THE FARMERS' UNION CONFERENCE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 825, 25 May 1910, Page 10

THE FARMERS' UNION CONFERENCE.

KEEN DISCUSSION. ' TENURE QUESTION PROMINENT. • SPEECHES BY TH - E MINISTER. (By Telegraph—Special Reporter.) f Marton, May 2i. The annual conference or the Wellington Provincial District Farmers' Union opened here to-day. About fifty delegates were present, and Air. J. G. Wilsoi: presided. Aiter Mr.- W. J. Birch had welcomed the delegates to Marten, a resolution oi' regret at the death of the King, and of sympathy with the Royal Family was passed. The very interesting opening address of the president, which dealt exhaustively with the chief agrarian topics of the day, is unavoidably held over irom this issue. The question of freehold v, leasehold came m for extensive mention*, Mr. Newman, Ai.i,, tat., that the ! union was never strouger than at present. If one had looked into tiie House of Representatives last session one-might have thought it a committee meeting of the Farmers' Union. It should bo 'Very satisfactory to them to see so many members of the union sitting in Parliament. They would, however, still have a hard fight to get the freehold, and the representatives of the cities would fight them to the last. In spite'of the 51 freehold members last session, they were baulked from getting a straight-out voto on the question. ' A delegate: You were out-generaled. . Mr, Newman: We were; I admit it. But we will not make the same mistake again. Mr. F, E. Hockley (Hunterville) moved a vote of thanks to the president for his address, which was carried with applause. Land Valuations and . Taxation. Mr. E. E. Fletcher (Wanganui) said that the basis should be what the land was worth for cash.-' Land had been fixed up by fictitious valuations. Mr, Hockley said ho thought that the appointment of valuers should be entrusted to the local bodies. A member: Might I ask where wo are? The chairman: Yes, certainly. We are just exactly where we were. (Laughter.) - The chairman explained that the position was this last year: A resolution had been sent from the Provincial Conference to the Dominion. Conference on the question of land valuation. It was found that this motion had uot been before the branches, and it wns remitted back. The six separate remits on the order paper were the outcome of this reconsideration '-by the branches. • Mr. Escott (Woodville) - was surprised fco hear members saying that it was not Sissible to get at the unimproved value, e urged that the soils of the country should be submitted to a analysis, as was done in Denmark, ana the' taxation based on the \Vaiue of the soil els shown by the yield of wheat, ctc. .He thought they should not. let it go out that they were against any : taxa.tion of land. • . ' -'v-V. - I.' Mr. D. Howie (Pohangina) said he thought Mr. Escott's suggestion' would inyolve an enormous cost; and', armies of inspectors. # Mr. J. Morrison (Halcombe). had not found the allowances, for improvements unfair. The amendment proposed by Mr. May .was put and lost •' u .' ' • ' • '• Mr. Matheson then moved his amendment in an altered form:: "That the land tax should be abolished, and, instead, a tax should be levied on curaulated wealth." ; Mr. J. A.. Mlierman' seconded the | amendment, which was put, ,and lost r -oh the voices. Mr. Moss's amendmnet was then put, : .and carried. This requested- that-the Government should instruct its valuers to make fair and reasonable allowance ■for improvements which had not hitherto been' the case. Mr G., Marshall (Marton) moved:. ■"That this conference'is .in favour of ' •taxation raised on tbo uniniproyed value as at'present, rrither' than on'the papital value." This was secohded by Mr. W. L. Falconer (Masterton), and was taken as an addition,, to Mr. Moss's motion. It was carried on'the .voices. Mr. S, S.' Ilaigh (Mangaweka) moved . a further, addition:, "That .valuations znade periodically at intervals' of not more than four, years.' 1 Mr. J. Balsillie seconded, and the motion was carried. The resolution finally read as follows:— "That this conference is in fav- \ " our of 4 taxation being raised on the ; unimproved values at present, rather : than on the capital value, but that the Government should/instruct its valuers to mako a reasonable allowance for improvements, .which has not hitherto been the case, and that valuations be made periodically at intervals of not more than r four • years." Mr. W.J.Moore (Makuri) then movedV ' "That the present system of valuation of lands for taxation purposes should be abolished, and that the valuations should be based on the earning capacity of land extending over a term of years." I Mr. Escott (Woodville) seconded. ' An. amendment in favour oi ! a valua- j tlon of land on the basis of an analysis ! of | the soil was put, and lost, as was the I original motion. I Native Lands. Native lands were next dealt with, and ! Mr. W. J. Birch (Marton) moved: "That the time has arrived when Maori lands should be placed in the same position as the lands of Europeans, subject to the same rates and taxes, and with equal freedom to dispose of their lands by sale or lease, with certain reservations/' Mr. Birch said that they were told .that if they did this, they would pauperise the Maoris with reservations. That would not be the case. The time had come for the Maori to be taken out of swaddling clothes. Mr. R. JC. Simpson (Marton), in seconding the motion, said that, at present, . roads could not be made by local bodies on many of the main blocks, on which were a number of European settlers. Mr. Hockley thought that it was quite time that all distinctions between Maori and European should bo abolished. The Maori was now* well able to look after himself. If you wanted to get to windward of a Maori, you had to • get up very early in the morning. Messrs. Fletcher (Wanganui), W. L. Falconer'(Masterton), and R. Iv. M'Kenzie (Rongotea) spoke in favour of the motion. Mr. F. 'W. Venn (Levin) thought that the money received for the sale of Native land should be held by the Public Trustee." Mr. 0. P. Lynch (Paekakariki) thought that the Maoris should be paid for their land in debentures. The motion was carried by 37 votes • to 3. Costs of Fencing. Mr. J. - Balsillie moved—"That when permanent Government reserves adjoin private holdings (freehold or leasehold) the Land Department should pay half the cost of fencing and of keeping the fencing in'repair." Mr. S. S. Ilaigh (Mangaweka) seconded the motion. Mr. Matheson (Rongamai) " thought it w.os much better to jet (lie private occupiers pay. Otherwise there would be much waste of Government money. Captain Hewitt (Palmerston) and a nr. ft]foer of other members spoke in support Gi the motion, which was carried almost unanimously. Land Boards. Mr. A. R. Mayo (Feilding) moved:--all land boards consist of five •Sftombers, two to be elected by the Crown tenants, the Government to appoint two, and the Commissioner of Crown Lands In cach district to bo the chairman." Mr. W. L. Falconer (Masterton) seconded the motion. The chairman said that it was time that the tenants had another representative. Thev held four-fifths of the value

W NOTES.

of the land, bat on!}' one-fifth of the re presentation. The motion was carried unanimously. Trucking Fat Stock. Mr. Mayo (Feilding) then moved:— "That tho Government be urged to give better facilities for trucking fat stock during thu months of December, January, February, and March." There had been ( considerable losses in the Feilding district this year on account of the' shortage of trucks. The motion was seconded by Mr. W. J. Moore (Makuri). Mr. \ enn _ thought all the societies for tiio pi mention of cruelty to animals should take a hand in this matter. Mr. Russell nsked whether night trains could not lie run. The i-flairnian said the matter was a difficult one, as the trucks were only required at certain seasons of the year, btill {here seemed to be bad management oy Hk? Government with the resources iwuiJnble. tdr. J. Ilaggie. (Wanganui) moved, and Ur " ««?' Letcher (Wanganui) seconded: ''That tho Government bo urged lo take such steps as will ensure tne public safety at dangerous railway crossing, many crossings being so situated that an approaching train cannot be si-en from the roadway until within a lew yards of the crossing/' About half a dozen members spoke, mentioning dangerous crossings in their districts, and (he motion was carried without dissent. Legislative Council Appointments. • J- Birch (Marton) moved:— ihat the agricultural interest, which ta the mainstay of this Dominion, is most inadequately represented in the Legislative Council, and that, a 6 the West Coast was not represented, from Paekakariki to Jiawera, the Government be asked to fill the first vacancy by calling tu the legislative Council a farmer, irom . that msiricr. It was supposed, he said, that the Legislative Council should represent the finest intellects in the country. -Unfortunately, the Council was not as it might 6t, and was greatiy in need of reform Taking it as 'it existed, however, it was found that not a single member m it cam© from theso districts. Mr. G. L. Afar-jHall seconded. A nuaiuwof members suggested that It was inadvisable to mention any special districts. : Mr. Birch said he had no objection tr» making the motion general, and omitting the latter part. ' ' - ' Eventually the motion was altered, and the portion after, "council" deleted, and the following words added:—"See } n f> that the whole of the country districts in the Wellington province' are unrepresented in # that Chamber/' This was carried unanimously. State Fire Insurance Methods. The methods of the State-Fire Insurance were then "'discussed,, Mr. Birch (Marton), moving: "That this conference protests against the methods employed bjf the State Fire Insurance Department, as disclosed in letters to settlers, having advances from the Advances to Settlers Department, who have.; insurances with the Farmers' Mutual. Offices. 