FARMERS' UNION

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 204, 22 May 1908, Page 7

FARMERS' UNION

THE AUCKLAND CONFERENCE. . (DY TELEGRAPH —PHKO9 ASSOCIATION.) Auckland, Mav 21. Tho annual conferenco of tho Auckland Provincial Executive of tho »Now Zealand Farmers' Union was opened to-day. : About fifty dolegatos wero present. ■ Mr. Allon 8011, tho acting-provincial president. said that ha regretted the introduction during the year of • further legislation detrimental to tho farmers. The year had boon the most eventful in tho history of tho Union on account of tho drastia and unwarrantable legislation brought in by tho present Ministry. Tho Union had considered

the question of land values. . The unimproved value of land was being rushed up at the rate of over £10,000,000 annually. The method was adopted to grossly undervalue tho. settlers' improvements and proportionately increase the unimproved or taxable value. Tho Valuation Department's action had assisted in the creation of boom values. Whilst recognising tho necessity of taxation, the executive objectod. to tho unnecessary.increase in the burdens already placed, upon tho land, which now amounted to over £2,000,000 a year. Auckland had been Unanimous that tho Union should take~ ! a firm political stand, but had only found four supporters at tho Conference. Tho position in his provinco had; become intolerable, awl the question. should bo reconsidered. So long as tho Union continued its spineless political attitudo it would bo unable to make its power felt. The miserable failure of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act to avert strikes mado it imperative that the farming industry should not be brought under its operation. Mr. Boddie moved: "That tho Government bo urged to havo all Native lands, riiado ■equally liablo with European to contribute their ]ust sharo of rates for tho maintaining of roads, by which such lands are bonefitod." ' Tho motion was carried unanimously. Mr. Boddio thon moved that tho Noxious Woods Act should' bo applied equally to Native lands wherovcr theso adjoined European lands. ' Tho motion was carried. _ y . Mr. F. Dye moved: "That this Conference protests against any attempt by the I Government in tho direction of land nationalisation, and considers tho legislation of last session, by which nine millions of acres of Crown lands wero removed from tho optional system, when thrown open for sottle--moht, is" tho first step in this direction.". The motion was ctimod unanimously.