OOO from Germany, which is ' les* than we imported from Fiji? (G) It an 3xport tax desirable under any conditions?

■Mr. Maxwell moved: ''That the executive is opposed to an export tax for any purpose whatever.'' The mover f.aid that once a system of export tax was introduced, legislators would never give it up, because it would he such an easy system fto operate, and oven if it were proposed «o institute it for any special purpose, it. should he strongly resisted. There .va?, a greater danger of the export tax becoming a single tax than any other system, and the Union would have tot, exert its utmost inliuence to prevent it being made law. The Chairman concurred, and the motion was unanimously carried. With regard to No. (51, 'it was resolved that the executive had not sufficient information to enable 1 them to express an opinion upon that matter. A QUESTION' OF POUCY. Mr. G. H Buckeridge moved the following notice jf motion: "That it be a remit to the next Dominion Conference thai, with a view to the .iropcr safeguarding of tlu interests of the producer- of tin; Dominion, - the time has arrived when they should be. represented by a united body jf members of the House of Representatives, pledged to protect those interests, first of all, and that, in order to promote tli. ■ organisation of such a pa>rty, members of producing institutions he requested to support the movement, and to take any steps that are necessary to originate the *oimation of such a party amongst members no,v in the House."

In moving tlie resolution, Mi. BuckBridge said that if the House was properly constituted, It would have representatives who would study the efiect of the laws upon the country; and, tlilt being so, they would work in concerted action—individual effort \va.. little use. The old savin;,' "Union is strength," was particularly true,in this instance. The Farmers' Union plight (o organise, not as aggressors, but as a protecting force in the interests of the producer;. The Chairman (M.r Dunn) seconded tils' motion. Mr Maxwell was in entire sympathy with Mr. Buekeridge in his feeling, on the matter, but he had been unable to arrive at any set conviction js to the wisdom or otherwise of the move. The question had been brought forward at the Dominion Conference, and had been thrown out, and the .reason given for this .va.3 that the Union was opposed to party politics. He thought, howevei, that tliat- was not the real feeling in' regard to the matter—the real feeling was that there was a doubt that,' by adopting the proposal, whether the Union would not sacrifice more than •it would gain. He was still in doubt as to whether it would not be better to concentrate their endeavors in strengthening the Farmers' Union as a nonparty association than as a political association. After further discussion, the remit was agreed to.—Abridged from Star.