Manawatu Evening Standard. Circulation, 3,500 Copies Daily. THURSDAY, MAY 26, 1910. THE FARMERS' UNION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9222, 26 May 1910, Page 4

Manawatu Evening Standard. Circulation, 3,500 Copies Daily. THURSDAY, MAY 26, 1910. THE FARMERS' UNION.

Oite of the most successful conferences the Farmers' Union has yet held concluded at Marton last night. There waa a representative attendance of delegates from all parts of the province, and the order paper covered a series of subjects that are of the very greatest importance to the farming community. The Conference was held at an opportune time—just prior to the meeting of Parliament, and the opportunity served to once more bring into prominence those issued which are of paramount moment to the welfare of the Dominion. It was very fitting that the question of land tenure should be given pride of place, and that the popular demand for the freehold should be* re-affirmed. The points of the case in support of that tenure were briefly made by the speakers, and there was no weakening in the vigour with which they reiterated their belief in the rights of the man on the land. Native land and the shameful manner in which it is kept from the settler came in for 6ome attention, and the conference also found j tim© to discuss valuations and valuers' methods, criticising them keenly. Matters that touched the more practical side of farming were not neglected, and such things as noxious weeds and the experimental stations were the subject of warm debate. The J educational advantages of frequent visrts to the State farms were recognised. As the outcome the Minister for Agriculture intimated his intention of encouraging by every means in his power the utilisation of the farms for the instruction of fanners. Hitherto there have been numerous difficulties in the way, and it is to be hoped these will be soon removed. The attendance of the Minister for Agriculture was a most gratifying feature of the conference. He is well known to sympathise with many of the aims of the Union, particularly wfth the freehold principle. He took advantage # of the occasion to deliver what is termed a "defence" of the Government in its dealings with the farming community. It is evidently recognised that some explanation is due of the general attitude of the Government towards the great primary industries. The Plon. Mackenzie's remarks do not make the position any clearer, for they consisted largely of a recital of what the

Departmental officers were doing in the course of their work and a.reiteration of a fact that nobody denies

•—that the State has 6pent a large sum on the improvement of the dairying industry. Broad matters of policy were left severely alone. However, the Minister may be congratulated on his recognition of the Union, and the hope may be expressed that what he heard at Marton will influence him and his fellow Ministers to give more weight to the representations of the Union in future.