FARMERS' UNION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 95, 21 April 1904, Page 2

FARMERS' UNION.

AUCKLAND PROVINCIAL CONFERENCE. The annual conference of delegates comprising the Auckland Provincial Council of the New Zealand Farmers' Union was begun this morning in the Chamber of Commerce Building, Swanson street. The delegates and officials present were the following: Auckland— Messrs. J. G. Rutherford (president), G. J. Garland (treasurer), and Edwin HaU (secretary); Kawakawa—Mr. J. Press; Kamo—Mr. Henry Wakelin; South Wairoa—Messrs. Jas- S. Wilson, S. A. Brown, C. A. Fa-wcell, and Jas. Whyte; Kaipara Flats—Mr. T. C. Sainsbury; Mauku— Mr. H. E. R. V. Wily; Ruth's IslandMr- W. Ruth; Purua—Mr. W. Ramsbottom; Waiuku—Mr. C. W. Harris; Maungakaramea—Mr. D. J. O'Carroll; Leigh—Mr. R. B. Witt.en; Mangere—Mr. Jas. Montgomerie and Mr. M. M. Kirkbride, M.H.R.; Hamilton—Messrs. S. Knight, A Bell, and Germann; Cambridge—Mr. Jas. Forrest; Ohaupo— Messrs W. N- Sturgess and Joseph Gane; Papatoitoi—Mr. S. Hodge; Dome Valley—Mr. Josiah Hudson; Helensville— Messrs. L. R. Phillips and R. E. Fenton; Rehia—Mr. W. F. Balham; Whangarata—Mr. J. A. Burns; Kaukapakapa —Mr. F. Dye; Papakura Valley—Mr. F. M. Allen; Tamahere —Mr. C Day; and Kawhia—Mr. G. H Buckeridge. PRESIDENT'S SPEECH The president, Mr J. G. Rutherford, in a review of the year's work, said there were abundant signs that the union was not in the dying state some of their friends were pleased to represent them to be, although he regretted that th|p financial position was still indifferent. They had also to welcome back their secretaiy, Mr Edwin Hall, who had returned from England and America in good health, and full of information. It was hoped to get his notes printed and circulated amongst the members. The president then referred to the veterinary clubs formed in the South, the passing of Mr Kirkbride's Mutual Fire Insurance Bill, and the steps taken to start an Insurance Association at Auckland. He said that already farmers had derived advantage from the Act, a,s the insurance companies had lowered the premium on country buildings 3/ per £100, but the rates on suburban residences, such as Remuera, Epsom, Mount Eden, etc., had not been reduced. Mr Klrkbride's bill providing that the local bodies should have the power to elect one assessor to represent them at the Assessment Courts with the chairman and one assessor appointed by the Government was defeated by one vote, several of the Auckland members voting against it. Referring to the frequent charge that tne union is a political organisation. he said this was not true. It did not matter to the union which party was in power so long as their grievances were considered and rectified. They might reasonably expect that all legislation specially affecting fanning interests, should be submitted to the Farmers' Union Executive in the same manner as labour legislation was submitted to the Trade and Labour Council. They wanted farmers' politics, not party politics.

At the last Colonial Conference it was decided to affirm the principle of preferential trade between Britain and her colonies, and to leave the question of how it was to be carried out with those who were responsible for the framing of our laws. On the question of compensation for condemned stock, there 'was considerable difference of opinion, but after a long discussion the following resolution was carried, " That the Colonial Conference bring under the notice of the Minister of Agriculture, the fact that the Stock Act, 1898, is not being administered by the officers of the Agricultural Department in accordance with statute." Sir Joseph Ward, when interviewed concerning the accurate weighing of farmers' produce, said the railway weighbridges were not intended to give actual commercial weights of produce, but merely to check weights for the Department. He was anxious to do what he could, but it was impossible to acceded to the request. The* Hon. Hall-Jones, interviewed respecting the Orakei cattle landing, promised to have the grant of £750 placed on the Estimates again, and stated that he would be prepared to spend that amount on the road as soon as the Harbour Board proceeded with the erection of the wharf. But this matter was still in a most unsatisfactor ytsate. Up to the present very little had been done to prevent the introduction of anthrax into the colony. He understood the Government had procured a site to erect a sterilising plant, but still there was still considerable risk of introducing anthrax into the country by the importation of badly sterilised bones. The sterilising plant was still a thing of the future. Farmers' representation on the Habour Board and Chamber of Commerce was also an important requirement.

