FARMERS' UNION.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLI, Issue 134, 8 June 1907, Page 5

FARMERS' UNION.

MEETING OF MARLBOROUGH

EXECUTIVE

The monthly meeting of the Executive was held this morning. There were present: Messrs D. Chaytor (President), A. McKay, Jas. Gane, T. Morrin, R. F. Goulter, J. C. Chaytor, and R. Ham. FARMERS AS MARKSMEN. A memo, was recived from Mr H. Bnckland, of the Kiatoa (Waikouaiti), branch of the Union in reference to the encouragement of fanners' rifle clubs. Ho'had started one, with excellent rehiiUh. It wnß only a matter of time until nil branches would be shooting for a nhiold, and perhaps a farmers teams match, North v. South. The communication concluded as follows: — " If you have a few marksmen in your branch wo will be delighted to shoot you a match." The memo, was held over till after tho Colonial Conference. THE COLONIAL CONFERENCE. Remits for the Colonial Conference ! were considered. The question of taxation was discussed. Mr McKay contended for the abolition of the land tax and the substition of the property tax. Mr Goulter said the property tax was the fairest one, but he doubted if such a proposal would receive wide support. Mr Gane complained of the tact that, if a £5000 land property was | mortgaged up to £4,500, the nominal | owner still had to pay the tax. The. mortgagee had to pay for the benefit of the real owner of the land; Mr McKay instanced the effect ot land as that at the East Cape, taken up and made productive by pioneering settlers.' Instead of the land bearing the most of the taxation, and thus having to submit to a restriction, every property should be taxed equally. He moved a recommendation that the property tax should be substituted for the

land tax. The motion was lost, the opinion being that, as Mr J. C. Chaytpr said, it was as useless asking for such a change as ask to have the moon rubbed out. Mr McKay: The Farmers' Union is not aggressive enough. They take their belting lying down. Mr Gane moved that the exemption from the graduated land tax should be raised to £5000, instead of £1000. Mr Morrin seconded. Mr Goulter thought the graduate:. 1, land tax was a good thing in its incidence. The effect was to prevent tho aggregation of large estates. He thought the proposal to increase the graduated tax was a better way of dealing with large estates than jV'r McNab's proposition in the Land Bill. The motion was carried, Mr McKay dissenting. SHELTER TREES FOR FARMERS Mr Goulter brought up the question of approaching the Government with a view to farmers being allowed to purchase trees from State nurseries at a reasonable rate. There were only one or two small private nurseries in this district, and the supply and the price were out of all proportion to needs and the value. The trees were also often unsuitable. The Seddon nurseries contained hundreds of thousands of larches,, Austrian pines, and such trees that would grow splendidly in the Awatere. The whole of Flaxbourne and the Awatere needed trees. It "was ■suggested that the matter should be treated purely as a local one. Mr Goulter modified his motion to provide that the Secretary write to the Agricultural Department asking for the privilege, and pointing out, that as macrocarpa and pinu& insignj&c are? not grown at Seddon the supply; frp-ni there would not conflict with £hV jtrade. of private nurseries. He pointed -outthat Hillersden and such well planted places had been assisted by the Government. Mr Morrin seconded, and pointed out the great advantage such a concession would be to the Awatere and Flaxbourne settlers, with whom the percentage of losses had been great, owing to the necessity of getting plants from another district. The motion was carried. GENERAL. Mr Jas. Gane was appointed delegate to the Conference, along with the President. I The subscription for the current year was, in view of the failure to I secure a general meeting, retained at 10s per year. I The Chairman reported upon the, visit of Mr Matheson, the Union's dee- j gate, in the campaign against the | Land Bill. The meetings were poorly j attended, excepting at Flaxbourne and j Spring Creek. On his motion, a vote . of thanks was passed to Mr Matheson. ' The Secretary was instructed to secure a canvasser, and report. |