FARMERS' UNION

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3146, 26 July 1917, Page 8

FARMERS' UNION

ANNUAL CONFERENCE SECOND DAY'S PROCEEDINGS L The Farmers'. Union Conference was in Wellington yesterday. Sir 'James Wihsou presided. The following; remits wero adopted:— Royalties on Timber.—"That this nniou is strongly of opinion that the Minister of Lands should so amend the Land Act •as to enable the local bodies to receive •half. royalties on timbers,' which have .teen weighted and charged to successful applicants." . _ "Thirds."—"That this union considers it is only fair and just that whenever any lands are disposed of, f-ither for cash or' ; otherwise, the usual accrued 'thirds' (as'ori a leased section) should be allotted to J the local road board or county council, and that the Minister of Lands be urged to see that such is given effect to." ' Enemy Subjects.—"That owing to certain properties being purchased by enemy aliens from- men leaving for the front, this conference considers it would bo wise to legislate so, as to prevent enemy aliens from obtaining freehold or.leasehold titles." Also: "That all enemy aliens be conscripted forthwith for labour purposes." ■• Farm Labour. VMr. G: L. Marshall (Marto.n) moved: '•That the conference, in realising thnt tho. prosperity of the country depends 'upon the maintenance of production, is Strongly of opinion that the policy of {he military appeal boards should be to exempt if possiblo genuine ilouglimcn ■and shepherds, until the grain sowing and lambing season is over, it being impossible for one man even on a small farm to work a team and attend to the ' owe flock." •Mr. Marshall said it was. the drsire of the.'Wellington Provincial Conference, which forwarded this remit, that nothing , should-bo done,to hamper the" military ' authorities.' . „ ' Mr. A; Robinson seconded the motion; , Mr. J.. M'.Qiieeil (Invercargill) said it '■ ivas now more impoilant fo send menthan food. We were producing more food than wo could send away. It was important • to prevent the'land from going back to its, original state, and it ■was a. wrong policy:to exempt shearers. . and slaughterers' while' sending farmers to the front.' ■ ■ ■ ■ - :Mr. H". D. Vavasour (Marlborough) supported tho motion. ', 'Mr. W. A. Cox (South'.Cante'rburv) said that everyone who was in a position to e'peaJv said that tho need to win'the war was-nipu. ..He agreed with Mr. M'Qucen that: wejiad'an excess of produce. Ho opposed tho motion. The older men who i, stayed honwcould carry on the vork. .- Mr. K. D. Duxdold (Horotiu) said-this I ■matter should be treated from a busi- I Bess point of view, and not DfintimenlalJy. Tho Government would, be wise to

leave a farmer on every farm; he believed that had been done in England. Mr. 'P. Keegan (Taneatua) said the point .was that the labourers in the essential industries were being s«ut while non-essential men were retained iu the country. Some of these non-essentials wero in soft billets jn tho Defenco Department. The Defence Department should see to its own stall' before it went further in calling ou highly essential men. Mr. D. Joues (North Canterbury) said tho business side of the case was tho one which must be considered. Tho motion was carried. The conference resumes at 9.3o'this morning. WAIRARAPA P. & A. SOCIETY COMMITTEE MEETING. (From Our Special Correspondents.) Carterton, July 25. At a meeting of the General Committee of the Wuirarapa and East Coast P. and A. Society, held at Carterton, the Finance Committee reported the overdraft at .£1399 18s. 2d., and receipts for the month «C7O 18s. Gd. Accounts totalling Ji7l Is. 3d. were passed for payment. Alterations to the programme were agreed to as under:—The hunters' jumping competition will ha, held on the first day of the show, in addition to the maiden leaping competition, trotting in harness, and the saddle and dog trials. For the second day a ladies' leaping competition has been'added to the schedule, the prize money for which is to be awarded to the lady riders. The three prizewinners in the dog trials will give an exhibition on tho second day. The prize money for the dog trials has been increased. The Clydesdale Horse Society's medal has been awarded to fillies for tho 1917' show. Classes for Hereford* will be included in tho schedule, and tho classes for purebred dairy cattle have been made uniform. Three classes for grade Shorthorn heifers and cows have been included. Other minor alterations were made throughout tho programme. The Ladies' Committee recommended '"the addition of a. non-competitive class for schools for tho best educational exfiibit.. '' ' ■ ' .. Mr. Stuckey, Inspector of tho Wairarapa Schools, wrote in reference to tho proposed class, heartily supporting the same, and suggesting that certificates be awarded, and in case of special merit a cash prize. Tho cost of getting the exhibit to and from the. school should he borne by the society. Mr. dimming, Chief Agricultural Instructor for Schools, has drawn up a schedule for.suitable exhibits, aud is post-_ ing a copy to all the schools. It was" resolved that a clpss be included as recommended. His Majesty's Trade. Commissioner wrote iu answer to an application from the society that a display of British-mado goods should bo made at tho show. Ho stated that the request would be considered, but, owing to the increasing difficulty of obtaining British-made goods, ho did not hold out much prospect of the exhibit being shown. The District Traffic Manager of Eailwaye wrote tho application for special stock trains-at show time would receive consideration. ' The New Zealand Shcenbrceders' Association notified that the gold medal had been allotted to the society for tho best two-tooth Southdown ram. .Tho New Zealand Jersey Breeders' Association wrote'offejing the .usual subsidy up to .£lo,on prize money awarded to fiomi r .oßicially tested Jersev cows. • The Auckland A. and P. Association advised that.its show dates had been fixed for November-30 and December 1. It \<;as decided.that iiv tho porker and bacon pig classes all, the animals exhibited must havo been the property' of tho exhibitor at least two months before the show. Mr. E. Goodin was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for his donation of .£S> towards the prize fund in. tho pig classes. It was decided that a. gold medal bo awarded to tho winner of the cheese cup this year. The bullock for the. weight-guessing competition this year is an animal with a history. It ,W the Highland v bnllock that was presented to: Sir Walter Buchanan in July, 1913, on his return from his trip to the Old Country. The animal has since been sold for patriotic purposes', and realised a considerable sum of money. It was decided that the proceeds of the guessing should bo devoted to patriotic, purposes, and tho bullock will be weighed alive. It v;ns resolved that no canvassing for patriotic purposes be allowed on the grounds on show days. Four new members were elected.