FARMERS' UNION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 262, 29 July 1908, Page 8

FARMERS' UNION.

THE PRODUCERS' PARLIAMENT. ANNUAL CENTRAL CONFERENCE. - OPENING -DAY. / Tho seventh annual conference of the. New Zealand-Farmers' Union Was opened at 10 a.ni. yesterday, in the National Mutual Buildings, Wellington. ■ ' The Dominion President, -Mr. J. G.- Wilson, presided, and the conference was attended by the following delegates and others: - , Executive • Committee: Messrs. G. - W'. Leadley (Ashburton), A. E. Russell (Palmerston North), J. C. Cooper'(Tane), W. J. Birch (Marton), H. J. Richards (Levin), and E. C. Jack (general secretary). 1 Delegates: Major Bell and Mr. J. Flanagan (Auckland), Messrs. T. Elliott (Poverty Bay), J. Beatson and H. M. Sanders (Hawke's Bay), E. Maxwell and S. Forsyth (Taranaki), P. F. Hockley and W,. B". Mathe'son (Wellington), A. Mackay (Marlborough), I. Tunnicliff and N. A. M'Laren (Nelson), R. Evans, 0. F. Clothier and D. Jones (North Canterbury), R. Scott (Otago), J. M'Queen and H. J. Middjet-pn (Southland). Visitors: Mpssr?. J. D. Ritchie (secrptjry for-Agriculture), E. Clifton (Chief Inspector, of Stock), J: A. Gilruth (Chief , Governnient Veterinarian), T. Y. Duncan, MiP. (formerly Minister for Lands), and T. Mackenzie, M.P. PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 'In his annual address the President (Mr, J. G. Wilson) expressed tho Union's regret at the death of their friond and active member, Mr. John Peat. As one who constantly met . him on business connected with" the Union, and - knew how valuable his work, .and. counsel were, he would liko to place on record the high appreciation thoy all had of his work ,for the Union. Land Bills. During tho past year many events had occurred of importance to the Union. A Land Bill had been passed, unsatisfactory from the point, of view of_ the Union, but preferable to' the Bill originally l introduced bv Mr. M'Nab; - ■ ■■ ■■-, - ■ - The revalued lease had been i enacted,, and the L.I.P. tenants had been offered the -right to make their lands freehold,' though in such a way as to'bo of no value to them, notwithstanding that it was shown-most conclusively that the granting of the freehold- to them at ( tho actuarial value was tho best possible bargain for the State. Only • speculators who desired to cut up their land'would take advantage of tho olfer. ' The only thing .that remained to the L.l.P..tenant, who,wished to work his land, was an empty, right to convert to freehold by paying a price again to Government, ' which, in a-great many cases,' lie had-already paid for the.tonant right. . Only foolish prejudice against the ; landowning class could have prompted this means', of. dealing with tho questibn. To lock up money' in land-which pays -2$ to 3 per cent, and borrow money at over 4 per cent.'was,- to say tho least, not good- business. •

