FARMERS' NEEDS

Evening Post, Volume C, Issue 23, 27 July 1920, Page 8

FARMERS' NEEDS

DOMINION CONFERENCE

TO-DAY'S BUSINESS

Tlie nineteenth annual conference of the New Zealand Farmers' Union was opened at the Farmers' Institute, Fea-tlierston.-street, .. this,, morning. In : the absence of the".President .(Sir James Wilson) through indisposition, Mr.' Gf. •W ' Leadley, vice-president,' presided.

The presidential address (reported elsawhere) was read by-the chairman. The conference resolved to place oh record its high appreciation of Sir James "Wilson's address, and thanked him specially for it, and expressed ite regret that he was unable to deliver it personally. , . , ...■•. —,;." * UNPRODUCTIVE LAND. It was resolved to urge that unproductive land should be brought-into cultivation as rapidly as* possible. ■ - ■ ■'Air. W. D. Lysnar, M.P.'(Gisbofrie), considered that one of the best methods of.achieving the.aim desired, was. by, taxation, particularly applying this to Native" land. " They had huge Native trusts in . Gisborne, .'worth, over. £300,000 and £400,000, which did not pay a shilling in land or income tax. • „.:■*. RESUMPTION OF UNIMPROVED . LAND, Mr. A. R. Boss (Auckland) moved: "That the Government be urged to pass legislation enabling the State to resume lands which have been held for more than five years without the said lands being resided on or jotherwise- reasonably • improved, viz., grassed, fenced, 'or general farm improvements. That such land should be resumed at the original cost price with 4 per cent, added. That on the State resuming such lands, they shall be thrown' open for selection, and that the Government be askad to have all surveyed Crown lands suitable for settlement also thrown open." He point-ed-Out that there were some 25,000,000 acres involved. . ■/»>*■ Sir. E. Evans (North Canterbury) directed the attention of conference to the fact that the Government already has. power to take Jand eompulsorily at a fair valuation,; '„ ," " It was resolved : "That this conference agrees with the principle of the resumption of all land held for Jong: period's * without improvement for selection for closer settlement, a.nd urges the Government to- take more .active, steps in. the matter." . , , ....-»-...,..,.,...,..,.....„.. OPTION OF THE FREEHOLD.' Conference; .proceeded ~:to. consider 'the following' Auckland' remit: "That the Government be requested to give the option of the freehold'to all holders of Crown lsnd& for farming purposes." Mr. Jsis. Boddie said there wefe large_ areas of second and third-class land in the Auckland District set aside as endowments, for educational purposes. -.It.was held that better revenue. Tiould.'/be''derived, from these under the freehold. -The re--mit, howver, only applied broadly, in principle.. '" The remit was carried. TRAFFICKING, IN LAND.';: :. Mr. E.'Maxwelf ."(TarariakjV-•■moved-;-' "That as a means of festricting the trafficking in 'and, legislation be provided that on a sale all existing mart-. gages be either paid off or each.' reduced, by a minimum of 10 per cent: jincreasing:' one per cent for every 10 per cent, of rise over previous sale.". He.said they as far-Tiers were absolutely against trafficking in Jand. In many cases there nowexisted 'nine'and" ten mortgages" on properties, and he was informed "'that' in one caee the mortgages had reached «!• many as fourteen. ......... ,

It was urged that the proposal, if carried out.- would be, an undue interference with the rights of individuals, The.remit, on. being,put, was defeated. ... . ■ . (Proceeding.). „.-=.