FARMERS IN CONFERENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 May 1918, Page 5

FARMERS IN CONFERENCE.

- PiRBSTDIgKma. ATmwriqßpf. By Telegraph.—Press -Assoetetian. Wellington, May 28. Tile IVovincial Earners' Onion coS-i' ference opened to-day- A large monies of delegates were present. Mr. Marshall, ipxsident, in his pddreßß,, dealt with maifctters of importance, to Sid' farming community, the Dominion's part in the war, the' cost of living, Second Division demands, and other tdpicß flf general interest in connection with thtf war situation. He expressed Ittle sympathy with/'liie Second Division's demands, urgpd farmers to do their utmost to malke tits land as productive as possible ctaring tike' war period. tie believed the go-sltwr policy of trade unions was refiHy tfaei greatest cause of the increase jxl tboMool&< of living. The following motions were caorieds—* "That a committee be set up to a motion re the purchase of lan* &xit returned soldiers, the committee to caau prise Messrs Stuaift, Moea, TMfaHiima.. Douglas, and Union assures the Premier that tile jjkw dncers will support tie Government carrying into effect measures w&icfc tW government may deem necessary to ttt&ei in sending additional reinforcements toj help the Empire at this critical tirne^ MAOTEBTOIT KBSQED33IONS. . Masteries), Taafc "ffigtrt. The Banners' Union Provincial Otni-r ference carried the following remits thy afternoon:—That, owing to the approaching shortage of white pina, thid Government ibe uiged to control' white pine forests, with a view to tf» < protection of the butter and cheese Siw dustries; that the Minister of Ednaw tion be urged to carry through «, 10 per cent, increase to teachers' safari® as a' sound step towards national efficdsncyj' that any man unwilling to undertake military duties be disfranchised; tifflfc the Government be asked to stop all horse racing; that the New TmUimH Oboperative Wholesale Federation be asked to formulate a plan for revising the methods of disposing of meat and dairy produce in Britain, keeping in mtod the probable necessity "of establishing eool stores in four British ports for the purpose of reasonable dasMratkai; and that fSie federation be asked to fmnfek.a! re-! port to the Dominion Omference.

STATEMENT BY MINISTER.

._ T^ e Minister of Agriculture (Hon, : I W. D. S. Mac Donald) attended the Far. mers' Union conference to-day. lif speaking to the remits, the Minister con. gratulated the conference upon passing a' . resolution of loyalty to the Government.; He said it was impossible to tetef seriously to hydro-electric power until the termination of the war In reference' tcf shipping matters, the Government intended using its power to import Wool I and corn sacks at reasonable prions. The ' Government was doing everything pos- "■ sirfe to secure transport for pMdttee. The whole matter imports and exports Wag i con-trolled ** Imperial authorities. Owing to ~ * .r.-n that had aristn, ;j nothing bqfj. * *'■ goods are' liksly 0 to be impoi .. *••**•» could only be procured froi,. . •„, and there was insufficient shippjn. , ? '.rry it from there. Every possible -facility would be v given for importing machinery for clean- " ing wool. The Agricultural Department would have places established in Both Islands for the treatment of seedy wool. ' In regard to the price of bread, the Board ■ of Trade liacf power to revise' it as it thought fit when asked to do so. No re- ' tailer was allowed to sell second-grade wheat at a greater profit than IS per Mat. I ■He denied that any wheat imported from | Australia had been sold as fowl whtfaA. Dealing with teachers' salaries, tjhe Minister said Cabinet had only secß&tly agreed to an increase of £15,600. He " claimed that in no country was more te« '; ing c]n"- for education than te New 11 Zealand. * | He reed that any person who wssld not fie lit for his country should be dia- - franclused. The Government was do- '■ ing everything possible to conseriw fee . white pine timber. The Government was ' careful not? to put returned soman l on l i land from which they could not make ■ a decent living. :lr i - Auckland, Last Night. i . The Farmers* Union conference discussed what speakers termed the "meat ' and shipping trusts," and passed a series ,of resolutions advocating action by the Government. It is intended to send a i deputation, to wait on Cabinet alter the ■' Dominion conference, and anofiier-at the ' opening of Parliament. : The conference rejected.* proponl to pSS ,^r a " lta *™ !,T *to' ;