The Act had, in fact,: pleased neither those who ■ favoured leaseholds, nor those who - favoured- freehold's, but there ■ was: one consolation, which was,'that land'Agts in New Zealand , seemed to require amendments every session, and the duty; of the Union clearly was to continue the'demand'for a fair'ana reasonable Act, until it, accomplished its object. ■ ■ ■ i ,' . • .Taxes. . ' ; The * President com-nended Sir Joseph Ward's action in'granting tho request the Union had made to several successive Ministries, that tho sh'eepitax- be abolished, but referred to tho Land and Income Tax, which was so amended that a penal graduated tax was placed upon land \ when ' held to, the extent of £40,000 unimproved value s or over, against the declared wishes of the Union. Some amends would bo made to tlio landowners affected if the proposals of Sir Joseph "Ward were carried out, to enable them to make agreements to sell to .an association of j buyers, the Government guaranteeing tho purchase money. The penal-tax was to begin with tho year commencing April 1/1909. In all fairness ,the' date should; bo. extended to enable those affected to (take advantage of the proposed.provisions., i.. Valuation. . , Tho'clauso in tho .samo 'Act which ; took'as a basis for compensation in compulsory sales the amount entered' on the valuation roll, plus 12 per cent., would probably result in confiscating—in eases where the valuation roll was not brought up-to-date-—a' portion of the value. - . ' Tho presen't valuation of land for taxation purposes was based on an Arbitrary amount, which .the valuer called tho "unimproved value —a ridiculous term, and' arrived.'at by a mere guess. A contented farming coinihunity with: a feeling of securityl in their'tenure, which made for the highest 1 ' productiveness of the tfand, was of much more "consequence to the Dominion than the extraction of a little more. land. tax.. j ' . Arbitration. v The, promised Arbitration! Amendment Bill was; not persevered With, and the present intolerable position must be either-niended or ended. The ..Minister - .fbr • Labour had brought down ail. amendingjßill this'session, and had stated that the Government had no intention of excluding farm'labourers. The Union would, however, at least expect'that a reasonable number 6f farm omployees must be bona fide members of a union, beforo it would disturb a whole industrial' district. Tho Minister proposed twenty-five instead of seven, as • the 'requisite number to form , a union, but although that mimber'might be sufficient in a trade with few employees, it was-very different with an industry which numbered thousands of employees. The Farmer?' Union-had already intimated to the Chairman of the Labour Bills Committee-that they desired to offer evidence. The wisest country left its primary producers untrammelled in their work, and, secure in their tenure. Production* and Prices. . The considerable falling off in 'prices of wool' awing the past yearj'caused a f fall.'in the price of sheep, aiul cattlo also wero very unsaleablo. Wool at its lowest point fell SO per cent, on last-year's-rates, and there was at present a 33 1-3, per. cent. fall. ' There would not seem any reason to fear such low pricesas we had a few years ago,'which were again'touohed in March-'of this year. • 'Cotton, their greatest'-rival j - was' being grown - in considerable quantities- in -many British dependencies where (previously none was grown, and the British Government was doing all in its power to enooura'ge -its growth; but he thought they need :not fear that wool would be affected; ■- Frozen meat prices wero fairly maintained, especially lamb. The export'of mutton remained at about a million and three-quarter carcasses, and the export of ; lamb last year was a record, two-million arid three-quarter carcasses. Fortunately; this lamb' trade seemed to be a specialty of;their own;-and seasons did not vary sufficiently, as in the Commonwealth, to causo tho year's exports to fluctuate to any great extent. This trade was capable of large expansion, and was likely to take tho place of -tlio' moro precarious and less profitable production of wheat. Prices, both for butter and for cheese, had been very remunerative, and j the total export of these two products I reached over £2,000,000. The dry summer, however, lessened tho output. There appeared to be excellent prospects for the coming season. Ho regretted, however, to say that very few farmers wero culling their herds by, test, though it had been proved over and over again that their output could bo increased quite 50 per cent by careful selection, both in weight of, yield, and in test for butter-fat. Wheat had been at abnormally high prices all over the world,, but be would be a bold man who would hazard an opinion as to the prices of the future. : ■ . i .'. ■ ' ■'■ , .Oats, had been more remunerative than: for some- time-past,' and- chaff-' better