Farmers had had better times during the last two years, owing to improved price of wool, the extension of dairy factories and freezing works, and the higher prices for grain. The erection of the Waikato farmers' freezing works would no doubt greatly assist in regulating prices of fat stock by preventing the glut of stock in the local markets. The works opened by the Gisborne farmers had proved a great success, yielding a profit of £18,000 in less than two years on a capital of £26,000. The Government had greatly assisted the dairying industry, hut they had not done this at a loss, as the value of land suitable for dairying had increased in price from 50 to 100 per cent., which meant a considerable increase in the land tax, and other sources of revenue. The proposal to license stallions should be considered in conjunction with a crusade against worthless bulls. When they considered that the value of butter and cheese exported last year was £ 1,450,000, an increase of j £280,000 over the previous year, it was ! evident that the question was of the utmost importance. Hte understood the Government had sent an order to j England for several Shorthorn bulls of good milking strains. They were informed over 12 months ago that something was to be done to provide technical education for those interested in farming, and the director of technical education (Mr. George) arranged with some members of th- Waikato Farmers' Club to visit Wail to consider whaij steps should b e to start in this direction. Mr. sit was, how-' j ever, unavoid;'. ied owing to : ] his ill-health. ton, chief oi j the Stock l at Aueklr would, he Wi. ist to help such a neces> > oncerrung in grain, a h mers had written lu\ • r by the euLive. -Mi. kindly uh taken to put ation thus gained in a cuu.. He has ;. made various eoq •■», and was . ; give them the resu. i .. these invcstigu j tions at a later stagy! of this meeting, i j in grain, a number of farmer* had been ! ! gtujnping th* eftweftrjr, ad»h :\ ri-jw of i I

