FARMERS' UNION REMITS.

Grey River Argus, 30 May 1918, Page 4

FARMERS' UNION REMITS.

TO BENEFIT THEMSELVES ONLY. MASTERTON, May 29 The Farmers' Union Provincial Conference carried the following- remits this afternoon: — That owing to I the serious approaching shortage of white pine "the Government be urged to control the white pine forests with a view to protection of the butter and cheese industries. That the Minister of Education be urged to carry through a ten per cent increase to teachers' salaries as a sound step towards national efficiency. That any man unwilling to undertake military • duties be disfranchised. That the Government be asked to stop all horse racing. That the New Zealand 1 j Co-operative Wholesale Federation be , asked to formulate a plan for revising methods of disposing of meat and dairy produce in Britain, keeping in mind the probable necessity ofestab- . lishing jjool stores in four British porls for the purpose of reasonable : distribution, and that the Federation Ibe asked to furnish a report to the Dominion Conference. The jtyinister of Agriculture (Hon. . 1 Mr. Mac' Donald) attended the Farmers' Union Conference to-day, in ' speaking to the remits the Minister congrtuiated the Conference upon passing a resolution of loyalty to the Government. He said it was impossible to refer seriously to the hydroelectric power until the termination of the war. In reterence to ; shipping ( matters the Government intended using its power to import wool and , corn sacks at reasonable prices. The ■ Government was doing everything possible to secure transport for produce. The whole matter of imports , and exports was controlled by the Imperial authorities. Owing To the position that had arisen, nothing but essential goods are likely to be imported. Fencing wire could only be procured from America and there was insufficient shipping to carry it from < those ports. Every possible facility would be given for importing machinery for cleaning wool. The "Agricultural .Department would Have places established in both islands for the treatment of seedy wool. In regard '. to the price of bread the Board, .of Trade had power to revise as it \ thought fit when asked to do so. JNo retailer was allowed to sell second grade wheat at greater profit than 15 per cent. He denied that any wheat imported from Australia has been sold as fowl wheat. Dealing with teachers' salaries he said the Cabinet had only recently agreed to an increase of £15,000. He claimed that in no country was more being 'done for education than in New Zealand. He agreed that any person who would not fight for his country should be disfranchised. The Government was doing everything possible to conserve white pine timber. The Government . was careful not to put" returned soldiers on land from which they could not make a decent living.