FARMERS, UNION.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12590, 5 September 1906, Page 8

FARMERS , UNION.

■«• a; ANNUAL CONFERENCE. n TV E

PRESIDENTS ADDRESS. b

I % tl (SPECIAL TO "Tin! PRESS.") 6] WELLINGTON, September 4. h The Colonial Conference cf tho New « Zealand Farmers' Union opened hero , this morning. t< The President (Mr J. G. Wilson) gave tl an interesting addrese, in the course of a which ho said.—"Much has been done » and a great many changes have taken * piaco since we met last year. First we v havo the sudden tragic death of our t ] Premier, for whom the nation went c into mourning. .This entailed a now c Ministry and Sir Joseph Ward is now £ at the head of affair*. The late Mr c Scddon was always accessible to, us h when wo had occasion to place any mat- n tor before him, and ho always gave Uβ p a very sympathetic tearing. I have no c doubt much of his policy was shaped or modified by those interviews. Sir s Joseph Ward also has always given us n an opportunity to place our views on ft matters relating to his departments be- c fore him and I have no doubt tJiis q courtesy will be extended to us in his fl : new position. Mr Duncan has retired „ from tho Ministry, and I would like to t . exprc« our thanks for the cordial w a> i he has always treated us. He has been a at everyone of our annual councils, f and many of the provincial conferences. given in connection with these latu-i. c iflo has always expressed himselt in c : sympathy with our movement, anU en- , couraged us to go on in our efforts to r ■ organise the fanners. I should like to 6 place on record our hearty thanks .to c Eim now he has retired to the position t 1 of a private member of Parliament. 1 t ' feel sure the present Minister for Agn- c culture will extend to us the same con- f sideration. He has frequently been at t : l our council and has watched our move- 6 ment with interest from the first. It F ! should bo our endeavour to place our views moderately before him and give , him or any other Minister for Lands , support when he is actrng in , , tion we wish him to go. Both Mr Mci Nab and Mr Fowlds a.ro eager to help • in the matter of rural education. t • I THE PAST YEAR. 1 [ • "From tho farmer's point of view the j i year that n gone by has been caifc of the most successful that farmers havo > yet had. Wool which last year had : reached high water mark, rose still 1 higher, butter and cheese have been at | • rooord prices, flax prices have been very ■ remunerative, and many farmers havo ] been able to add to their income where ' 1 they have been fortunate enough to ' havo any flax growing on their farms. * . Sheep have been at very high prices, ' : though mutton and lamb havo not been J at »o high a level in London as during ' the past few years. Though cattle- havo < i been very low, hides have been higher ' than has been known. So far as prices .are- concerned there is nothing for the ! farmer to complain of. Crops have, r however, been very uneven owing to an r extremely wet season. Southland end < I Otago suffered from wet; Canterbury - • farmers were fortunate w> g&t their • crop harvested in good weather, and as ' ) a consequence had a very good sample > f , of .grain. Barley, which is grown to < ' perfection in Marlborough, gave a very ' s remunerative return. Tho Wellington ■ 1 harvest was late and a good deal of ] ; grain, was damaged. Rust was not &o < ' prevalent, but. still it was present in 1 most crops, and somo light oats was the 1 consequence. The Wellington proviTvce | ' ! did mot grow sufficient oats for its re- ! ' qurrements, and has drawn, upon South ] 1 Canterbury for the deficiency. Good " chaff in Wellington has been scarce < 1 and higher rates havo ruled than in ' lncat years. The turnip and rape crops • ; have been on tho whole very good all ' ' I over tho colony, though in some in- , " I stances there has been a failure. The ■ season was not a good ons for fattening purposes and lambs were much _ Liter \ than last year, and were not quite so ' good owing to tlie want of sun. The \ large quantity of our lamb going in late \ this season, and the very large expee* h ted production of fat lambs in Australia '. this spring will possibly cause prioee ! to ease. It is satisfactory to note that [ our flocks have begun to assume their t normal numbers again, i THE POTATO DISEASE. : After a brief review of the past year, 1 Mr Wilson went on to say:—"The quca--5 tion as to a blight-proof potato has not • j yet been solved though it is recorded I that some potatoea resist disease