proving to the farmer that if they handed over their freeholds to the tender mercies of the single-taxers, their troubles would cease, and they eouL "take it easy" for the rest of theL days.. The farmer, however, would not part with his freehold without a struggle. It was the hope of obtaining a freehold that induced a large number of farmers to come to this country, and when they considered that the farmers raised over three-fourths of the total exports of last year (or £11,708,----000 out of a total of £15,174,000), besides supplying the local markets, it must surely be admitted that they were entitled to have a big say as to their form of land tenure. The ballot system was a most unsatisfactory method of allotting the blocks of land that were thrown open. When a farmer took up land'under occupation with right of purchase, his rental was calculated at the rate of 5 per cent, on upset price., and, of course, he .-paid land tax. H, however, he took it up under lease in perpetuity, his rental was calculated at four per cent, on upset price, and he was free from land tax. Thus in this respect a lease in perpetuity might be superior to a freehold* if the tenure were secure. It had 999 years to run with no increase of rent, and no land tax. People generally scarcely realised what a 999 years' lease really meant. H land had been leased in England for that term at the time William the Conqueror landed thsre, that lease would still have about 160 years to run. Land in a district that he was acquainted with was valued at 10/ per acre, upset price, and was taken up at that price some twenty years ago. lis unimproved value has quite recently been fixed at £10 per'acre, and the owners would have to pay land tax on that valuation, unless they appealed against it; while a block adjoining, if held under lease in perpetuity, although of equal value, would be exempt from land tax. The only reason he could see why the single-taxers appear to approve of the lease in perpetuity was that they intended to have these leases revalued at regular intervals. A resolution was recently proposed at one of the labour unions that these leases should be revalued every five years. The easiest way out of the difficulty would, in his opinion, be to let the tenants acquire the freehold on fair and reasonable terms. Finances: The treasurer, Mr G. J. Garland, read the balance-sheet, showing that the income of £172 10/ included balance from last year of £11 11/11, members' fees £169 17/7, etc. The expenditure left a bank balance of £29 1/9, and the receipt of a large number of fees since the balance-sheet was made out would enable the union to pay the colonial levy of £38 18/9 for next year, when it became due. The accounts were passed. Mr Kirkbride's Remarks. —Moving the adoption of the president's report, Mr Kirkbride urged the necessity of remunerating the secretary for the able work which he was doing for the union by means of an increase of their small levy. He referred to the tardy progress of the sterilising question, and affirmed the great need of agrucultural education in the public school syllabus. The education now given in the schools greatly tended to cause a drift into the towns, and needed immediate alteration. During last session, he was glad to say, the influence of the Farmers' Union was very evident in the Houses of Parliament. This was specially apparent in the movement to secure rent-free tenure for a number of years for farmers taking up rough bush land, which wa3 now being more favourably received- He agreed entirely with the claim of the local bodies to be allowed to appoint one of the three members of assessment courts, and explained the efforts which - were made by him and others to have the proposal made law. These efforts i the Government defeated. — The president's report was then carried, and the I president was cordially thanked for his work during the year. Election of Officers. — The council unanimously appointed as president Mr L. R. Phillips, of Woodhill (president of the Helensville branch) ; vice-presi-dents, Messrs F. Dye (Kaukapakapa) and H E. Wily (Mauku) j executive committee, Messrs Sainsbury (Kaipara Flats), Scruby (Wade), Kirkbride, M.H.R. (Mangere), Rutherford (Remui era), Wilson (S. Wairoa), Montgomerie (Mangere). Sturgess (Ohaupo), T. Coates (Orakei), Westney (Mangere), Harris (Waiuku), T. W. P. Smith (Kaitaia), Hodge (Papatoitoi), and A. Masy (Whangarei). Colonial Delegates.—The president and secretary were appointed as delegates to attend the next colonial conference, MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE. The secretary (Mr Edwin Hall) gave an interesting address on his observations on the working of the Mutual Fire Insurance Associations of Canada, where the establishment of those companies had had the effect of greatly reducing insurance premiums and absorbing most of the farmers' insurance. He stated that the executive committee, which had gone fuDy into the question, recommended the formation of one company for the Auckland province, with headquarters at Auckland, which at a later date might be extended by branches at Waikato, Whangarei. Tauranga, Napier, etc. The Act stipulated that before a company could be legally formed a declaration in favour of such a step should be signed by 100 owners of farms who were prepared to effect insurances to the value of not less than £ 40,000. Mr Hall gave abundant statistics of American experience to show the advantages and financial soundness of the mutual insurance societies which were already in existence, and strongly advocated the establishment of similar companies in New Zealand. Mr Kirkbride, M.H.R., spoke on the subject, and moved, on behalf of the executive committee: "That immediate steps be taken to form a Mutual Fire insurance Society in the Auckland province." He did not advocate starting on too low a premium, but agreed with Mr Hall that it would be advisable to begin on two-thirds the existing premium of the joint-stock companies, which would still be much higher than the rates charged in Canada. Mr Hall said it was proposed to restrict the insurance to two-thirds of the value of the property insured, so that each farmer, carI rving one-third of his own risk, would take special care of his property. Wily, Hudson, Press, Hodge. ' O'Carroll and others took part liscussion. c said it was contemplated that il would relinquish the position cretary to the Union and devote whole attention to the work of .ftger of the proposed insurance comry if the directors approved of the ointment. Mr Garland (treasurer) id take over the duties of secretary mc Union. Mr Sturgess (Whangarei) asked | whether the Company would insure creameries or buildings containing iteam

Mr Kirkbride said the Act limited their operations to non-hazardous risks, jut it would be for the directors to de.de what properties came within that .escription. Mr Wakelin advocated the confining of the business to the members of the Union. Replying to questions, Mr Kirkbride said it was possible that settlers holding Government loans might be compelled to insure in the Government office, as all mortgagees had a certain amount of control over the properties on which the money was lent. The clause of the Act requiring- that meetings of members must be attended by 10 per cent, of the total number might be difficult to comply with in a large district with many hundred members, and an amendment of the clause might be necessary. It might also be advis; able to permit leaseholders to insure, as well as the owners to whom the Act was at present confined. The motion was unanimously carried. Messrs. Hudson and Scruby moved that membership should be confined to members of the Union. Mr Kirkbride opposed this limitation. Messrs Press, Dye, Ramsbottom, Rutherford, Garland and /several others Bpoke in favour of preference to unionists. A motion of Mr Montgomerie, supported by Messrs Fenton, Hodge, and others, to leave the directors a free hand in the matter, was defeated, and the original motion restricting the operations of the proposed association to members of the union was carried. Orakei Cattle Landing. —On the motion of Mr Rutherford it was resolved to urge the Minister for Public Works to expend without further delay the grant for making the approach to the proposed cattle wharf at Orakei. During the speechs strong censure was passed on the Government for many bogus grants voted and never expended.