The Pres. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24. 1800.

Press, Volume XLVIL, Issue 7691, 24 October 1890, Page 4

The Pres. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24. 1800.

Tags farmers of Otago and Southland are' wakings ujj to- a ,: *e_se of their datiea aiid rsapousibilitiea. They have fortoed a > Union, composed of members representing tfye different agricultural and pastoral associations throughout the provincial*distrixjt, and the general meeting is now being held in Dunedin. On flfre first day the constitution and rules- were ad opted. The first of these rules Is. as follows s--" This Union shall be oal\ed,' The Farmers' Union of New Zealand.' Its objects shall be to unite the farmers of New Zealand for their protection against any legislation and combination' ot capital' and the tyranny of monopoly; to support the election of candidates for seats in Parliament; who are thoroughly ia sympathy with the farmers' interests, and to ! keep membem of Parliament tostcict np in matters io advance the interests of the bona fide producer." This is certainly a comprehensive programme. What is satisfactory about) it ia that it is an indication that the farmers of Otago aad Southland an. least are beginning M recognise tb.fr need for united action: in matters. Hitherto, as we pointed the farming community take far too little Interest ia politics. ' When roused, atj intervals they do no doubt take soma steps-to protect themselves, but their efforts are spasmodic with the consequence thac che best results are not always achieved. A Farmers 9 Union embracing the wholeof thecolony would lead to a greatly improved state x>£ afSairs. With branches ia every provincial district, it would be able- to make itself felt in a variety of ways,

Whether we like it or cot there is

ft growing daten-inatioa on the part of radical leaders to create an opinioa ra favor of schemes which will cartamly M nob advance the legitimate interests •*of bona ficle producer. w These sahemee are essaatiaUy of a sociaUstic character. They aim At bringing aboo t? Tsb&z is tautamount to a social revolution, &b& thQ great; safeguard against snob dangerous proposals is the vote of the agricultural community. Tha fntoro of tbjf«olaay is m their haada if thoy toffi Only take the ttvtibU to toi?ethcßi w& with m eu%hteue4

SBtikt&.tm*tb&t"<*^ are tiioaeoitb^e^ionyfjW;« whole. Aa tbe-Preaident said- in Hhkr- opening j; remarks; —" If the Union was to have' any weight *t it- rafsfc bfiable to, make ite voice fell and and j it should endeavour to -iq4h*# noe the elections and return candidates who would vote for the true interests of' farmers, and tkaraforfc far true, interests of the whole of Now Zealand."

Turning to the political platform adopted, we find the first clause to be \ as folLows:---" The- reduction and " amendment of the Customs tariff, so : " ss to make it a tariff for revenue i fs_fflsdae6 3 only." This, afrM '- some discussion,, was.adopted. It does not appear, however, from the discussion that the delegates hope for any ■ immediate change „'" in ' the tariff, : and ,4©c iour opinion it would be bighjy inexpedient to make , the attempt. The farmers of the colony can do a great service if they take care that no further changes a*4 made in the- immediate future hi a projective ; direction.' The day rriay eofiie when' alterations may be effected which will make the tariff more a .revenue tariff than it is now, But .frequent and violent fiscal changes are to be deprecated, and no doubt the farmers will : recoggSaflilis Jthettiielvea. Th« next clause carried was one affirming the desirableness of inter-colonial irea trade, ajh regards-^the? natural produots and *_anufactnfes of the 1 colony. We hay frequently supported , this idea Th : $hese oolurans, although at present there is probably but little ' prospect of any practical steps t being,, token ia that idireofcipn. The next clause -in the platform adapted by the meeting raises a'more debatable point, via.: The reduction of. railway charges, rjites of freight and produce, live and dead atocki merohandise and passengers. Various anomalies in the tariff, were pointed out, and it was urged that if thejfateewerelowerod the revenue would gain of ocoree, is thos problem which;has tor ibe solved. Wo are- as anxious asany.one ha to see oheap rate! adopted on the raiiwaya. It must be remembered, however, that it is .necesaary that. some revenue should be obtained from tbe railways. Anyone who has taken the the trouble to make himself acquainted with the financial position of the colony must feel that we cannot afford to sacrifice any revenue. Our present income is barely suffioienfe for our urgent requirements. Tho railways already axe a burden on the taxpayers to the extent of at least £300,000" ayear, and if any part of the present income were sacrificed, the general taxation would have to be increased accordingly! We do not gather from, the report of the Ijpeeches that ttoe meeting desired anything of the kind. They contended that a reduction would iocraasaj not,, dimmish, the revenue. That remains to b$ proved, and we truat that tb© members of the Conference will set about the task of supplying aeceasary data upoa .which to arrive at a. reliable conclusion on the question, , The next ;61ause advocated the retention by the State of the management and working of the railways, . Tho President. explained that there were some: people who understood' the ofewae to mean that the Railway Commissioners should be done - away-, with. That, - was not the meaning of the proposittei|. | What it really affirmed was that the , railways should not be sold; * We are-glad to learn that tbe Conference has taken such a reasonable view of theft podtioa/ J *fo part wiib the. raiiwaya would be a most unwise course to take for many reasons., ' In the first place a syndicate would only at a price which would give' (i it a return on jthe capital invested, and as the railways are only paying a small percentage on their, capital coat, the colony would have to make a great sacrificeby jthe transaction*. On the other hand, were a syndicate to give, anything like'the actual.cpat of the lines, it would only be Jbfioaiissi, it saw its way to extract higher - rates -froih those" wha use the Jines. Instead, of th§ ;rates beiug~ reduced they would he increased, and the producers would be in a much worse position than they are ; a« present. On the other baud, it would be a' retrbjprade step to resume the political foctroi of thorirailways, aud we are glad to find that the Farmers' Union do.. not countenance' any ( ,auch ; proposal. __;' _' •;; : j ','',, - 1 , £ ~ _ j