WANTS OF FARMERS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 571, 28 May 1913, Page 3

WANTS OF FARMERS.

DISCUSSED AT FARMERS' UNION CONFERENCE. CONCLUSION OF BUSINESS. The conference of the Auckland Provincial Farmers' Union was resumed on Friday morning, Major Luak presiding, and about forty delegates were present. The financial statements of the union and of the Farmers' Trading Association were read and discussed in committee and were adopted. Major Lusk was re-elected president, and Mr Wm. Hudson was appointed as one of the executive The president and Mr A. A. Ross were appointed delegates to the Dominion conference at Wellington. Mr Thomas, on behalf of the Bombay branch, moved: "That the travelling public have the benefit of suburban fares." The motion was seconded by Mr Judd, and was opposed, by instruction, by the delegate from Papakura. f Mr J. E. Makgill said that the union wa«* not com Detent to judge of the correctness of a fare fixed by the Railway Department; it could, however, approve or disapprove of a principle. He moved as an amendment: "That the sysem of suburban fares be abolished and the system of concession tickets for those in constant use of the railway services be adhered to." The amendment was seconded and warmly supported by Mr A. A. Ross. He said he was unable to see why regular travellers, over any distance at all, should not receive the concession which the suburban rates were designed to give to those running over suburban lines.

The president said it was a pity a fair chance had not been given to the Vaile stage system. The remit was carried by a large majority. Mr J. C. Allen, Morrinsville, moved: —"That the Government subsidise all hunt clubs on all hunt club stamp of horses wanted for defence of New Zea land, also that the Government prohibit all races under one mile at racing club events." The motion was divided, and the first part was lost. The second part was amended to read aa a recomendationm to the racing conference instead of to the Government, that races under one mile, for three-year-olds and upwards, should be abolished. In this form it was carried unanimously. It was resolved unanimously, without discussion: "That in view of the difficulty experienced by local bodies in collecting native rates, it is suggested that the Government, through the Native Department, collect the rates and pay the same over to the local bodies." DESTRUCTIVE GAME.

Mr Judd, Clevedon, moved: —"That the attention of the conference be drawn to the advisability of transferring from the acclimatisation societies to the rural local bodies the powers of the former in regard to the suppression or otherwise of deer, opossums, pheasants, quail, and other destructive game, and that they be the authorised advisory authorities to the Minister for Internal Affairs in re gard to the said and other game animals." This was coupled with an Albany remit:—"That the Govern ment be asked to rescind the proclamation protecting Californian quail, on the grounds that hey have become numerous and destructive both to fruitgrowers and farmers in general." Mr Judd said he was quite unable to see why New Zealand should adopt game laws which, by the experience of the older countries, menaced the farmer with serious loss and oppression. He metioned the quail as an enormous eater of clover, and the same bird, with the pheasant, as a distributor of noxious waeds. The acclimatisation societies introduced and protected the game of all varieties, and derived revenue from them, while farmers, on whom fell a great part of the burden of maintaining the game for the pleasure of sportsmen, gained nothing at all. The remits were adopted. CONDEMNED PIGS.

The Te Rore branch forwarded a remit:—"That in view of the large number of bacon pigs condemned for tuberculosis, some scheme of insurance should be arranged to compensate producers for any losses they may sustain through having pigs condemned." The remit was lost, several speakers contending that the proposal, if ried, would simply put a premium upon careless breeding. On the motion of the president it was resolved that moneys available for loans to local bodies should be granted to authorities representative of rural areas, except in the cases of towns of less than 2000 inhabitants requiring loans for drainage purposes; and that all applications other than those contemplated in the resolution be denied until the country is properly opened up by roads and bridges. A remit from the Raupo branch, that the completion of the North Auckland Railway as far as Paparoa as soon as possible be urged, was passed without discussion. CONCERNING CATTLE.

The Morrinsville branch submitted a remit, "That all speyed cattle have a distinguishing Government mark or brand, so as to prevent the same from being sold as dairy cows or heifers." the motion of Mr J. C. Allen, the remit was passed with only one dissentient.