better c I than others. At Momohaki Experi- ' mental Farm, Mr Oillanders informed - us that Scotia, Victor Rose, and b : Duchess of Cornwall resisted the disease I j beat with him. About Wanganui the t ! Dakota Red proved to bo less harmed > by the disease than those grown along- - side them, whilst in other districts TJp--5 to-Date proved the best, and in others > again Northern Star wore a good crop. b It ie interesting, however, to note that J throe of these potatoes which were said 3 by those who tried them to resist the ? ravages of tho disease best were red - skinned potatoes. It may yet be found t that potatoes of this colour may be 1 harder than the whito skinned varie- | tics. Unfortunately, tho publio will > not buy them if a white skinned variety 1 can be*obtained even at a higher price. ,' i Up-to-Dates prove the most popular I amonsr consumers. It is acknowledged j ' at Home that this potato, when it camo into general use, was the best potato 1 yet produced, and none of the newer varieties seems to have displaced it. 1 Consumers must expect that potatoes I will cost more in the future than they have done in the past, because now we have flic uisease so prevalent ii; will L cost considerably more to grow this crop than before, and spraying must be resorted to every year to save the crop. This will no doubt curtail the area r grown, and if the disease assumes any thing like the saino proportion that it 1 did last year, it will do a sorious thing 5 for the country. It is thought by ex- : perienced men that tho disease wae • much encouraged By tho climatic condiI tione that prevailed last spring, warm 1 moist weather being very favourable to j ' all funsoid growths. The absence of i i the usual spring winds further aggra- | - i rated tho condition. It has been j found in the- older countries where the j disease is always present that such a moans :> ba-cuy <li-"»?»?d crop. The telegrams from Ireland state tho dieeaso is very bad there this year. In any caso, whether wo have a good or a bod season it will bo folly to risk tho loss of the crop by omitting to spray several times. - BUTTER. 1 "The prospects for the coming season • i seem good; still, a great many dairy I men aro going out of the. business, the ' difficulty of getting suitable labour be--7 in" - so great. Now that mixed farm- j B ins; is more remunerative, quite a large ! 1 number of cows are placed on tho mar- i ket. Much remains to be done in con- ! nection with this industry. It has been calculated that £1,000,000 per j , annum is lost through not properly culling the cows after weighing and, testing their milk for a few months. A j cow is" simply a living machine- to con- ! vert <raes and other feed into butter ; fat, and if one cow gives 4001b of but- , ter fat per season, and another only 2001b. taking the same feed and the j same labour, it is obvious what the loss is to have a herd of 2001b cowa in comparison with a 4001b lot. RURAL EDUCATION. ' r "WTien we turn to the subject of q education, it is very gratifying to find what a substantial advance has been x made and it is very satisfactory to tlie i Union to see that a«s a result of its b arousing public opinion en the β-nbject, b rural education in the i-chcol has be« ; u fl ;ir last reeogniM'd six a «;;<cial wibjeot $ requiring special men to direct it. The

Jnion urged that peripatetso teachers i iliould be appointed to visit the sohools * md give instruction to tho children in J •ural education. Thee fcae been, since t vo mcl, accomplished in nearly all the t Education Board districts. To Mr Hog- t jen belongs the credit of showm* now i his could be done under the existing J system. The want of uniformity wiu, J lowever, be a result of different in- i itruotors having their own methods ni mch district, but fortunately both the Vlinister for Agriculture and the Slaius- 1 «r of Education are in sympathy witn i ;he movement, and their cordial assist- 1 nice in remedying this by calling tho « instructors of the different districts to- 1 Tother to confer with them and discuss i whole question will no doubt result i in a gradual assimilation. One-fifth ot i tho population of Denmark are actual!} i in fanning, about one-twenti- j here. We hope by further settlen*ent of the land in Now Zealand and educating people to lire in the <*>™*lJ°increase th» to equal Denmark. I cannot help thinking that it » **?"