11. was a very wrong thing, said Mr. Birch, that the information gained by ono Department • should be used to put pressure ; on 1 persons ' dealing "with' another Department. . , . ~ Mr. Matheson (Horigomai) seconded the motion. ' Mr.'T; Quirko (Pahiatua) said he had been inquiring into the matter, and it appeared that the Government did not compel settlers who had received advances tojnsure in (the' State office,: but merely requested them to do so. The chairman did not agree with this, and read the circular sent out by tho State ;Fire Ofiicopin--which it was stated that, the, superintendent, •. desired mort : gflgces 'to insure, witlx pand it was "imperative" that the cover should reach the olfice by a' certain date. Mr. F. W. Yeml (Levin) said the Government was only adopting the methods of.. private.. insurance - companies c leading money to their clients. ; The motion- was carried, unanimously. ■ . Noxious Weeds." \ Mr. E. E;' Fletcher (Wanganui) uovgd: Gbyfernmdnt bn r requested, -to Crown ' land freb' from' such "noxious weeds as come under tbn first schedule of The Noxious Weeds let/' A great hardship, he said, was being placed upon occupiers of adjoining lands in having to keep their properties eleai, when miles of _ Government land were covered kvith -such ' weeds- as' blh'ckberries ' aric'l Californian thistle, as is the case along the Main Trunk Tailway line. Mr. J. Haggle seconded the motion. Mr. -D.--Howie (Pahangina) said the Californian thistle had got beyond all control,. and it was only wasting money to/attempt to eradicate tho thistle. lie thought - reference to it should be left out. Members: No! No! Other members thought that the Government should be asked only to keep the . weeds under control, and not to eradicate them. There .was-a general opinion that the blackberry was -much worse than the thistle. .' ' f - Mr. Russell -said he: believed-the A<Jt would die, just as the Scotch thistle agitation died. He believed Scotch thistle was still on the list, but nobody ever heard of it now. Mr. Lynch (Paekakarilri) said lie seemed to be the only/man' at the conference who had no Californian thistle' on his place. In the old days, when the Manawatu Company had the railway line, it had to be kept clear. Now it was a nursery of noxious. weeds, which carnr on to his land every year. • After considerable discussion the chair* man said ne tnought the question was one which might advantageously be referred by the Government to an authorativo commission. Tho motion was then put, and carried unanimously.. Trips to State Farm. A novel proposal was brought forward jby Mr. ft. K. Simpson (Marton): "That when, through tho enterprise and exertion of private or public associations, excursions over the New Zealand railways are arranged for and a definite charge is fixed, then any .surplus (or at anyrate a portion thereof) should go to the association, in consideration of its efforts in having secured traffic for the Department." The motion arose over a trip to the Wereroa Experiment Farm from Marton. It was necessary to get a special train unless the party were to stay over thrco days. Tho chairman said he thought tho excursions to tho State' farms should bo encouraged. Mr. "W. J. Moore (Makuri) thought font accommodation and food should be provided at the farms, so that farmers could stay a day ; or two, and take their families Mr. Mayo urged that trains should be run to tlio Stato farms periodically, say once a quarter. The Minister Vigorous. Tho Minister for Agriculture (ITon. T. Mackenzie), who had arrived just pre-! viously, expressed his pleasure at meeting members. During the' past twelvo months entailments had been necessary which they hoped would not be necessary in tho future. It would certainly be desirable, if possible, for the Railway Department (n run trains to the farms occasionally, lie would have pleasure in bringing the matter before the Minister for Raihvays. "There seems," said Mr. Mackenzie, "lo be- an attempt to defeat every effort 1 make to encourage agriculture in this country/' It had been stated that ho was opposed to the visit. l ? of farmers to the State farms. Ho had never made any such suggestion. Tho first time ne saw it it was ill-connection with tho visit of a certain person in Wanganui io Moumahaki. Jle had written to the ' manager at the farm to give every facility ' to visitors, and, when ho heard that tho 1 Wanganui party were not satisfied with - their welcome, ho had written asking for i details, and, to this day, he .had received !no renlv. In reply to a letter on Iho * j .subject from Mr. W. H. Field, M.P., he ' stated that he desired to discourage largo * expensive picnics which simply made a " holiday'visit to the farms, 'lhoso were H tho visits that cost .£52 at .Waerpnrn,.

