FARMERS' UNION CONFERENCE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3199, 27 May 1909, Page 7

FARMERS' UNION CONFERENCE.

IMPORTANT REMITS LOCAL BODIES ELECTION. Palmerston North Branch forwarded to the Conference of Farmers' Union delegates at Eketahuna, yesterday, a remit as follows dealing with local bodies elections; — "That the system of voting at the election of members for local bodies be altered so as to compel members to vote for the full number of members required." ' Mr J. Balsillie (Palmerston Ncrth) moved the motion. Hia remarks were directed against evils accruing from the "plumping" system of voting, and he instanced cases where speculators and ethers had used their influence to get themselves or their nominees elected to local bodies to further personal pecuniary ends. Mr JNevins (Tenui) eaid that as the order paper did not deal with the question of preventing universal franchJse on elections exclusively for rating purposes, he would like the Conference to deal with it. He said he noticed an article in the Wairarapa Age where it was contended that all who voted at a Parliamentary election should be entitled to vote at a Mayoral election. The principle advocated by the Age applied to local bodies generally, and thought farmers should protect themselves against any such extension of the franchise. 'I he President said that the question mentioned by Mr Nevin was really not connected with the motion, and it was therefore not in order. Some humourous speeches were made in support of the motion, which, on division, was carried by 20 to 18.

L' v vin Branch sent the following:— "That the electors of local bodies should be allowed the

same opportunity to vote when

absent from home, or through illness, as provided for in the case of Parliamentary elections." Mr J. McLeavy (Levin) moved in tHe direction of the remit, the purport of which was briefly illustrated by him.

Mr 1). Howie seconded the mo tion.

Mr Lynch (Paraparaurau) was strongly in favour of an amendment to the motion, which made fur the holding of County eiectuws in a different year to the year of the general election. He assured his hearers that a very considerable amount of feeling was imported into the general electiion in his County, and there was an undoubted reflection of this party feeling shown at the County election. It was very desirable to separate local and general elections as far by time as was possible. The motion was not amended, and was passed unanimously. ARTERJAL ROAD MAINTENANCE. The following remit from Pahautamu was received: — "That the Government be asked to maintain all the arterial roads in the Dominion." •Mr J. W. Jones (Pahautan.u) moved the motion. Mr Devonshire (Levin) seconded the motion. Mr Lynch (Paraparaumu) opposed the motion. The speaker wished to amend the motion to strike out roads and substitute hospitals and charitable aid bodies. He contended that under the present system of administering charitable aid the country bore a heavy burden which the city did not fairly share. From the Hutt County alone last year £1,190 had been contributed for hospital and charitable aid purposes, and the County had no say whatever in its expenditure. Other adjoining Counties were in the same position, and the question had been a burning one for a long time past, and if the Government assumed.control it would be a great benefit. The Chairman said he could not accept the amendment, as it dealt with a matter quite separate from the motion. Speakers for and against the motion followed, :he opponents arguing principally that the- "spoils to the victors" policy would . be the cause of many roads of the "wrong colour" being left in bad condition. The motion was hopelessly lost on the voices. DRAINING REFORM ASKED. Shannon Branch sent a remit as follows: — "That the Drainage Act be amended so as to compel adjoining owners to contribute to a boundary drain, in proportion to the benefit received, and that in raising loans for drainage purposes the local authority may rate on acreage or value, whichever it considers the rr.ost equitable ; the above to apply to Native Lands also." Mr Venn moved the motion, and Mr J. McLeavy (Levin) seconded it. The discussion on the motion disclosed that the question involved was not generally understood or appreciated, and it was suggested that the matter was properly one for either mutual arrangement where huch a question cropped up, or for a drainage board to deal with. It was unanimously agreed to pass the portion of the motion down to the word "received." The rest of | the motion was withdrawn. , RAILWAY CONCESSIONS. ! From Feilding Branch:— \ "That the promise made by '• the Premier to carry cement for dairying purposes free on the railways be given effect to." Mr Mayo (Feilding) moved the motion, and Mr W. L. Grice (Waituna West) seconded. Mr W. Mills (Cheltenham)'opposed the motion as being of a Socialistic tendency, declaring himself to be against Socialism of that sort. He thought the promise made was but an electioneering device, and was meant to confer an unnecessary benefit of one section of the farming community. The motion was lost on division. From Eketahuna and Makuri Branches: — "That the Railway Department '' be asked to issue tickets at excursion rates where six or more farmers are travelling together to visit experimental farms." Mr W. H. Bridge moved the remit, nnd Mr H. Moore (Makuri) seconded the motion, /which he considered was worthy of support. The speaker said it was hoped that an ex-

perimental farm would soon &be established on the Wairarapa side of the range. The motion was lost by two votes.