N.Z. FARMERS' UNION.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 April 1918, Page 3

N.Z. FARMERS' UNION.

PARANAKI EXECUTIVE MEETING. A mooting of the Taranaki Provincial Executive of tlie New Zealand Farmers' Union was held at Hawera >n Thursday. Present—Messrs Dunn (president). A. I!. B. Pierce, 11. Ilodgo, !'\ Mills. If. Sutherland, Cleaver, M. Youllaire, E. A. Washer, B. Orr, .1. 'yviudloliurst, E. Maxwell, J. Lucena, A. T.ambie, R. Hughes, T. Perry. The general manager of the Farmers' Co-operative. Organisation Society, Ltd., v.-rolo invitintr 1 ho delegates to the Provincial Conference in May to a dinner in the Central Dining Rooms. E DUCATIOXAL MATTERS. A circular was received from the New Zealand Educational Institute with regard to the need for improvement in the education system of the Dominion. The Institute asked the executive to pass a resolution in regard to the motion. The president agreed that (here was room for improvement in the educational system of the Dominion, and one of the questions which would have to be considered was in the direction of placing the teachers upon a hotter footing. Mr. Maxwell suggested that as the question was such fin important one it would he as well for a committee 1o be set up to go into the matter and prosent a report, containing suggested improvements in the system, to be presented at the conference. This was agreed to, and the president, secretary,, with Messrs Mills and Maxwell, were appointed the committee. REMITS FOR CONFERENCE. The following remits were received for consideration at the Provincial Conference in May next: Ellham—"That rule 3 be amended, hv adding a new clause as follows: •Persons engaged ill any pursuit which is essential to the primary production of th? Dominion.' Riverlea—(l) "That the Government Enquire inlo the Canadian scheme for settling soldiers on the land, with a view to adopting same: (2) That it ho a recommendation to the Government that the compensation for condemned cattle he so arranged that the owner of the condemned beast, shall receive the fill l half of the value thereof, according to its breeding, ape, and market value: 13) That in view of the fact that the Government commandeers all farm produce, or at any rate fboes the prices thereof, the time has arisen for the Government to step in and prevent the continual, and in many eases unjustifiable, increases in the price of farm and factory requisites; (4) That the time has come for the Union to formulate some scheme, or to get the Government to do so (either by broadening the scope of the Advances to Settlers Act, or in some other way) by Tvhich farmers on partly improved land will bo able to obtain money at a reasonable rate of interest, for terms of, say, five or ten years, for the purpose oF enabling them to immediately complete improvement of their lands, thus bringing them into full production at once, to the benefit of themselves and the community in general by reason of the greater amount of food produced, thus lidding to the wealth" ami prosperity of the whole community, all moneys so advanced to be ear-marked and to be used solely in improving the producing capacity of the land by draining, stumping. and clearing work only." Stratford —(1) "That the Government be urged to give the concession of 100 miles free railway carriage on sea-borne lime as ill the case of lime from works in. proximity to the railway; (2) That the Government be urged to legislate that when stock is found straying on properties the owner of the property be compelled to advertise shell within 21 days: (:il That the Government be urged to legislate that all mortgages at*the end of the war be extended in proportion to the time the mortgage had to run prior to the war at the former rate of interest." Mangatoki—"That it is advisable in the interests of just taxation that the present system of collecting graduated land tax from mortgages be amended in the following manner, viz: 'That, moneys invested in mortgages upon lands be apportioned pro rata upon the improved and unimproved value, the part apportioned upon the improvements to be exempted from taxation, as under the land tax, and the part, apportioned on the unimproved value to pay the same rate of tax in the £ as is paid upon unimproved value free of mortgages'; (2) 'That the Land and Income Tax Act *>e amended in the dileetion of allowing farmers to charge against their income returns sums to be fixed by Parliament-' for the labor done upon farms by wife or children.''' Manaia—"(l) That all A. and P. grounds be exempt from taxation; (2) that the various county eoujicils be urged to erect linger posts at all cross ; roads for the guidance of the travelling public; (3) that the attention of the Government be drawn to the spreading of noxious weeds in Taranaki through the importation of weed-infested seeds, and that more drastic action be taken to prevent sale of impure seeds; (4) that manufacturers and vendors of fertilisers be urged that lime and all manures be packed in 1 cwt bags." Hawera—"(l) That the rules be so altered as to permit of a representative of each branch being on the exjeou-

tive: 121 that iho Government be risked if it contemplates the use of hydro-electric power for (lie production of nitrogen for fertilising purposes; that the Government, when fixing priced of any of the products of the Dominion, at the. same time rcgnhte the eost of material and other matter.! regulating the eost of production." Kaponga—"That, the executive issue a schedule of dates' of meetings of the executive each year, and supply each branch with a cony.'' Otakeho.—"'That the time has arrived when, in the interests of the Dominion, agricultural eo-operative banks should be established in the Dominion. 1 ' Auroa.—"(l) That the Farmers' Cnion do all in its power to induce farmers to go in for growing seed for root crops; (2) that the Government be again urged to promote land settlement; f.'i) that a commission be set up to go into the wiiole matter of taxation, with a view to devising a scheme that will be fair and equitable to all sections of the community." Ngaere—"That land agents should be proficient in drawing up agreements between the buyer and the vendor when applying for & license." The executive also framed the following remits;<"(l) That the executive considers that the weight of lime sacks should be reduced to lewt.; (2) that it is desirable that a discussion take place at the provincial conference on the reason for the influx of country population to the cities; (3) that the Government be -asked! what provision is being made for Taranaki in the proposed hydro-electric power scheme; (4) that the occupiers of national endowment lands bo granted the option of purchasing the freehold of their holdings; (5) that in order to enable purely co-opera-tive companies to permanently maintain the co-operative principle they should have the right to resume their own shares in the same manner as provided in the Dairy Companies Act; (fi) that the Government be urged to push forward afforestation, especially with regard to quick growing trees suitable for the fruit-growing, dairying and farming districts; (7) that the Farmers' Union do its utmost to bring before the people of the Dominion that in order to win the war it is necessary we should be all inspired with pue united determination to each do his or her utmost to bring about, the desired result —a lasting and an honorable peace.'' A committee was set up to revise and classify the remits and to arrange for the preparation of the order paper for the conference. GENERAL. Mr.' Washer was reappointed the executive's delegate to the Taranaki War Relief Association. Mr. Washer said lie understood that the annual meeting of the New Zealand Fertiliser Company was to be held ne\t month, and he thought an endeavor should be made to secure Mr. Maxwell's appointment on this company's director, ate. ' ' It was decided to adopt the. suggestion and endeavor also to secure the return of Mr. J. S. Connett, New d'lymonth, with Mr. Maxwell.,