This whs not the visit (mentioned in tho 'Tanners' Union Advocate") at which Sir Joseph Ward had been present, and Bellamy's cook had been called ill in connection' with tho preparations. The money spent on tho expensive visits was to be devoted to accommodating the smaller parties, and he did not think Tanners would find anything lacking in their welcomo at any of tho Stato farms. A number of the other motions dealing with noxious weeds were then taken. It was decided, on the motion of tho delegate from Shannon, that tho sale of oats, chaff, etc., containing the seeds of noxious we<'ds, should bo prohibited. Another from Levin, asking for more inspectors, was lost. A I'ahautanui remit in favour of grad- ',° ing grass-seed was also lost. :,c A motion by Mr. J. Devonshire (Levin) T " in.favour of the granting > of absent d voters permits for local bodies' elections » was carried. The conference tlien adt_ journcd till tho morning. r - BANQUET IN THE EVENING. * SOME OUTSPOKEN REMARKS. 3 In the evening the visiting delegates - were entertained at a banquet at the 1 Drill Hall, Mr. W. J. Birch presiding. After the usual loyal toast, Air. R. C. Bruce proposed "The Arzriy and Navy." f Lord Roberts, he said, ' had recently £ warned them that if they did not make preparation lor the great wars that were impending, their children would have to i Buiier for it. They were to-day living largely on the reputation of their ancesI tors. Were they equal to those men of _ old? He doubted it. They were confronted by danger of such magnitude j that it was. unparalleled in the history 3 of the race! hi matters of defence, Sir Joseph Ward, he.said, was entitled to tho thanks of the whole community. Their local defence was likely tu'be in a fairly ' satisfactory state •in - the near future, j thanks to the steps that had recently been taken. Captain Hewitt, in replying, urged the need, for paying more attention to defence matters, and said he thought that they-were all very much indebted to Sir ! Joseph Word for his splendid offer of n ' .Dreadnought. * Major Batten thought Mr. Bruce rather * pessimistic in his views. "The New' Zealand Union" was proposed by Mr. It. E. Beckett \ (Mayor of Marton), who expressed his ! pleasure at welcoming the delegates to ! the borough. Ho thought that the Hon. ' T. Mackenzie's presence tliero was not ! duo to the support which the Farmers' | ' Union had given tho Government(laughter)—but to a recognition of tho ; importance of this. organ'sation, which liad been founded in Morton by their chairman, Mr. Birch. (Applanse.) Mr. J. G. Wilson, president of the ' union, briefly touched on tho various activities of the union, and pointed out that the character of agricultural education in New Zealand had completely changed since the union took the matter up. So it was with many other matters. Speaking of the Agricultural Department, Mr. Wilson said that, personally, lie looked upon the Department" as a branch of the union. Mr. Moss, of Pahiatua, proposed "Our | Member," to-which Mr. Newman ' re- , sponded in a very effective speech. The Minister Again Vigorous. Replying to, the toast of "The Legisla- j ture," proposed by Mr. Wilson, the Hoi*. , T. Mackenzie said that ho' was much struck with Mr. Bruce's speech as to oui ] present perilous position. As . regarded ; defence, the " Navy, he considered, wa« ; not able to- deiend the Empire, and j the Army ' ',iwas beneath contempt \ ("No!") Britain had not. as many s hundred thousand soldiers as Continental I nations had lie always recognised the important position of the union, and no Government had dono so much for it as tli'j present Government. , Referring tothe criticism's of the J . partinent, made by Mr. "Wilson, lie said ] he wished to' know what the Opposition . thought should be done with tho Depart- < ment. He saw in a paper • that day a - proposal that it should be abolished, and .! another that • tho' 1 cost- 1 shonld- • lie ■ cur- : 3 'down by ,£IOO,OOO. As .