*[ poitant that the instructors ** ™£j Education should visit other coitntrwa . so that they can compare the «««»* Sphere and adopt what seems to be suitable to our own requirements. Jβ mar, according to the announced oprowof the proesnt tor Agn--culture, expect- something to be done in the wav of a research station, an agricultural collie for ft. North Wand, and a multiplication of tho experimental farms. There is no reason «hv the Wallaceville laboratory (near Wellington) should not bo extended, and 1 anTsure it would prove quite s.i. n:blo for a research station. . By and by the Victoria University might tako up a course of .veterinary science, and rt could work in conjunction with our veterinary department and degiees mifiht be granted. For the purpose of 6 ufdy suitable small areas or demonstration purposes might be dotted over both tho North and South Island*, and this important point should never bo overlooked when a property is acquired for closer settlement—that (if "J * ««- tral some portion of the land should be set apart for experimental purposes. "To show how these demonstration farms would be of great service, let ue J tako a case. Everyone agrees that a| really suitable milking machine is ot j the utmost public importance, "is said the Department of Agriculture in-' tends to instal a sample machine ot j thoso on the market at present, toon- ; able farmers to &oc for themselves which is most suitable to their requirements. It would never do, of course, for the Department to make a pronouncement in favour of one or another, but it is quite legitimate for them to show them alongside one another, to allow thoso who wish to instal a plant to compare their work in a practical way. When those machines have been working for some time in one district, there is no. reason why they should not be removed i to another district, for it is obvious | that a demonstration, in the Auckland district would be of little use to farmers in. Canterbury. If, then, the Department had small farms in different central localities, this demonstration could take place at these centres. Ihe question of the best breed of cows is not of so much consequence for two rea-sons:—-(1) Because tho best breed m the Auckland province is not likely to be the beet in Otago; and (2) because it is of far greator importance that each cow ehould be tested, and her record kept, so that the herd as it stands can be culled for yield of butter fat per annum, rather than go into other breeds. A dairy exhibition school might be of use to demonstrate the best methods, but again, one dairy school could be of little use to the colony unless it was peripatetic. By having smnll demonstration farms in various districts, there would be no excuse for further delay because of the battle of the sites, which in the past Jus stopped advance in this 1 direction, and it is obvious that all the provinces should have these demonstration farms in their midst. "It is gratifying to know that our present Minister for Lands as alive to the advancement of the farmer, &b the following letter from Mr. McXab will show. In answer to one.of mine on hie accession to office, hoping that the I cordial relations which the Union had with his predecessor would continue under the Minister writes: —'I was very glad to see from it (my letter) that tho Farmers' Union Esecu* tive and the Agricultural Department were on such friendly terms, and I hope the same relationship wiH be continued under the altered conditions. I would have liked very much to have seen you for somo little time before the Conference took place. We have some proposed legislation this .year, and I think it will not prejudice the passing of it by holding it over until you are here. Some of the measures you might like to bring before the Conference. Aβ to the Conference itself, I would like to be advised of the dates of sitting and the order of things from day to day, because I want to take advantage of all the discussion bearing upon my own particular Departments, snd thus ascertain the views of the fanners themselves. I need not tell you that it will be the object of the Departments under my control not only to work with all who are working for the good of the farming community, but to try by education and experiment to raise tho occupation of the farmer to the rank of one of the professions.' "Chio more subject before I leave, the Agricultural Department. The one thing of value the Lands Commission considered and reported on was grassing tho Government pastoral runs. It was shown in evidence that from various causes the runs in the South Island had deteriorated, and were not carrying stock bo well as previously. This was largely caused by the grasses being killed out, and