The Hunua branch forwarded a remit the substance of which was that the Government should be urged to consider the question of leasing dairy bulls on a system similar to that adopted in New South Wales. After some discussion the remit was carried by IS votes to 9. CARRIAGE OF LIME ON RAILWAYS. A remit from the Albany branch requested "That the Government be asked to convey agricultural lime any distance upon the railway free, in lieu of the 100 mile limit of free railage as at present."

It was pointed out that Albany was on the other side of the Waitemata,

and obtained a a large amount of its lime from Te Euiti, thus leaving about 30 miles of railage to be paid fori Then there had to be added the cost of

transmission by water, wharfage, etc.. which brought the price up to about 30b a ton. It was also stated that the Minister for Railways had been approached on the matter and had appeared favourable to the suggestion. The remit was ultimately altered to read: "That the Government be asked to convey agricultural lime from the nearest available source," etc., and in this form was adopted. COUNTRY TELEPHONES.

The PaUuranga delegate was nut present to support a remit from the branch, "That the Government be urged to either extend or abolish the three-minute time limit for the use of country telephones." Several delegates Bpoke in opposition to the remit, stating that it was at any time difficult to get communication in the country, and if the time limit were increased or abolished this difficulty would become still more accentuated. Some discussion also took place on the charges for the use of country telephones. Eventually it was decided that the subject of country telephones be left in the hands of the executive to inquire into, and to act in the best interests of the union. A remit from Clevedon, "That the revenue derived from the public house licenses be handed over to the hospital and charitable aid boards, and credited against the charitable aid rate," was bracketed with another from Matamata, "That the Government be requested to enact that the hospital and charitable aid boards be the recipient of all auctioneers', public houses, and mo f or vehicle licenses." Both remits were carried almost unanimously. The Raupo branch forwarded a remit: —"That the Crown Lands of Tokatoka district be thrown open for selection without delay be urged on the Government." It was pointed out by the secretary that the e cecutive was constantly working on this aubect. The remit was unanimously passed. DISEASES IN HORSE.

With a view to eliminating hereditary diseases in horses, a remit came from the Pirongia branch to the effect that all stallions be examined by Government veterinary surgeons. The remit was ultimately altered to read that all draught and harness stallions submitted to the use of the public be examined by a Government veterinary surgeon before a license is granted, and in this form was unanimously adopted. Maungatawhiri forwarded a suggestion which was adopted: "That rural endowment lands which have failed to find occupiers be thrown open for selection under the optional tenure, proceeds from same to be reinvested for endowment purposes." The neglect of backblock schools was brought before the conference by the Raupo branch, and a remit that the attetnion of the Government and the Education Board be drawn to tbe matter was carried. THE PURITY OF SEEDS.

On behalf of the Morrinsville branch Mr J. C. Allen moved that merchants be compelled to guarantee the purity of all seeds by showing in their invoice the percentage of impurities. Mr Schmitt, in seconding the remit pro forma, suggested that it should be referred to executive, and this course was adopted. Another remit from the Morrinsville branch "That the time has come when the Goverment should further encourage the importation of pedigree stock by arranging a reduction of freight and quarantine charges by direct contribution of cost of freight," was in troduced by Mr Allen, who stated that the object was purely to encourage getting high class stuck into the country. The remit was carried on the casting vote ®f the chairman. Still another remit came from the Morrinsville branch "That all road metal for local bodies be reduced in freight to the railways, and that railway freight on manures be reduced." This was carried with the addition of the words "to cost price" after "reduced." Mr Lockwood moved "That this conference recommend the new executive to consider each remit on itß merits, and allot the time for discission to each, and also that no late remits be considered." A remit from Te Puke —"That the Betterment Act be repealed, and that lands taken for public works be paid for at prices subiect to valuation," was carried. On the motion of Mr McGill it Was resolved that the conference in future start on the day of the annual meeting, thus allowing an additional afternoon and evening for the business of the conference.

This concluded the businese of the conference. . The chairman, Major Lusk, congratulated thoße present on the expeditious manner in which they had . disposed of the business. He thanked them all for the support they had given him, and for the honour they had done him by re-electing him to the position of president for the ensuing year. A very hearty vote of thanks to the chair concluded the conference.

Mr A. Schmitt was reappointed provincial secretary of the union at a meeting of the executive, held at the conclusion of the conference.