than either. They had several baskets foe their eggs, now, instead of one, as there was a generation ago. Experiments. The President referred to the development of rural education, and'sajd there had" been increased interest taken by. farmers in the' experiment farms, which . were :doing, good ■work as" demonstration farms, ' although •such _ a thing as research was almost unknown in New Zealand. '"It is a strange thing," said, 'the' President', "that in a' country which depends to such an extent upon agricultural, and pastoral pursuits, there should be.'no chair of Agricultural Science in any of th'e. Universities! Although :a ' chair of " Veterinary . Sci-ence-has been talked of, and promised in the Otago University, there is no place' whero !a young,- man can .ievon have .the • elementary training,'which' should be gone through 'by anyone'-who, in future work", will have to deal,'with animals.". • ■' Fiold Experiments. There was one class of experimental work which the Union could do a great deal' to he>lp forwa:d, viz., experiments' conducted by officers of- the Department on land provided by farmers, who did .the work and benefited by tlie-results of the experiment.; The top dressing of pastures was one experiment' which had been'furthered by . the Union in the Martpn, Feildjng,' and. Sandoii districts. - The Department found the ■ manure and the official to' conduct' the- experiments, and. recpr.ded the results, , and ;tho 'farmer found the land and the necessary, labour; Another set of experiments', conducted in the Bulls and Sandon neighbourhood,. was it}. regard to the best class', of summer feed for cows. Still another set of-.experiments ■was being carried out in the same 'district, under the same auspices,' in the growth of wheat to test its-"capacity of making wellpiled In Hawke's Bay the Union had been instrumental :in starting a' series of experiments in the' top-dressing of old pasture's. It ,was. hoped 'that other districts would take up tho same work.. The experiment farm had this disadvantage: that the results obtained were'only of benefit to the farmers who Vvorked with similar.conditions, ; climate, and soil. The'experiments spoken of: covered • a • wide' area,. and'• therefore were useful to a much larger number of farms; When once an experiment'.farm had'demonstrated .. what high-class farming was, the next stage'must be to "show .that profitable results could be accomplished.' ' Ho, thought in'the end the number of experiment "farms would possibly be reduced,; and..the' work concentrated ' on research -and /experiment proper. . • The ,Socialists. • ■ • ■ The union of farmers was more than'ever desirable, : since the Socialists had captured the Trades, and ; Labour, .Councils; whether, they had captured - theworking class ho doubted... He firmly, believed that,,by far the best, means to make a, man,, whether, • a worker or not, a happy, contented,.and.prosperous colonist wits-.to' enable' him .'to make his home his own. ■ ~ That,- ; however, • would not . satisfy tho. Socialistic , propagandist, whose aim was to "nationalise tho means of production, distribution,. and exchange.'.' It was their duty to : cbmbat!the'attack by! evpry means,in,their.power. . .. ,'. '~ The Socialists based their arguments .upon the Marxian statement that "all .wealth was the result of labour'; therefore to the labourer all wealth shtnild belong." - It. was . when 'they eanie to define labour that, this statement broke down.- Thero .was labour of the brain, •as - well-as the ; hand, labour, of .the inventor, organisor, distributor, 1 - and '. many others. Curi.oiisly enough, the.Socialist had never,been able.to' did. pay "the' State to-produce of manufacture." The President - coiitrasted • the ; communism- .of thei-old Maoris to the : individualism :of the whites, aiid said that, whilst- under• our system of government we: exported. £20,0t)0,000 worth: of produce last. year, any attempt to live' tho. life the-Socialists suggested' would be retrogressive, .and".drag the people into insignificance) if not'into semtude.' Jn mimioipalisation,; on • the Contrary, the .people pledged their credit, and could more easily stop the experiment if not successful." They could only damage their, own,town,, and there would be quick reaction. : But Socialism would drag the whole people', into : the Experiment, and before the country could say "Nay," irreparable- harm could--be! ; done. Beware of Single Tax. Equally so (continued the speaker) they beware of tho stepping stjohes — single tax and nationalisation of the land. " The first was .the. easiest of accomplishment, and a firmbeliever (and, he thought, a conscientious believer) in-the system had crept into the inner ..counsel of the. nation. It was easiest ,of accomplishment, because the. machinery, wai.al-, ready provided. Every addition to the land' tax. was a' step.in the direction of the single •'tax. i ':. - -ivS'- ■''' - ' "'

Land, nationalisation had " got . a .leg' in-", too, and : the Land, Bill of last session/gave it another, hoist. It "was certain that a complete combination -of landowners .formed tho siirest method of combating the tendency, arid the Union offered this possibility. Timber Supplies. ;- ' • \ There .was, one mitter which, should receive tho imAediat© and earnest" consideration" of every, branch of the Union. • We werei rapidly nearing, the' end ' of , our . timber. ' , ; Even the hitherto despised white pine, was rapidJy.being cut out, and .already the' price had'been raised and the;cost of .butter boxes increased. Afforestation- wals beirig considered almost|by eyery polder country in'tbe world.,\The.'importation of .Oregon pine to New. Zealand was the result of the Anierican crisis. .The-system of' working this timber' sfeem'ed "to tbe that • a man' would take up an; area of timber there from the Government, much as he took up a mining:claim here/ He: then entered ihtb.;a contract to 1 deliver, logs to a milling company and started... in! When tho crisis was on,. fuianciaV assistance, was riot forthcoming," and these/ contractors 1 arid 1 sub-cjntractor's Tias' to sell any'.price they, were' offered, and Jience' the, milling, companies were able to offer. Oregon pine at .a very low rate. This rate was not likely to continue after the chfcaper logs got: worked up. The fact of a trade having been'.opened up might cause! it to continue, especially, if the mills , had ;any surplus.which they could dump down here at a noil-paying rate, rather than over-feed their own market! and ,thus' rexjuce prices. l In any case, our timber was .being.'rapidly depleted, and we were riiaking .no elfort. to replace it, except on' a very, small scale, and'with prison labour. - ■=,- • ••• ■

