FARMERS' POLITICS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 307, 21 September 1908, Page 8

FARMERS' POLITICS.

TESTS FOR CANDIDATES. DAIRYING BILL. ARBITRATION AND CO-OPERATIVE LABOUR. Tho Masterton District Branch of tho New Zealand Farmors' Union mat in Mastertoil on Saturday, writes our AVairarapa correspondent, to consider tho Shearers' Accommodation Bill, the questions which tho Colonial Conference of tho union proposes to put beforo Parliamentary candidates, and also * tho Dairying Bill now beforo tho House of Parliament. Mr. AV J. AA'clch, president of tho branch, was in the chair, and tiioro wero also present, Messrs. AY. Perry, Burke, R. I l '. R. Bcctham. AV. L. Falconer, D. M'Gregor, R. J. M'Kenzie, B. Rayner, and J. G. Foreman. Tho following resolution was received from tho secretary of tho Colonial Conference: — "That tho time has now arrived when tl:e union as a whole must take a more active part in politics and a firm stand against Socialistic legislation, and that all farmers' candidates be asked to pledge themselves to oppose all measures detrimental to the farming communitv, whether they be Government measures or otherwise; and that in any electorate where more than one candidate pledges himself to do so, a meeting be held of delegates from each branch in the electorate to secure tho return of a candidate who can bo relied upon to support the union's platform in Parliament, irrespective of party." Tho secretary also forwarded the following table of questions, which it is proposed to submit to Parliamentary candidates: — SCHEDULE I. AVill you, if returned, support, irrespective of party, tho following platform 1. To give all Grown tenants a statutory right to acquire the freehold of their land at any timo after tho conditions as to residence and improvements have been complied with, at a value to be computed actuarially, so that any rebate or rent which has been paid less than the 5 per cent, paid by the O.R.P. tenant shall be capitalised and added to the original value of the land. 2. That in respect of all Crown lands opened for settlement under the provisions of the Lands Act, the successful applicants shall havo the option of any of the tenures provided therein. , , „ , , i, 3. That taxation through the Customs shall be raised for the purpose of revenue only. i. That only ratepayers shall be empowered to vote on local Government matters in counties, road boards, or rural districts, and the present franchise be maintained. 5. To resist and vote against any further attempt to nationalise the means of production, distribution, and exchange. SCHEDULE 11. To be put to candidates at the discretion of the branches. 1. "Will you vote for the repeal of the present Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act? 2. AVill you vote against a Referendum Bill ? 3. AVill you voto for a discontinuance of cooperative works ? Arbitration Act Repeal. The chairman said that he thought that the .time had arrived ■ when the farmers should take a hand in any pr > nosed legislation. It was necessary to do so as a protection to themselves . There was no doubt that tho present Governmeit legislation was detrimental to farmers' interests. Ho thought that the Arbitration Act was one of the reasons of the increased cost of living. It had been stated in tho Houso of Parliament that this was not thd case, but farmers knew tho facts. It was well known also that the same Arbitration Bil 1 was tho oause of the lowering of the standard of tho quality of labour. Messrs. AV. Perry and D. M'Gregor corroborated the remarks of tho previous speaker. Mr. Foreman: "Tho motion was defeated that their member, Mr. Hornsby, had voted in favour of the clause in the Counties Act, giving one man one-vote. Mr. Burke : Mr. Hogg voted for that also. . Mr. Foreman: Tho motion was defeated by only seven votes." Tho speaker thought this was a terrible slap in tho faco for the farmers, 'the majority of whom had moro than ono voto. AVhen the time came round, he intended to ask tho member for the district for an explanation.

The meeting decided to adopt schedule I in its entirety, and then went on to schedule 11.

Mr. Perry proposed that tho first clause —repeal of tho Arbitration Act—should be adopted. The system of arbitration had been proved to bo a faroe. It would not work, and sooner or later it must fall. The Government would not at present relinquish its alleged ideal, because of the nearness of the general election, but thoro seemed to be no doubt that the system of compulsory arbitration must becomo a dead letter. The speaker said that ho was in favour of a proper system of conciliation. It was decided to adopt the clause, and also the one relating to tho Referendum Bill. Several speakers spoke against a referendum, stating that it allowed members of Parliament and candidates to hedge too much. Co-aporative Methods Attacked. There was an animated discussion on the clause relating to the present system under which the Government conducted its cooperative labour contracts. Mr. Falconer spoke in favour of co-opera-tivo labour contracts, which he said allowed each worker an equal right. Thero had lately been dono a piece of co-operative labour in his district, Kaituna, which had been done cheaper than it could have been dono by any local body. If tho system was bad it was because of tho gangers.

Messrs. Foreman and W. Perry contended that the system was bad because of tho administration, and proceeded to quote facts. Mr. Foreman stated that once at Pongaroa a co-operative labour gang was paid twice over through the inefficiency of tho officer in charge.

Mr. W. Perry stated that not much could be said of a system where a man on a job was not allowed to use a horso and scoop in preference to a wheelbarrow. At present, if a man wished to use a horso and scoop, he was "fired," or his contract prico was cut down. This was wheelbarrow legislation with a vengeance, and tho country had to pay for it.

Mr. M'Kenzio expressed tho opinion that the present co-operative labour system was inimical to tho men interested themselves. He had heard co-operative labourers discussing the fact that thoy had faked their timesheets. They had thus got money from tho Stato for time which they had not workedMr. M'Gregor thought that the whole system was wrong. The Government interfered in works undertaken in tho district simply to make political capital. Works such as road formation and construction should bo left to tho local bodies. Tho motion to adopt the clause was carried unanimously. It was decided to submit tho questions singly to the various Parliamentary candidates in the Wairarapa and Masterton doctorates. Shearers' Accommodation Bill. In the course of a general discussion on this Bill, tho chairman and others contended that it was not wanted, neither by employers nor by shearers. Mr. Foreman was of tho opinion that tho Government might provide better accommodation for its ballast men, who lived permanently in railway cars, before it attempted to deal with tho temporary accommodation of shearers.

Mr. M'Konzie, who spoke as an old shoarer, said that he had eaten butter off a kerosene tin-lid, and ho had seen the cook sleeping in the same shed as tho eatables. On the other hand, ho had been supplied with bettor food at some shearing stations than he had at his own home,

It was decided to request tho members of Parliament for AVairarapa and Masterton to opposo tho Bill. Harassed Dairymen. The Bill was shortly discusscd and generally condemned in its present form. Mr. Falconer considered that its provisions were impracticable, and if put into effect would undoubtedly result in a great loss to tho industry. There were, ho said, forty inspectors, at £140 per annum each. The speaker also condemned tho proposal that tho milk carts should bear the names of their owners in two-inch letters, and tho cow tax. Sir. AV. Perry was of the opinion that there wore a lot of good points in tho Dill. Messrs. Burke and M'Kenzio spoke of tho difficulties which some dairymen in tho baekblocks would havo to face in order to effect tho desired alterations, Mr. Burke remarking also that as a result of a farmer being unduly harassed by inspectors, tho farmer had decided to abandon the industry. Other instances wero given, where farmers wero being worried over these regulations which were not yet law, and it was decided to request the members for AVairarapa and Masterton to opposo tho measure in its present form.