FARMERS’ PARLIAMENT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 7 August 1926, Page 6

FARMERS’ PARLIAMENT.

CONFERENCE AT WELLINGTON

DISCUSSION OF REMITS.

WELLINGTON, Aug. 4. At the Farmers’ Union Conference the following remits were consuleim^. “That the whole question ot .> branch of the farming community. 1 ceiving a Government guarantee against State loss rtutaia be M'J and that this conference is of thiaffix ion that greater general results be achieved if assistance was given towards means of . _ operative marketing of p Ca there should be no interference by the Government, with puces o with trade and commerce generalis ecent such as may be requiied to assist markets for our produce or in combating trusts or combines acting to the detriment of the general welfare. ’ ’-—Carried. “That this conference endorses tne action of control boards in reducing ports of call for individual ships taking away our produce.’’—Carried. ‘‘That in the interest of wheat grov ers. flour millers and consumers the time has arrived when a commission should be set up to investigate the wheat question.” —Deferred. NOXIOUS WEEDS.

It was resolved that the recommendations for amendments of the Act be submitted to the department, (al That the definition of _ clear should be amended to read originally stood in the Noxious Weeds Act 1908 in lieu of as modified m the Amendment Act, 1923; (b) That fines should be increased and offences made to carry continuous penalties, and the department ’s cost of clearing land made the first charge thereon; (c) That when weeds on Crown or Native lands become a menace to the district tho Go\ ernment should lease the land at a nominal or no rental in consideration of the tenant effectually clearing the land of weeds; (d) That all seed crops should be inspected and certified as clean before harvesting; (e) That all information available as to the best means of eradicating weeds should toe circulated amongst noxious weeds inspectors by the department for the benefit of settlers. The following Auckland Temit was, after a long discussion, referred to the executive: “That as New Zealand i* fast becoming a weed plantation for the world’s noxious weeds, this conference considers that restrictions governing the importation of seeds and feeds be tightened up to avoid the possibility of further aggravating the present alarming conditions.” A Nelson remit, “That in view of the necessity for more drastic methods of eradication of noxious weeds the Government be. made responsible for the control of noxious weeds on Crown lands,” was also referred to the executive. . “That the Government be again ask-

ed to pass legislation empowering blackberry boards being constituted,” was a Poverty Bay remit that was carTied. Other remits were dealt with as fol-

lows: “That this conference recommends that when a departmental inquiry or inspection is made as the rci suit of such a protest, an inspection be made not by an inspector alone, but by an inspector jointly with a representative of the Farmers’ Union, before sending a report back to the Minister.” (Southland). —Carried. “That the requirements of New Zealand in the matter of higher education in agriculture will be best served by the establishment of a single fullystaffed and equipped college to make provision for: (a) Research and experimental work in different provinces in connection with pastoral and agriculvtural industries; (to) Instruction to stu-

dents in the college 'with the object of training them to become either instructors in agriculture or scientific as well as practical farmers; (c) Extension work whereby agricultural instructors and country agents can help farmers on their farms or in their own districts by giving information available 'from college research work; (d) That with a view to rendering assistance to sheep farmers and grain growers, research work in grasses, animal husbandry and ccTcals be carried out at Lincoln College and that funds be provided by the Government for the purpose.”—Carried. “That the site of the proposed agricultural college having been decided upon, the erection of the college be treated as a matter of > urgency. ’ ’ —Carried.

“That in view of the drift of the rural population to the towns of recent years, the urgent necessity of introducing agricultural science as part of the syllabus in the primary schools be brought before the Minister so that plots of ground may bo set aside for the jmrposc. ” (Southern Hawke’s Bay).—Oaried. ‘That the Agricultural Department be urged to continue- its research work, particularly with a view to ascertaining the causes and remedies of stock diseases, the destruction of noxious weeds and pests and bush sickness problems. ’ ’ —Carried. Other remits were as follows: “That the Government be asked to pass legislation to compel manufacturers of woollen goods to label them ‘Virgin Wool’ when the material is made of pure wool, so that the public" will not be deceived as at present and buy ‘All Wool’ made of rags for ‘Pure Wool.’ ” (Pelorous). —Carried. ‘That, the Department of Agriculture be written to requesting them to devise a scheme for the elimination of scrub bulls on the lines of the scheme in operation by the Department of Agriculture in South Australia.”—(Dominion Executive). —Carried. ‘That wo again urge upon the Government the necessity of making the dehorning of cattle compulsory (registered cattle to be exempted).”—(MidCanterbury) . —Carried. “That this conference whilst appreciating the work done in the past by the Agricultural Department urges that, it take further action in connection with the matter of lamb mortality and that specialists should be in readiness to investigate the problem during the currency of the trouble.”—(Otago).— Carried.

“That the Minister of Education be urged to remove the limit (500) to the number of children taught by correspondence by the Education Department, the distance limit of six miles to be reduced in special eases.”—(Combined Conference). —-Carried. “That the present system of parents being compelled to contribute towards their children’s education in Stateaided schools (the teacher’s board) in the back blocks be abolished.” (Auckland). —Carried.

“That this conference asks the Education Department not to establish any more junior high schools until the scheme is fully tested by the ones already set up and the department take

into consideration tho difficulties that would arise in rural districts if the scheme were established throughout the Dominion; that the Education Department be asked to make such provision as would attract a reasonable number of children to country life.”

“That this conference protests against tho continuance of the present high protective tariff and asks tho Government to gradually reduce it.”—(Auckland).

A remit from tho combined, conference that owing to- the shortage and high price of timber tho Government be urged to remove the importd uty on nil timber and that railway freights on imported timber be brought into line with New Zealand timber rates, was referred to the executive to inciuito into.

It was resolved to again emphatically press on the Government the necessity for legislation to enable farmers to form agricultural banks, and that the conference views with alarm the disproportion of Government advances upon non-productive security as against rural security, and that the attention of the Government be drawn to the fact that the recommendations of the Sim Taxation Committee have not been given effect to.