•The employment-of,"prison-labour certainly was in; the right; direction, : and .should be:encouraged I by■ every ' sensible man's support. The land that was being, planted - was .worthless'for most other purposes', and was not,conveniently' situated. . Hfe was -firmly i convinced that, a .'very large . area' of land .should'' be planted.' every year' by; .Government, • oven. if they have' to borrow .money for the .purpose. Thd area' bf the' s'aiid; hills' which ran-up the West; Coast of this Island' wds aii,ideal:bliss of'.laiid for'tho purpose/ ' They were within a ■few ,miles, of'tho ; railway • station, ■ and when tile, timber' was Available it would 1 cost/little to'distribute. ' It would''have'an exc'ellfeiit effect'upon the climate of jtho neighbourhood.' There were also hugo area's .'of- useless land in the North Island central district, and;' no doubt, similar areas in the South.' To any one sceptical on this subject hoi recommended the reading, of, first, Mr. Kensington's valuable -report on the, remaining timber of New Zealand, atad ! then Mr. Matt-hews's ,book ! on tree-planting. : LAND TENURE. 1 Mr. Allen Bell (Auckland) moved:—."That this Conference'protests-against any attempt by the New Zealand Government in the direction of Land Nationalisation; and considers tlio legislation of last'session, by which nine million acres of. Crown Lands were removed from tho optional system, when thrown open for settlement, is another step'in this direction." 1 _ ' ; Major Bell said though members of Parliament wero going about the Dominion stating they did not intend to nationalise'the land, the farmers- were convinced that such a policy was contemplated, : and had already been initiated. Mr. J. Flanagan (Auckland) seconded.' The motion was carried unanimously. Right o! Purchase. - . Mr. J. MfQueen " (Southland) moved: — "That thiq Conference-is of opinion that .no: country, unless provision is; made by. which ■ selector can • acquire, the freehold ''of • his ,'. • . i . j . '

