FARMERS CONFER

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 115, 18 May 1927, Page 8

FARMERS CONFER

THE ARBITRATION COURT

REMITS ON TAXATION

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

LEA'IN, 17th May

The Intel-provincial Conference of the Wellington, Manawatu, Wanganui, and -Wairarapa Farmers' Unions is being held in Levin. It is attended by fifty delegates under the presidency of Mr. T. Currie, of Wanganui.

■ It was decided to request that the report of the Commission on banking be given, effect to.

■ Eemits favouring the abolition of the Arbitration Court were rejected in favour of an amendment that the Arbitration Act be amended by deleting preference, to unionists, and providing for the hearing of a third party, such as the Farmers' Union, in all cases affecting the primary producers; that when an award is. being framed its effect on the industry bo carefully considered; that before a strike a secret ballot, must be taken under the strictest supervision, failuro to do this to make the union concerned subject to a substantial fine; that in the event of these amendments, not being embodied in legislation in the coming session the Farmers' Union fight to have the Court abolished.. A further amendment carried was that the union be represented in all cases directly affecting the industry. .

Other remits carried were:—

That the Government be urged to curtail the public expenditure on unproductive works, and to specialise in making the bnck country more accessible by roads negotiable twelve month's in the year.

That with the view of helping the back-block settlers, the Government be urged to. give increased riding subsidies to counties with large areas of deteriorated lands.

That the union assist the Dairy Farmers' Union in stressing the seriousness of the proposed tax on bacon and butter as proposed by New South Wales. ' ..

That the Government be urged to introduce legislation ' compelling the banks to'pay the interest on current accounts.

That the Government be urged not to further increase the import duties on timber, the union believing that the duties should be for revenue purposes only, and that taxation on motor vehicles be in the form of a tax on petrol, with exemptions for the uses of petrol for other than road; transport.