the Commission thought experimonte in sowing these nine should be tried, or some compensation allowed to the occupiers for sowing. I am not aware that anything in this way has been attempted, but it is of the utmost importance that our runs ehould be nurtured back again into their former carrying capacity. Better far that they should even grow Californian thistle than nothing. I hope this mattor will not escape the attention of the Minister, but that some experiments in sowing inexpensive grass seed will be mado to ascertain if the hill pastures I can be renovated. TARIFF. "Fortunately, we are to be spared the war of the tariff rates this session, but it may not be out of place to say a word on tho subject. During the past year there has been, continued "Sgitation going oh for a revision of the tariff, mostly on the principle that what is sauce for the goceo is not sauce for the gander. Whenever the tariff has been tho meaiis of raising the price I of produce to the farmer (the fortunate j one, rather, who had his produce eni ha need in value by the misfortune and ! losses of those who lost their crops), there has been a howl for the remission I of duty. On the other hand, demands for_ja further increase of duty have • been" made, because it was stated that I industries were languishing, and re- ' quired further assistance from the general public. Manufactnrcr* were to be specially helped to make more income, and then the cry cpme from those who, to iheir credit be it said,, It was obvious had built un a very profitable trade, which enabled thorn to live in comfort and eaeo. But because or some temporary lull ia trade, the cry arose for further protection. I wonder if it ever strikes them that the | farmer is by far the largest manufacturer in the colony? His duty is to manufacture produce from the soil, by xcrowing grain, butter wool, mutton for freezing purposes, , a'irt nearly everything fur tho food o. the nation. I need not rouiiud you of,

the amount of this manufactured pro«luce he exports to- keep the colony going, nor need I draw your attention to tbo unremitting labour it requires f» do this. ¥et one would imagine that those in town* who are always_clamouring for" fresh taxation on the land think the farmer has only to sit at home at ease whilst his produce rolls in, and that he has an easy life. Now, the que&tion comes, are wo to sit quietly by while tho ■ townspeople demand that this or that duty shall be remitted beca,use of the high price of the commodity? If we allow thi» to be done, we ehall have no weapon to deal with protectionists when they demand an increased duty. Certainly it is only in times of scarcity that the duty on flour and potatoes has any effect. But what would th'e Canterbury farmers say jif ihe duty was taken otf flour P Might I they not buffer severely unless at the same time other duties were remitted which made up for itP The very weapon wttich Mr Chamberlain says i» necessary to light others with, would be gone. "lucre is -also another phaee ot_ tho question to consider. Great Britain is our best customer. She absorbs nearly all tbo produce we export, except on rare occasions, when un-aer exoepticoiaL circumstance wo lind a betteff market nearer at hand. She protects our commerce. ; lwsr mana is sufficient to keep covetous countries' from annexing us; and wihat in return do we give tho Mother Country for all thisP We pay a i'ow thousand poun-de towards ncr navy! Ami then we proceed to tax her manufactured productione as high as ever wo enu, and at present many would like to tax them anoro. Certainily we passed a preferentioL* a sossion or two ago, but it really wae only such in name. Wβ increased the tariff ou curtain articles ma.de outeddo tiie British dominions, and then called it a preferential tariff! If we reaUy wantwl to sho%v some gratitude to the British people, we would say *we will oharge you 20 .per cent, less than wo chairge anyone else. , Ido not despair of seeing this done. If we did that; it would mean, a re<x>mp£>noe of the enormous cum they epend yearly to keep the seas safe ior our commerce. . LAND TENURE. '•"The freehold and leasehold question trill very shortOy be discussed by Pair- ! liament, and so much has been said on ! the subject that I need not allude to !it at any length. Our contention is j that the present lea&c.foo'kjara siiouJd 'have tiro right of purchasing the land j they occupy at the original price, to~ j getner with an amount which would i make that price equal to that which it would be, had tioe land, been taken up inkier