section, after he has complied with the. conditions of residence and improvements; that tho'optional'system should-apply to all such lands; and that the Conference'favours, a reasonable limitation of .area." . , Messrs. , Middlet-on - (Southland), -.. -H. '-. J. Richards (Levin), Elliott (Poverty Bay), Forsyth (Taranaki),-and-'others t-ook part in tho discussion'. '• . . . ' Mr/ Leadley - (Ashburton): moved an' addition of the words,—"and that whero lands which ;have. been reserved for special purpose's —that is, endowment lands',": etc.—are sold, the' money - realised from such -sale' shall - be, in all cases,, set aside -and permanently invested for the' purposes'' for. which'the land was"originally reserved." • Major Bell (Auckland) ■■ approved of this addition. - ' "'-, . .. ". Mr. Hockley (Wellington) considered the case could'bo met. by- adding; after the .word "selector," —'.'of any land occupied under any conditions set', out .'in any.'land Acts of- tho Dominion.!' , - , - , Mr. Hockley's and Mr. Leadley's suggestions -were both accepted, and tho'niotiqri was carried as so amended. \ . Terms of Freoliojd to .'(-eaticiiclc'crs., Mr. Matheson (WeUirigton) moved:—"That the Goyornpicnt bo urged to. amend the Land Act so as to- giyo all Crpwn' "arid Land for Settlement .tenants the ,option -of purchasing tho -freehold of- their lands at the original .value and the. payment. of . the.,,difference .between the four per cent, (uqijr charged'ion ,tho lease-in-perpetuity). afld the ..five, per . cont. (charged to tenants with tho-, right of purchase)'and al| futuro lands, disposed of snail carry the right of purchase." '. Speaking on the question of-right of purchase,, Mr. • Matheson said..perhaps' the", chief objection to the renewable lease : was that no leaseholder could renew his lease unless' he accepted tho:■ valuation-cf ,'a .Government official—a ' valuation. whitih would never ;be satisfactory. : Mr. Hockley (Wellington) Tho motion was carried ijuinirp.ously.. ,'' . ' Covernmcni Boundary Fences. . Mr.' Hockley (Wellington)' moved:—:"That. when, Government reserves adjoin private' holdings-(freehold or leasehold)''the. Land Department should'pay half the cost of fencing and keeping-the fences.: in repair."'.Mr,. Matheson, opposing; 'said- it 1 .would be equally reasonable to' make Qounty Councils fehco, their reserves. If tlie.propbsal became law, it would necessitate constant expense in surveys over little fencing'operations. People purchasing land adjoining. .Crown land knew, the.law'before they bought-,.arid made allow-: a'neo in the price paid. ' .. , - Mr. Russell believed there, wa.s. a right of recovery ; against-:public bodies,-for, fencing.. ; Mr. Maxwell (Taranaki) arid Mr./ Richards ;(Levin) supported-'tlieimotiqii. ■ - ■- ' - : -Mr/ Midaleton ,said'.the; fencing allowance wis recoverable from; the tenants' when Crown larid.was sold. He riioved.the,addition of the words " arid unoccupied .Crown lands." ' This was agreed,, to, and the motion,as amended, was passed. . ; ', • .. Land Board Meotinss. V ' Mr. Scott; (Otago) riioved: — "That" this 'Conference b'e'Ye'quested to tako steps to urge', .the' Minister for Lirids.. to, a v cc'cdo: to 'the • request of the 1 Otago.branches .to. have meetings of -tho Land! Board , held fortnightly." He stated, that, often'three months elapsed before a Crown tenant, could get a; transfer. - ■ ' Mr.', Hockley' (Welliiigtori) sec'ondedj and asked that ,the motion should, apply to all Land B.oards.. .v.', Mr; M'Queen suggested the addition of the: words " where necessary " ■ ; The question .was : :-po'stpblied; : .Mr. Scott , to .iriterview;the;.Minister ;.riie'anwhile. " ' - Pakcha-Uivs'for, Maoris. " ; . Mr. Bell' (Auckland) moved:A'' (That, con-: sideling- the' present troubles to settlers, local bodies, and 'the . Domihibri in general, from', unoccupied Native- lands,this. Confer-'. once-bring aliipossiblo mfiuerice to bear.on/ the. Government ;to hayb, all Native:', lands, individualised;; and. that, tho present'. Native Courts," arid laws Native , lands be- done • away with, arid, that all have the rights and. and; responsi-. bilitios, and be .allowed. uridbr thesame laws/as whitesand that' this' matter receive: the JavflUrabW; consideration'; of Conference.". . \ ■ .

Major Bell -gave instances in' which all the rates of- a -large area had to ;be borne by a fey whites, because the bulk of the district owned by-Natives.: ' ' Mr: Matheson thought the resolution should be discussed in two. parts. It was imperative the Native lands should .be individualised. He moved to, add the words: "That these lands bo individualised before 1912." It only wanted-a.strong Native Minister , to. do it, instead ;j?f/. Taihoa... (Applause.)' .' i /'• ' ''y : Tfro President asked ho\v the'Nativo lands could be individualised -if- -they,, swept -away th'e .Native Land Courts., ' 1 . >. '

