FARMERS' CONFERENCE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1139, 29 May 1911, Page 8

FARMERS' CONFERENCE.

WELLINGTON PROVINCIAL GATHERING.. SUBJECTS FOR CONSIDERATION. The annual conferenco_ of delegates from the': branches of the Now* Zealand Farmers' Union in the Wellington provinco is to'bo opened at Woodvillo to-morrow. The provincial president (Mr..T. C 4. 'Wilson) will conduct the proceedings. On the order paper issued there aro thirty-nine remits, but as some branches ;havo passed resolutions for the considera- ' tion of l the conference since the printing •.of the order paper, that number. will bo exceeded; tho total will probably be close ;on sixty. . , The president's address will, tc delivered ' on' the'opening.day. LAND TENURE. The first of the subjects for consideration, has been tabled by Makuri, who proposes that tho Government should bo i'asked to amend the Land Act so as to •give all Crown tenants tho option ot ! purchasing tho freehold for their lands— 'hush lands at the original value and tho :difference between the. 1' per cent, now '■charged on the leaso-in-perpetuity and 'the 5 per cent, charged to tenants with .the. right of .purchase; settlement lands at a fair actuarial valuation; .and tnar. all future Crown lands shall carry tho riglitI of-purchase with limitations of area. Rangiwahia also is,concerned about land matters, anil has ai'kecl the conference to sav whether or-not i,t is in layqnr ot ,Native leases being converted into freeLevin will move: "That the present system of taxing farmery 011 the so-called unimproved value of their fains ( V« abolI ished. ;That farmers should pay tax on their income from land in tho same proportion as money invest©! in other. industries is taxed. The tamers income to be calculated at 5 per cent, on the •capital value of their .h.«Wmgs after deducting encumbrances in tho shape 01 mortgages and debts." ' - Regarding the valuation of land, Ballanco proposes that the owners of land shall he notified of the approximate date on which their land valuation ;•» ill bo made, and the value shall bo stated ; fore the valuer leaves the property. The subject of the constitution of land ;boards will bo introduced /ing remit from Feilding and Rangiiiahi. "That all land boards- shall conn it of £ve members, two to be e.ected hy the v'rown tenants, the Government to appoint two, and the Commissioner of Crown 'Lands in each district to be the choirIQaD '" TRAFFIC MATTERS.

combine to have a truck or tracks to goods received at all stations. One iea that Mr M'Farlane stated at a meet--here cool. fiiiii iSiiit national one. : ' ' LOCAL GOVERNMENT. Reversion to the former system of elec - iu" hospital boards is requested bj ; lal~ "'iivin Su'propose to the conference tha ft should urge ou tho Government "the need of passing the long delajed Drainage Act shouldHe so amended as to allow rates to be struck on an acreage basis lnsteau of ou the capital value ns at present. Kegarding county councils, iNgamata.pouri has three motions, two, ot which are stated liereundcr. One is, Ih»t 1 members of county councils shall hold •meetings annually at convenient places in their respective ridings to discuss county business with the ratepayers, provided that the cost of such meetings is paid by tho ratepayers concerned, or that alt county councils shall forward the county balance-sheet with explanatory notes to each ratepayer, as is now done in some counties." Another reads: "That tho ■boundaries of counties and ridings shall •'bo adjusted to follow the lines of com- ■ iinuniciUkm auc! of interest instead of arbitrary lines on paper as is often the case at present." Levin is to move: "That tho registration of dogs shall be in tho hands of local bodies oidy; the present divided control between the local body and tho Maori Council is detrimental to the pro- . per registration of the dogs." liEGAEDKG RUEAL INDUSTIUES. I'ahiatua will put forward a proposal calculated to further tho fostering and .encouraging of cow-testing associations; and the brunch's representative will .subsequently move: "That in connection with the dairy industry some system of herd and shed inspection is necessary, and t[iat this conference recommends that'the Agricultural Department and representa■tivew of dairy farmers shall confer as to the most suitable method of inspection." A motion to aSk (lie Government to bring in a Pure Seeds Bill has been forwarded by Ballauce; and Whakataki proposes to have the registration of wool brands made compulsory , i'ahiatua is of the opinion that the rato of commission (5 per cent.) on tho sale of dniry stock, whether by auction or by private sale, is excessive, and an unjust . tax on the dairy industry, and tho branch will ask tho conference to endorse that view. Support of Mr. Sedgwick's immigration scheme will bo proposed by Levin. 4 ". Tho folloHirwj remit is also in the hands of Levin: "That no further legislation thall be passed in conncctiou with labour matters, tho present harassing of industry T«rjliiring a halt." Greater power to denl with sheep-worry-ing dogs is thp object of remits by Ngamatapouri arid "Waikanac, LNTEE-COMMUNICATION. Settlers at Makuri have been agitating for alterations in mail contract matters for some tiir.i, and the Makuri representative will move:—(1) "That the inland mail contracts shall bo altered so as to give country settlers greater benefits. Telegrams shall bo included in the term 'letters.'" (2) "That whero possible settlers shall get the benefit of rural, delivery."" (3) "That the price of private bags shall bo reduced when delivered only twico a week.". .' . . . Masferlon will move:—(1) "That tho Government shall be asked to subsidise the erection of rural telephone lines, nnd to bear the cost of administering rural telephones"; and (2) "That a reduction A cheese vat that gets rid of the whey quickly saves timo every day it is used, and that means a big saving in one season. Tho "Victor Vat (protected by patent applications) is tho only vat mado with a drain down the contro. Drop a pbstcard to Albert J. Parton, Cavtertoi), lor further particulars,—Advt,

shall be made to telephone subscribers in cases where more than one subscriber is using the sumo wire." OTHER MATTERS. A pood deal of discussion is wpected to follow tho moving by Levin "that this conference protests against any ofh'cialendorsemont 'by the union of either the Farmers' Protection League or any Political League in Canterbury or Auckland." Waikanue considers that the agricultural interest is most inadequately represented ill tho Legislative Council, and asks the conference to resolve that steps should bo taken to havo greater representation. The- following is credited to Levin: "That individuals who may have a Government, mortgage over their properties have the. right to insure in any rcputabto office." ■ Ngamatapouri haea proposal that the conference should not be hold until after tranches have considered tho agenda. It will bo moved by Palmerston'North: "That tho system of appointing jurymen shall be altered, and that if called for one sitting of the Court they should be exempt from attendance for at least sis months." Tho ■ following remit from Rangiwahia will be taken in committee: "That the conference shall set up a committee to consider the cause of tho want of unanimity of farmers regarding the union."