COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURE

Evening Star, Issue 18332, 20 July 1923, Page 4

COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURE

REVALUATION OF LAND.

UNIMPROVED VALUES.

Tli® conference of the Now Zealand Council of Agriculture was continued at Christchurch yesterday. The following remits from the Com branch wore moved by Mr D. Hunt, and adopted:— l

1. "That, where land la about to bo .revalued by the department for purposes of local or general taxation, the departmental officers appointed for tiro pur peso should, prior to making their final valuation, give to the owner of such land or his agent an opportunity of discussing on the spot the values of the land and tiro improvements thereon.” 2. "That, as the present method of arriving at the unimproved value of land Is faulty, iu that, no consideration is given to such matters as liming, manuring, and pood farming generally, resulting in tho illogical and "inequitable raising of tho unimproved value in certain cases as a direct result o! energetic handling and capable management, tho conference asks that in making tho valuation full consideration be given to all classes of improvements affecting the soiling value of the land.” 3. “ That no vainer be hampered by set limits as to the values of improvements, local conditions often rendering such wort: unusually costly ” 4. “That improvements, such as clearing, draining, levelling, and planting, bo valued on a more liberal basis than that at present.” DEHORNING. Mr Watson (Oxford) introduced a Metbreu remit urging the dehorning of all cattle (puro-breds eM*ptcd) before the ago of two years, and also urging that tho Government bo asked to legislate iu that direction. A year ago, he said, ho knew nothing about it, but he had tried it since and found the cattle quieter and less dangerous. Mr Marshall: If we want to get good beef the cattle will have to be dehorned. Reference was made to the fact that whore dehorned cattle had boon slaughtered the damage to the beef by bruising was nil, whereas in honied cattle tho damage by bruising amounted to 20 per cent. Dr I’oakos agreed that dehorning was certainly far better so far as tho question of beef was concerned. There Lad been ample evidence of it in tho freezing works. One or two members objected to it being made compulsory. It was also urged that in show cattle a good deal of diameter was to bo found in the horns. There was no objection to dehorning for commercial purposes. The remit was carried with two dissentients. GENERAL. Tho need for afforestation was urged in tho following remit from Hawke's Ray, which was carried:—“Thai, local bodies throughout the dominion tako up a vigorous forestry policy, and approach tho Government for giants of laud free of coat and taxation for forestry purposes.—Mr P. R. M'Donald (Canterbury) remarked that in a few years they would not bo able to got a stick of Oregon pine in New Zealand. All timber-producing countries were eating up their timber, and would bavo none to export.—Mr Absalom (Hawke’s Bay): If you are not going to tako up tho forestry question you will have a very heavy burden for those who come after you in twenty years’ time. EXECUTIVE COUNCIL. The Executive Council for the ensuing year was elected as follows: North Island. —Messrs D. M'Gregor (Gladstone), II B. Stuckey (Dannovirke), 0. J. Hawken, M.P. (Hawera), E. I). MlLennan (Auckland), G. L. Marshall (Marion), H. Y. Lethbridge (Turakina). South Island.—Messrs W. D, Pike (Blenheim), W. D. Hunt (Wellington), J. Begg (Dunedin), G. P. Duthie (Dunedin), »nd L. Watson (Oxford).