-. ;Mr. ■ McQueen, 'though. Sympathising with the aims of .the ;morer, .considered, it best |o hold , the matter -."over till,'next year, - arid moved-accordingly*. • i, Mr:' Matheson Purged that'the Union should put' an end to the interminable Native Land Courts, which - Were ■ costing the - country •thpusands.of pounds of money, and bringing nothing .to a conclusion^..': It; jras-ia'- disgrace to ;the Dominion. .(Hear, hear.) ■ The President, said these woi^-strong words ahd : he.-scarcely- agreed with; them. - ..Mr. Russell moved the addition ,of ; the words,,," and > with such restjrjctibns as. toalienation, as may be'consjdered. advisable." :,AU words after. " indihdualised " iri : the original motion were deleted, :and ; the motion was. -referred ;to., a' committee to - redraft. . RIFLE CLUBS. "\ 'V*' An offer was received' .from" the Colonial Ammunition - Co.r.to give ' a.'. £20. challenge shield for competition' with vthe.. .303 rifle among tha members of the 'prop'dsed Farmer's' IJnjon Rifle; Clubs. . r -.1 :■ t Tho matter was referred to (Major Bell and Mr.-Scott to 'formulate,-aVscheme:'; ' VALUATION OF IMPRpyEMENTS. . . Major Bell, (Aucklahd)'. moved-.fr" That ia scale 'ofvalues • be' drawn*-up from' time to time m/conference, befaV4en':the (Government '-Valuation. Department ;■ arid ..-rcprtsentatiyeG of' the Farmers' Union, and-.thSti the' : valueis bo' instructed'- in -making. theso'> valuations, not • to include tho • unexhausted - value of any ni'anuro applied to the laud." He condemned' the. constant';'-increase; in. the Evaluations -.'and the basing of valuations.on- the present boom values, a • system which •'played' into ; tho hands of ;land speculators.;: '■■■■/ \Mr. M'Queerirspoko, against l taxation.'-'of unimproved value,, an'd-.pleaded for fair play from the; townspeople/whom they kept 'in employment. '. " Give' tho'farmers,": lie said, "fair play, and we will buikl iip- these towns; But ,don't*burden lis. tions." .. . . . ■ -■' Mr. J. ■ C.; Cooper (Tane) ; considered the system- ofv valuation : "on- unimproved; value ' should • be . abolished- and ,-valuation; be'; based oii'capital value 1 ... ; '■• : : -Mr'. 'Matlteson declared; that;;just- as'..the sheep ' tax - had. been';;- abolished ■.'■.'because'. it ■ was a class t-ax, so ihe'larid tax to bo abolished; ,'because it •'was'equally-.a class tax. ■ ■- ( ■ - v.-!- 1 . Mr. .Maxwell (Taranaki) said- there were .lands with £10 an acre-'whioh'- had'.cost £15 an aero to improve.. Apart .'from -. the value of. the improvements; these lands had absolutely no .'other .value to..'tax.- . ■ , ;Mr.' .Leadley asked -what;-they..proposed to substitute? . A member:. Taxation of- improved value. .. Another member: Capital'taxation. ' Mr. Leadley (Ashbiirton) ; considered the taxation should be on a man's' income: therewas.no other equitable system. - He'read, in a 'Christ-church' paper the- other day .a- pa'ragraph copied from The' Dominion-, in which the writer stated that ho knew that £500.000 df farmers' money was leaving New Zealand to .be invested in Queensland. Was it stat-es-maulikp to , hold' the front door' open with one ■ hand to immigrants, from : Europe, - and make great jubiliation over the.arrival of a man; with £25 capital, and-at the same , time hold • tho back door, open ./'with the other hand' and compel, by taxation policy,, men with £500,000 capital ", to go,; to Queensland?. ', ' •- Unimproved Value inequitable. '-; Tho President. moved■ , . . "That the present system of valuation of land for laud tax- purposes '-on .what- is. . called the .unimproved, Taiuo is inequitable and has no reliable'basis .to enable anyone • ,to arrive at a"valuation: other than-a purely •

arbitrary one; that the. capital value is thi only ascertainable value which can be equit* ably arrived at; but that the'taxable'value of land should be the average capital value extended over, a series of years, and riot the saleable value of the land." \ Sir. Richards - suggested that the taxation should bo on the "producing value." • Tho. President;, said this would play into the hands of speculating holders of suburban lands,

The President's motion ,was carried unanimously, the raoti'onv. being with* drawn. : . - ■ . j; •_

