FARMERS' UNION.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15939, 28 June 1917, Page 5

FARMERS' UNION.

MEETING OF EXECUTIVE. The executive of tho North Canterirary District of tho New Zealand Farmers' Union met yesterday, Mr D. Jones, president, being in the chair. Communications wero received from Sir James Allen, the Hon. R. Heaton Rhodes, and Messrs Nosworthy and G. Witty, M.P.'s, acknowledging tho receipt of resolutions from tho annual provincial conferonco. With regard to a suggested conference with Canterbury M.P.'s, in connexion with remits passed by the Conference of the Union, it was decided .that tho delegates to the Wellington Conference should make efforts to confer with the Canterbury members of Parliament while in Wellington. The Oxford branch forwarded the following resolution: "That the Government abolish tho excess war profits tax and raiso the required rovenue jn income." —Received. Mr C F. Thoreau, secretary of the Tiniaru branch, wroto asking if the report was correct that slipe wool was /low free from deduction of draft. The chairman explained that it was the 6lipo wool in tho Old Country which was free from draft, and not that in "New Zealand. Mr O'Halloran stated' that the Imperial Government had not claimed draft from tho English woolgrowers, and it was a fair thing if it did not claim it from Now Zetland growers. THE DRAFT ON WOOL. The Marlborough Woolgrowers' Committee forwarded a circular protesting against the tare and draft on wool. Tho chairman said ho believed a conference would bo held to discuss tho question of the price for the next season's wool, in tho near future. He thought tho woolgrowers should stipulate that no draft should bo allowed on any consideration. It was an unjust and iniquitous tax, and ho believed the growers would be justified in asking fo be relieved of it. He moved: "That this executivo is of the opinion that in all fntnre contracts with the Imperial authorities no draft should bo allowed, and that this be an instruction to any delegate representing this executivo." Mr Sheat said the custom of a cooling allowance on meat should also be combatted. Now was an opportune timo to break down theso iniquitous and obsolete trado customs. Mr Newton said an effort should bo made to get the Australian Settlors' Association and Wool Producers to act on tho same lines. The " resolution was carried unanimously. Mi* O'Halloran said a meat expert had told liim that 4 por cent, foir coolirig ; allowanco was ample, and that there was no necessity lor the existing 6 per cent, allowance. THE LABOUR QUESTION. Mr H. D. V avasour's (Blenheim) riews on tho necessity of not enlisting any more farm labourers, and of re-

turning all farm labourers already enlisted, to the Dominion, were rea<l. The chairman said ho could not go quite as far as Mr Vavasour, and he thought tho Union would have to trust tho Government so faT as the First Division Avas concerned. If the need for men was greater than the need for food, as they had been told, then the farmers would have to support whatever sacrifices would have to bo mad< in tho way of men. At the same titru he thought tho Government should giv some early pronouncement with regar to the Second Division. In his district (Dunsandel) three-fourths of tho farmers ' left were in tho Second Division. and liable for military service. The same thing was true of other districts, and he thought tho Government should at' once let those men know what the position was going to be. Ho felt that the Governncnt would have to reconsider its scheme with regard to the number of men to bo sent from the Dominion, but ho could not go as far as Mr Vavasour suggested. Mr Sheat said tho Union would bo well advised to leave the matter in abeyance. He, personally, did not feel competent to advise or instruct the Government how to run tho war. They would have to trust tho Government and* not do anything to hamper it. Ho thought Sir Jas. Allen had done yeoman servico in tho past, ana. deserved a peerage, particularly for his skill in keeping his crew together—not forgetting tho member for Avon! Mr Geo. Gardner said there was such a thing as asking the little willing horso to do all the work. Thorowas a regrettable absence of co-ordina-tion among the sections of tho Empire, and our Government should at one© placo before tho other Governments tho vital necessity of working together He did not believe that New Zealand would ever suffer from shortage of food as had been suggested. To support Mr Vavasour's idea might make themselves ridiculous, but they might also render themselves ridiculous if they went to the opposite extreme. Mr O'Halloran read a letter from tho Prime Minister (dated May, 1016) stating that every effort should be mado to increase exports. The chairman: That's a yoar ago. | Mr O'Halloran said that if _ more men wero takon it wotxkl result in production falling very considerably. Our expenses were increasing fast, and production must bo kept up to pay tho bill. , , Mr Gardner moved that the letter be received. Tho resolution was carried. CROPPING REGULATIONS. Tho chairman referred to the cropping regulations as applied to Crown leases, and moved that the Govern inent give tho lessees of Crown lands the right to take as many grain crops as miglit be considered necessary, and also to extend the same right to owners of private leases during the currency of the war. The times wero abnormal, and restrictions advisable in normal times might bo very harmful now. An extra crop or two would not seriously harm the land, whereas the supply of foodstuffs was a vital point. Mr Gardner said he could not support the motion. Ho considered that to tamper with tho regulations was a

very big question, ana there was a danger of much harm being done. The chairman said the point was not the convenience of tho tenant, but the necessities of the nation. The matter could not bo rectified by private applications to a Land Board. No man would put wheat into land that was not thoroughly suitable. The farmers would hare to agree to drastic changes probably, and they should be glad_ if their land was not in the occupation •f some alien outside the Dominion at be end of the war. Messrs Sheat and Newton snpportcd tho motion. Mr Sheat considered that owners' rights could bo very easily conserved. The motion wis carried unanimously. Mr It. Evans and Mr J. O'Halloran were elected delegates to the Dominion Conference in Wellington. FARM LABOURERS' AWARD. Tho Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Labourers' Union wroto asking tho Farmers' Union to moet representatives of the Union for tho purpose of conferring as to conditions of labour and wages of agricultural labourers. The chairman said that about twelve 'months ago ho was in Blenheim in connexion with shearers and agricultural labourers' disputes t He pointed out that it had been decided in Canterbury that no award was possible to regulate tho work of farm workers, and anyway it was no tiuie to discuss such a dispute during tho currency of the war. The case was accordingly adjourned sine die, and tho Court decided that before the case could be re-opened the A. and P. Labourers' Union would havo to provo that the conditions had altered. Ho submitted that the conditions had not altered materially, and he suggested that a reply be sent that the Union considered that the matter should still bo allowed to stand over. If there were any special grievances these could be brought forward and considered, ana, if necessary, dealt with. Mr Sheat supported the cliairman'e attitude. No action should bo taken in the matter until the many thousands of farm labourers who had gone to the front had returned and could express their needs and opinions. Mr J. R. Cullen said the communication should bo ignored. Tho chairman said tho communication had already been roplied to, and as a matter of courtcsy he thought a roply should be sent. Mr Gardner said the Union shonld ask tho A. and P. Labourers' Union for any cases of genuine hardship. If such could be found, tho Farmers' Union would bo pleased to consider them and redress tlicm. He moved in that direction. It was eventually decided to act in j tho way suggested by tho chairman.