THE FARMERS’ UNION.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 234, 11 October 1901, Page 3

THE FARMERS’ UNION.

CONFERENCE AT ASHBURTON.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Ashburton, last night, Tho Conference of tho Farmers’ Union was continued after lunch to-day. A reply from the Premier was read re tho Workers’ Compensation Act, stating ho had not considered his answer to the question sent by tho Union. The Chairman stated that the Crown Solicitor at Wellington had intimated that unless specially excluded, farmers were included iu the Act. It was resolved that a protest be forwarded to tho Government. Tho Millers’trust was strongly criticised, an 1 the Conference recommended an onquiry, A scheme for insuring employees against accidents is to be formulated. It was resolved to ask the Government to amend flic Arbitration Act to exempt the agricultural industry from its operation ; that local bodies should appoint returning officers at licensing elections ; that the Union protest against increasing the honorarium of members of Parliament ; that the Union was in favor of the establishment of a bureau for collecting information re prices of products : that the Government .. should deal directly with farmers in arranging contracts for produce. Tho Conference concluded, after recording its appreciation of the concessions so far granted by the Government, and hoping the Minister for Railways would favorably consider further reasonable requests from the Union. Provincial otlicors were elected, and the headquarters fixed at Christchurch.