FARMERS' UNION.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXVII, Issue LXXVII, 2 August 1918, Page 4

FARMERS' UNION.

CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS.

(BY TEL.EGKAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION.) AYELLINGTON/Aufi 1.

In the course of his remarks to the Farmers' Union conference to-day, the. Hon. D. H. Guthrie said the shipping problem had been at times so alarming that'• -it would have been unwise to publish the facts. The situation was now less alarming. At present 5,236,000 carcases of meat were in store in the ' Dominion, and the available storage space was for only 6,400,000. There was a possibility of lifting 600,000 carcases by September, and one mdllion might be the extent of the relief. He was less anxioms about wool. The Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald said the meat position was very serious, and he thought it advisable to make provision for storing wool. There was a possibility of the shipping problem becoming so acute that no tonnage would be available. The wool commandeer was again before the conference to-day, when the Hon. D. H. Guthrie and Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald attended. The latter said the full details of the wool contract were not yet available, and he suggested that criticism be deferred till .then. Mr Lysnar said that under the present system of wool selling New Zealand was losing about seven millions. Mr Mac Donald: Absolutely wrong. l£r E. Maxwell said that, after having heard the Ministers, he- proposed to move in effect that the conference is satisfied with the Government's action and efforts to make the best possible arrangement regarding th e purchase of. wool and other products by the Imperial Government. The conference declined to take the motion. The conference passed a resolution' that the Farmers' Union assures thePremier that the producers will support the Government in carrying into effect, any measures which the Government deem necessary in rendering additional reinforcements to help the Empire at this critical hour. It was also resolved that any man refusing to carry out his military duties be disfranchised for at least seven years. The following remits were carried: That, the Land and Income Tax Act beamended in the direction of allowing; farmers to charge against their income the sums for labor done upon the farms by the wife or children, and that prei vious losses should be^deducted from 1 the income. That the time has arrived [ when, in the interest of the Dominion, 1 agricultural co-operative banks should be established in the Dominion. That the Government be asked to extend the Mortgage Extension Act for five years, after the war. or for such other time as may be considered expedient. That, whereas large numbers of reservists arenot obtaining exemption whose retention in the country is essential to the/ public interest, we suggest that provision should be made whereby every case should be investigated by the local' committee of advice of the district iir which the reservist resides, such committee to report to the advisory committee, stating whether, in their opinion, the reservist could serve his country better by remaining or by being sent to camp. A resolution was carried "protesting against the issue of War Loan scrip free of income tax. It was resolved to urge the Government to push forward afforestation, with a- view to supplying the Dominion's needs, on land unsuitable for other purposes, and to control the white pine forests with a view to prortecting the butter and cheese industries. The conference expressed sympathy with the efforts of the Educational Institute to effect improvements in the* educational system.