the occupation, with the right oi purchase. The settJlere. and not the people, have civeni the enhanced value, together with our good friends tflie British public who take all our surplus produce. If the value is taken at tho unimproved present value, we know that great hairdship will be done, ! because the improvement are never , fairly valued. The freeholder has tine I undoubted right to any enhanced value 1 given to his land b;y tine efforte of him- ' self and neighbours in roading tlhe ■land and building dairy factoriea, etc., so that the produce of hie land ie able to be marketed. Then, surely, the leaseholder should be in the same position, a-nd we say unhesitatingly that the leaseholder has the right to purchase has land at the original price, •witih interest added at compound , interest, and there lhas been no valid argument that I have eeen put forward to dispute this. The leases under the West Coast Settlement Act only affect a small area, but I think after making further enquiries into tJio subject, that it is both in the interests of tfhe Maori landowners and the leesees that ih& tenants should have the rigihi of purchase; otherwise the lands will be impoverished and tho values recede. "Wlhetn townspeople are . discussing this question, 'there are always those •who put forward the views that the leaseholder should be revalned, and that taxation, on Jand ehould be in- , creased so that.otjUt the valne of improvements ehould be toft to the owners; in, fact, ihat the prodmter' ahorilid be a species ,of; '.whitof.-■»»^jp"'wbrkine : ] for a pittamce to relieve others of taxation. They Jiave only to go on Jon-g -enough and. loud enough | to disturb tihat feeling of seenr- , ity without whioh the beet efforte, -of production are never made. It was gratifying to note en the Goyernor'e speech that 'securitr of tenure is essential' to the well-being of the landholders. We all trust, I am. sure, that no clamoiir -wffl be sufficient to alter that pronouncement, and th»t nothing will be done by Parliament to prejudice' the farming community and create in their mind any feeling of injustice, for it will surely react nppn the prosperity of the country as a whole. THE LAND POLICY. ' "The land proposals of the Cabinet, > as announced in the Financial fitttement, are very disappointing, as far as' our Union 03 concerned. The' Statement acknowledges—(l) That security : of tenure is of first importance; and > (2) that the lease-in-perpetuity is a i bad thing for the colony, »nd proposes to abolish it, but as a remedy it i proposes to offer to substitute a lease ; for sixty-six years if the tenant so desiTO it, with compensation f6r in> provements, or the tenant (if he be not a land for settlement tenant) may surrender his lease, have it put Up to auction, and be ptid by the buyer for , the value of his improvements, which everyone* knows are -always under-, valued. I will, however, make no oom- , ment on the proposals, because the land question will be discussed no doubt ia the lip-ht of these proposals very fnlly. It is for tho Union to speak out boldly on a subject they have given prominence to, and of which it is better able to judjjo perhaps than any other bodjr of men. • • TELEPHONES. '. "One thing the Budget announces ' which is very satisfactory-r-the grant- : ing of £25,000 to put up telephoneif in outlying districts, and the granting to others of the material free of com 'to put telephones up. This ie a just recognition of.the gratitude of /the ■ country to the settlers who 'pioneer eettlement often under very adverse conditions, and an attempt, at any rate, to bring them within e4«y oolnmunication with tho general community. . ' CONCLUSION. ; "A statement of the finances of the 1 Union will be made in committee by 1 the .treasurer, and he will be able to place a satisfactory account before you, the position of the Union feeing much stronger than on tho last occasion. I 1 have spoken of fhe conditions of the , country, and the prosperity of the ' people, yet I believe that the farmers > ana landholders could do much more I were their minds undisturbed by the 5 constant cry in towns to specially stmgle ; them out as game to be precked. These ,1 continual pin-pricks leave a sense of f insecurity, and are, therefore, a , brake hwon the producers' energies. Wore it "not for this, I believe a great deal more might have heen taken by ; proper treatment from the land, *nd 1 the colony would as a result have been ' so much the richer." 1 The President was accorded a nearty } vote of thanks for his address.