FARMERS' UNION.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 9298, 27 July 1901, Page 6

FARMERS' UNION.

[per press association.] Palmerston North, Last night. At the conference of Uie New. Zealand Farmers' Union this afternoon a discussion took place on the platlorm of the Union, with the following results:—That the forfeiture of grants for roads for nonexpenditure before the appearance of the Financial Statement be abolished ; that the Government be requested to give authority that grants for roads, bridges &c, be expended as soon as the Estimates aro passed in the House ; that after the payment of the first deposit settlers on Crown lands in the back country, where roads are unformed, be allowed three years' occupation free, settleis with the right oi purchase to pay the same rent a" for leaso in perpetuity ; all Crown land leaseholders except those under ihe Land Settlement Act to have the right of purchase of the freehold at any time after expiry of ton years from the date of the leace, the right to be retrospective, provided that the area be held by one person, who shall comply with the >.provisions of the Land Act; the compulsory clause of the Land for Settlement a act to apply to native as well as private lands, and all Crown and native lands he brought under the Noxious Wted and Rabbit Acts. Ihe Conference strongly opposed the Eight Hours Bill so far as it to the farming industry, and a resolution was carried to that effect. r .l he Workers,' Compensation Act was protertted against, and tho executive recommended to have the same amended if possible. * The acquisition of the Wellington-' Manawatu railway by the Government was urged. A suggestion that the Government be asked to'es'tablish cold storage in London and other large centres, and endenvor to improve the price of frozen meat was left to the executive to deal with.