COUNTRY PARTY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLIV, Issue 10134, 11 June 1924, Page 3

COUNTRY PARTY.

FORMED AT AUCKLAND. (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, June 10. The twenty-fourth Annual Provincial Conference of the Farmers' Union was opened to-day, Mr A. E. Harding presiding. In his address he .said the need for the Union was never greater to counteract the drift to the towns. Remits dealing with land settlement were reaffirmed as follows:—Urging the Government to undertake, without unnecessary delay, an adequate scheme of immigration and land settlement, so as to take full advantage of the Imperial Settlement Act and develop the waste lands of the Dominion ; urging that the Government should provide adequate transport facilities before placing settlers on the land, and that land held for the encouragement of immigration and close settlement be exempt from land-tax during such limited time «is an approved annual amount pf capital is expended on development; that bona-fide immigrant settlers' furniture and household effects, and farm, implements should be admitted duty free, and transport and passengers' fare's on the Government railways provided to destination.

The following resolutions were carried :

That companies' income-tax be abolished and replaced by individual income-tax.

Urging the need for the abolition of income-tax on the divisible surplus on companies. That the conference supports the principle of a time limitation on all protective tariffs, and urges its adoption.

Reaffirming the last conference's decision to advocate the formation of a Country Party; also authorising the Provincial Executive to proceed with the formation of such a party irrespective of the attitude of other Provincial Conferences.