FARMERS' UNION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLII, Issue 9566, 28 July 1921, Page 7

FARMERS' UNION.

DOMINION CONFERENCE.

SEVERAL REMITS (PASSED

WELLINGTON, July 26. The Dominion Conference of the Farmers' Union opened to-day. Mr G. W. Leadley (president) delivered an address, and received a vote of thanks by acclamation. There are some 200 remits on the order paper. It was resolved that the' occupiers of all Crown lands should be granted the option of buying the same. The conference resolved that the Government should be urged to legislate to provide better facilities for the t holders of Native leaseholds purchasing the freehold of their holdings. It was also resolved that the granting of the I freehold of national endowment lands should be made retrospective, so that the present occupiers should have the right to obtain the same. The conference adopted an Auckland remit that all third-class Crown lands should be thrown open for selection under the homestead system. It was resolved that the Government should be asked to re-submit all acquired lands which have been vacant for 12 months or more at such terms as will ensure their immediate occupation. Remits were carried : — " That practical men, conversant with local conditions, should act m conjunction with Land Purchase Boards and that provincial executives be asked to recommend such appointments. "That all land required for soldiers' settlement be thrown open for selection m such time as to allow settlers to benefit m the coming season. " That the Government be urged to provide the necessary legislation giving power to the Minister for Lands to agree to accept the surrender of Crown leases, particularly when large areas of land are held upon such terms r.nd conditions as the Minister may agree to, particularly to have power for the tenant to retain a portion of the land under a fresh iease upon such terms and conditions as are agreed to, with or without compensation for any or all the tenant's improvements." The fact that Native lands do not pay rates has . ever been a sore point with farmers, and Mr K. Wilson (Piopio) moved — "That the union cooperate with local bodies m connection with rating Native lands; that the Native Land Act should be amended m order to see that Native lands paid their fair share, of taxation." Mr Wilson said that £he local body on which he sat had to pay charitable aid rate, but it did not collect money from the Natives. That was unfair.

Mr W. D. Lysnar, M.P., strongly supported the motion, which was carried.