AGRICULTURAL CONFERENCE

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8502, 3 August 1907, Page 7

AGRICULTURAL CONFERENCE

At the Agricultural Conference at Wellington, on Thursday, it was moved by Mr D. D. Maefarlane (Cantirbury)—"That the Government be urged to give pastoral tenants every i passible encouragement to improve the carrying capacity of their runs." Tiie best encouragement, said the mover, was to give the tenant an assurance that the term of his lease would be extended. Mr Studholme felt sure that the present was the psychological moment to bring up this question, which he seconded and heartily supported, : fcaing convinced that it was one of the most important aspects of the Land Bill now before Parliament. Crown tenants in Otago and other places needed some compensation for the depredations of rabbits on grazing lands. The land had been so cleaned up by the rabbits that it looked as if it had been shaved. Risking trespassing upon a political question, Mr W. C. Buchanan . declared that, after all was said and done, the tenure was the key to the position. The Government should be asked to approach the question with regard to providing a solution. Mr Patullo (Otago) thought that, although the tenure would be an ideal arrangement, the way out would be to give the right of renewal of his lease, at a rent to be fixed by the Government. They could hardly expect more than that, provided machinery was given by which the tenant would get compensation for his improvemnts. The motion was adopted. Some tima was spent in considering remits from all parts of the colony concerning railway manageMficnent. The following were adopted:— From Otago, Feilding, and North Otago—"That the Government be asked to provide better accommodation for stock railed, more rolling stock, and that the general conveyance of etock be improved, especially to and from agricultural shows-" From Wairarapa—"That the Railway Department be urged to prevent sheep trucks being monopolised during the busy season by truckers of store sheep who do so to the serious detriment of settlers, who are thus prevented from getting their fat stock to the various freezing works." From Otago—"That simplification be made in the arrangements for conveyance of stock to and from shows, especially with regard to the issue of railway refund certificates." From FeiJding—"That this conference respectfully suggests to the Hon= the Minister for Railways, that where trucks are booked in advance consignors of live stock should have at least forty-eight hours' notice if such trucks will not be available." From Wairarapa—"That all railway, sheep trucks be altered to allow of their ends being opened to their full width, so as to permit of continuous loading and discharge, thus avoiding the delay, expense, and damage hitherto arising from the necessity for loading each truck separately; and also that double floors should be added as quickly as possible." From North Otago—"That the Minister for Railways be requested to give instructions that trucks ordered for country stations where there is no stationmaster, should be labelled with the name of the person ordering the same, and become his property for the time being, and that wrongful appropriation of such trucks should be a punishable offence." From Otago—"That the Railway Depai'tment be urgently requested to give more attention to the cleanliness of trucks used for the conveyance of stock by rail by providing double floors to trucks."—Post.