THE FARMERS' UNION CONFERENCE. YESTERDAY'S SITTING.

Evening Post, Volume LXVI, Issue 8, 9 July 1903, Page 7

THE FARMERS' UNION CONFERENCE. YESTERDAY'S SITTING.

Tho conference continued its sittings after we went to press yesterday. A deputation from the Wellington Employers' Association waited upon the conference. The deputation consisted of Messrs. Wm. Cable (President), Henry Field (Secretary), A. Veitch, T. Ballinger, W. G. Tustin, and C. Cathie. Mr. Cable said the association desired to assure the conference that the association desired to help the Farmers' Union in any steps it might take in protesting against the proposal to make preference to unionists compulsory. The proposed system would make the position of employers intolerable. The present powers of the Arbitration Court were quite sufficient to safeguard the interests of unionists in the colony. There was too much coddling of the working man, who was quite able to take care of himself without this new proposal. Mr. Tustin, who spoke as a member of the Federation of Employers' Association, brought up the question of the operation of the Workers' Compensation for Accident Act. A grievous wrong was under present conditions being imposed upon employers, both in farming I and manufacturing communities. There were deadly swindles being worked in i connection with the Act. No fair cmi ployer would object to compensating men who were legitimately injured whilst following their occupation. But the Act was being wrongly used when the relatives of men who died from long-standing heart disease should receive compensation as though those men had died as a result of accidents. Another grievance against the Act was that there was no appeal against judgments of the Arbitration Court. It was ridiculous to think that heart disease and straining of the kidneys were accidents, as they had appeared to be considered by the Arbitration Court. It was estimated that up to the present the insurance companies of the colony had lost £50,000 under the Acfc. It seemed likely that the present rates would be almost trebled to make up the losses. The Government should be asked to make such legislation as would guard against fraud, and this could be met with medical certificates as to the health of men employed by masters brought under the Act. As to the proposal to make preference of employment compulsory, Mr. Tustin thought this was a bogey. He did not think such a proposal would be carried into effect. A delegate said bushfellers who employed men were already paying an accident premium of £5 6s per £100. Mr. Field said his association did not think the Arbitration Court was the proper tribunal to hear compensation cases. And his association also desired Parliament to grant the right of appeal against judgments. The association would also enter its protest against other proposals,, such as compulsory preference, and other amendments of labour legislation, and by its protests was guarding the interests not only of employers, but of the great bulk of non-unionist workers. Thanks were interchanged, and the conference rose. FREE CARRIAGE OF LIME. It was resolved — "That all lime for agricultural purposes, including ground lime, be carried free on the railways, iri respective of distance." THE FREi|aOLD QUESTION. Mr. H. J. Richards (Te Horo), on behalf of the Wellington Provincial Council, brought down the following motion : — "That the Land* Act of 1892 be administered giving option of three tenures." The mover said the question had been thoroughly debated at the previous conference. Farmers as a whole were agreed that a leaseholder should have the option of acquiring the freehold. The President said that what was wanted was a proper and fair administration of the Act. Mr. G. W. Leadley (Ashburton) suggested that the wisest thing would be to reaffirm the resolution carried at the previous conference. This suggestion was adopted, and the following resolution reaffirmed: — "That this conference is of opinion that when rural Crown lands are thrown open for settlement the provisions of the Land Act 1892 should be carried out so that selectors may have a choice of tenure as provided for — viz., purchase for cash, lease with option of purchase, and lease in perpetuity." Mr. Richards moved; "That the right of obtaining the freehold be extended to I Crown tenants, provided conditions of lease have been fulfilled, and that the price be the capital value of the rental ; upon a 5 per cent, calculation." An animated discussion followed. Mr. Morgan (Auckland) said there was no option equal to that of the freehold, but he did not agree with any agitation on the subject j\ist now. It was pointed out by several speakers that the third plank of the union's programme covered the point raised. The plank is as follows : "That all holders of land on lease-in-perpetuity, or perpetual lease, or small grazing runs, have the right to purchase the freehold at any time after the , improvement conditions "have been complied with, either by immediate cash payment or payments extending over an indefinite time, reduction of rent to be made in proportion to such payments. No transfer .to be registered unices such transfer has atI tached a declaration by the purchaser in terms of the Land Act and Lands for Settlement Act." Mr. L. R. Phillips (Auckland) said the town was against the country in this agitation. ;The town people wished to exploit the farmer in refusing the freehold. Farmers who had cut homes out of bush and swamp should have the chance of acquiring the freehold. It was all very well to say that a man got the value of his improvements under hie lease, but after years many improvements were not apparent, and the farmer in that position was a loser. The feeling in the Auckland province was very strong with regard to the freehold. The agitation for the freehold was not an agitation of large landholders, but of the small farmer. They wanted the land and their improvements for their own. v Mr. Matheeon was of opinion that if farmers could get their freehold farming would be of a better quality than under leasehold tenure, the lands would become more reproductive, and the colony as a whole would consequently benefit by the granting of the freehold. Mr. Tansey (Hawkes Bay) moved the following addition to the motion: "And that the present conditions in i*«e lease as to area be endorsed on the title, as this union considers that it is against the best interests of the farming community to allow monopoly in land." The speaker said that whilst he believed .in the acquisition of the freehold, he wanted everything possible done to prevent the land again getting into the hands of a few owners. He was strongly against monopoly in land. (Voices : "So are we.") The prosperity of the country during recent years was due to the operation of tho present land system. (Voices: "Oh" How about dairying?") Settlement had gone ahead wonderfully in Hawkes -Bay He knew of men who were making £300 per year on 50-acre areas. If the conference carried its desire to change the tenure it would not be in sympathy with the bulk of the working farmers of the colony. »The object aimed at should be to offer facilities for placing more people upon the land. Mr. Keece (RangioraJ said he wished