V Unoxhausted Value of- Manures. Mfi° r Bell (Auckland) moved:—"That;a further and more - determined efltqrt should be made to have the clause relating to valuation .of improvements,' in the Valuation Act. amonded, by giving full value for the- actual 'benefit-to land from improvements other'than visible, including the unexhausted value of manure." ' . Mr.,.Maxwell (Taranaki)" seconded. ' The President said only the first applications of piaiiure should . 1 bo countedj ; otherwise they, might go on accumulating valua-. turn till it amounted, to more than the valua of; the land. Ho bolioved valuaiiori for'itiaii-uros-was recognised under the land-laws-, i . ■ 'Mr. M'Laren, - Mr.- Middloton,. Mr.: Flanagan;, and others, continued the discussion,which touched largely on' manurial applications generally. ' ; ' ' Mr. -0. P. Clothier (North ' Canterbury) said in the growing \of turnips it was reckoned that 60 per, cent, of, the value of manure, was obtained the. first : year, and 40 per cent.,* from a following wheat crop the second' year."'-' y ■ • ■ ■■■ ■■ • The motion was-carried. • • ' FENCES AND DITCHES. Major Bell (Auckland) moved :t-" That the ' Fencing "Act bo so amended that it will ap-'' . ply equally to Native as to European lands." —Carried: . . ' ' ' Major 801 l (Auckland).moved:—" That'the Drainage Act be amended, so as to compel, adjoining owners to contribute .to-.the. cost. of a boundary ditch,' as if the same was', a boundary fence; and where the outfall .of. such ditch passes through the adjoining pro-' perty,..the owners of. such property,-shall con- • tribute according -to tho benefit derived, and , that tho above apply also . to all Native lands." , 'Seconded by Mr. Flanagan, and carried. 1 ; BACK COUNTRY SEATS. . Mr.: Flanagan (Auckland) moved" That the Colonial Council .be respectfully urged to bring'all'tho . influence .the Union can com- \ mand'-to indilce tKe»'Government"'to : adopt >a more-progressive- polity,- in roading; the, hack -districts,of. the King' Country, and that.the Government be "urged to fulhl the promise 'made to the' settlors of 'Aiyaroa." : 'Major : 8611 seconded. . .Vi.y. •Mr. Hockley suggested the motion.be .applied to, the whole Dominion. , It'was' stated 'that , the proposed', to!. vote £1,000,000;' for '.roading tho backblocks.: . - Mr. Richards moved an. amendment':—' .'" That the ' conference ■ is. pleased to' see tho proposals of the' Government for roading . tha > backblocks;:; arid - urge's .' that: : the', money; when voted should be made available expeditiously,': to .'be 'spent by- the 'local bodiess, or by' tho ; Government;: and that. the Govern-, ! ment be asked to fulfil' the promises made to the settlers of'Awaroa, Oparau, and other blocks,."- • ' . ...-.., , .. , . • Mrr Maxwell -said good roads were, almost as . important as good .tenure.' - Mr. 'D.; Jones- (North" Canterbury); supported the .motion. .The Lands' for Settlement !schemef iva's,:. he. said,'too.expensive,- except for;those people who could do- very well .without it—such as, 1 the .'men with;£6ooo: or £7000 who took up sections,', of Culverden. What was' specially wanted,', however, were ' roatls <l for those settlers who went into the . backblocks. . • ' -

Major Bell (Auckland) opposed Hr.: Richards's. amendment, because it. had teen found that . Government promises' ih the past had been so frequently broken. . Mr. J. C. Cooper (Tane) said the bad roads'of the' backblocks largely caused' the 'unpopularity of country, life,, and th'e-cbhse-qiient congcistioii' of the, cities;. The motion was amended to substitute the word' " Dominion," 'instead of "King Country<".• and was carried. ' The amendment was lost. Expenditure ion. Roads. ■' ; Major 8611 (Auckland) moved That the , Roads Department'furnish an account showing how the loading for roads on bush lands has been spent, so. that settlers may have some idea what' becomes' of the money;,on' which they are paying interest." Mr. M'Queeii deprecated any tendency to take up a partisan attitude against the .Government. ■ Mr. Ma.theson said the motion was neither partisan" nor unreasonable. . These settlers, had paid for: these roads. ' Any man who put his money into a concern, and lost sight of it, would naturally 'Want', to'hare it accounted for.- These-settlers' were still, paying interest on the money. The 1 President considered the request reasonable. . . -■•' . This'was carried. ' .