£147,000 was tho ! total expenditure for the. year, what j would'remain? He could understand i tueh a position being taken up by men 1 ■in the cities, but not by men'in tho- • country. .He thought- Mr. Wilson in his ] remarks supposed that ho (MivfMacken- ■; aie) did not know of the work of Mr. ] Green at Rualiura, or of the "scient.ilic tfde of tho bush sickness at Tauranga." He had taken every step ot make himself iamilinr with the requirements of• tho different-districts; At Tauranga,. for the bush sickness, they had already,the best ' chemist in the Department, and oue of the!r* best' veterinarians went np ; L that '] day. The . experts, would" stay- there for months if necessary''to-s<j 'thoroughly into the whole question. He was well ac- 5 quaihtcd with the very valuable work of . Mr. Green at Ruaiiura. There was not ] friction at Ruahura between himself and the Education Department. They - had j gone in, for making provisions for cadets there on iiVucli'too •'elaborate a stylei'and '] ho was reducing it. Great reforms were needed in connection with seed culture i in New Zealand. 1 Moumahaki. < Wit hregard to Moumahaki farm, Mr. Mackenzie said lie was almost afraid to j mention that name. He ..had instructed j Mr. Gillanders to reduce the expenditure to not more than .£IOOO over receipts. , That had not been done, and Mr. Gillanders had left. Then lately they had had a man named Earnshaw employed l there, writing under twenty names to fifty newspapers, and saying that the j place was going to-the dogs. The Minis- < ter said he had certainly stopped, experi- J ments in fruit growing, costing «£SOO to \ produce fruit worth «£3O. What they wanted on the experiment farms was better value for their money. ] It seemed almost impossible to get i good government under ■ present «condi- 1 . lions. Every, step for . reform was mot » with' outpourings of letters and -protests, 1 which seemed almost irresistible. Mr. , Mackenzie asked them to trust the 1 Ministers a little, or, if tlipy were not ] to be trusted, to turn, tliam out, but ' not to protest about every separate step. , Ho congratulated them on their member, j who was a credit to Parliament. There was much talk about corruption in pub- 3 lie life, but his experience was that i men who had taken part in public life in New Zealand had p never ' enriched themselves or retired in the possession of wealth. He would remind them that many who cried most persistently for - economy were most eagerly requesting ex- j cessive expenditure. i Press Criticism. t There was a newpaper which circu- ] late'd extensively .-throughout the Welling- j ton province, which was constantly crying . out against the increase in the public debt. If the debt had increased, it ought, in common honesty, to be shown that tho interest-yielding investments had also increased, and were producing ; money which was being forwarded to London in excess of what was required in interest on the loans. These things were not pointed out; they were suppressed. It was stated that tho debt had increased heavily of late, but it was 'not pointed out that J!4,000,000 went for (lie purchase of the Manawatu Railway, which was paying more than tho interest falling due, and was the key to (he North Island system. He did not think an intermediary Civil Service l3oard, between Ministers and their Departments, was required. Ministers should be in closer bond with their Departments than at present, and not separated from them. With reference to a remark by Mr. Newman about the Government having raided him from tho Opposition, Mr. ; Mackcenzie said tat it was*with extreme regret that he did not see more followi ing the same course, and joining forces with the Government. Conditions were : changing, and new lines of cleavage wore taking place. They should realise their i responsibilities. With regard to defence, the Opposition . supported tho Dreadi nought, but would it support the Kitchener defence scheme? Mr. Massey ; wanted the cost reduced by half, and > the age reduced. There was no greater i authority on defence that Mr. Allen, and he was glad to see that he supported the scheme. Mr. Mackenzie concluded amid loud and > prolonged applause, and wished tho far- > mors' union every success. Mr. D. 11. Guthrie, M.P., also spoke j in reply to the toast. i A number of other toasts were iion- * oured, the proceedings continuing till an I early hour in the morning.