it to be uuderstood that the union did not believe that men who wished to convert their tenures from lease to freehold should not obtaiu the freehold upon the original valuation. The difference should be paid for. Mr. Richards was of opinion that the transfer to the freehold should indicate that the land was once Crown land. Mr. A. H. Russell (Hawkes Bay) agreed with Mr. Tanssy's expresisons against monopoly. Mr. Maslin 6aid the union's platform already provided for that aspect of the case. Mr. Leadley : For all practical purposes, what waa the difference between a piece of land sold absolutely and a piece held under the 999 years' lease? Mr. Acton: The 999 years' lease is absurd, and "must fail. The President said he know many holders under the 999 years' lease, and they were very much dissatisfied with it, and also disappointed. They found the system irksome. Mr. Leadley: It is the espionage they don't like. Mr. Rutherford eaid the 999 years' lease was a bit of a farce. What was the good of a holding which might be subjected to revaluation every five years, or every twenty years? The President said he thought plank 3 of the platform covered the objects aimed at by the conference. The union was not in favour of land monopoly, but what it sought was fixity of tenure. The union fought against monopoly, and was banded together to fight against monopoly and to watch over the interests of farmers. BALLOT FOR CROWN LANDS. It was resolved — "That the attention of the Minister of Lands be drawn to the very, unsatisfactory ,way in which the ballot system of disposing of land results, especially when sections have been grouped." During the discussion upon this subject the general complaint of speakers was that the ballot system was abused by speculators, and that men who desired to become bona fide settlers were prevented from obtaining sections. A number of speakers agreed that the ballot system was the fairest way of disposing of land, if some way could ba devised of confining it to the bona fide settler. CO-OPERATIVE LABOUR. - On the motion of Mr. s Burgess (Taranaki), it was resolved — "That the members of the Farmers' Union throughout the colony protest against the employment of co-operative labour on all public works, as it has been proved beyond a doubt to be the most. costly means by which such works can be carried out; the practice should be replaced wherever possible by a system of small contracts." The subject was only briefly discussed, the line of argument being contained in the resolution. AN INVITATION. The New South Wales Farmers' and Settlers' Association wrote for particulars concerning the working of the union, for various information as to the operation of legislation affecting farmers, and extended a hearty invitation to a member of the union — '"a genuine farmer" — to attend the association's conference, which opens in Sydney on the 11th prox. At 6 o'clock the conference adjourned until 9 o'clock this morning.