FARMERS' UNION.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 12803, 29 May 1914, Page 7

FARMERS' UNION.

Press Association. —By Telegraph WANGANLI, Mav 27

Two remits dealing with railway freights were included in the agenda paper. The first (Wavcrley and Alarton) was: '"'That the Railway Department be y£k ed to remove the differential rate on imported timber, the same being a direct imposition on country residents near sea ports." The second (Martinboi'oug'h) was: "That if certain of our industries require protection the same should be given by Customs tariff only, and not on railway freights as well."

Mr W. J. Birch iMarton), in expressing approval of the first remit, pointed out that the greater the distance the timber had to be carried, the greater was tin* disadvantage the man up country suffered, as compared with the man living near the port. Mr J). McGregor (Carterton), touching on general railway charges, pointed out that for fifty miles the railage on imported cement was 14s fid a ton, as against <>s !)d for colonial cement. Bifle clubs had to pay .".Is (>d freight 011 imported cartridges, as against 17s Od on colonial cartridges, while on coal the freight per t•'>n was: Imported 9s lOd, bituminous 7s (>d, brown 5s sd. They should protest against these different rates. The remits were unanimously adopted. Mr K. Law (Shannon) moved: "That owing to tin' scarcity of fencing timber generally, and the long distances it has t<» be railed, the Government be requested to reduce the freights on such timber." In tin 1 discussion that followed. Mr \Y. J. Moore (Makuri) pointed out that the present freight was .'iys per truck per 1(H) miles posts constituting a truck load*. This, to him. did not seem an excessive charge, and he would oppose the remit. Mr W. -i. Birch ( Martini i said they could not expect the railways to pay if they asked for such reductions. The remit was thrown out. only two delegates voting in favour of it. Makuri forwarded the following remit:'"That Government be asked to reduce the railway charges on motor Mr W. .1. Moore, in moving the remit. said hj" had been asked to do so. but he \.:ts not in favour of it. j (Laughter.) The present rate was 40s -Id per !(i() miles for kerosene, and rate [aad a half for benzine.. This seemed

fair enough. The remit was negatived, as was also the following from Wanganui:— "That in view of the large amount of basic slag required now and in the future for farming purposes, the Government be urged to reduce the cost of railage by one-half." Air W. B. Matheson (Eketahuna) moved a remit as follows:—"That this conference urge the Alinister of Lands, Alinister of Education, and the Board of Agriculture to consider the immediate establishment of an agricultural high school in each of the provinces, as one of the most urgent needs of the Dominion." Air B. Morris (Eketahuna) seconded, and the remit was carried. The conference adopted the following remit from Waikanae: "That Government, for sanitary reasons, provide hooks in roadside trucks for the carriage of pigs to the city markets." Alakuri's remit, as follows, was adopted: "That Government be urged to make all the most dangerous railway crossings safer for all traffic." Alarton's remit: "That Government be requested to reintroduce the Stallion Bill on the same lines as that drawn up last session and shelved by the Upper House," brought forward by Mr \Y. .T. Birch, was adopted without discussion." Air James AlacFarlane (Feilding) moved: "That it be a recommendation to the Agricultural Department that an inspector of pigs be appointed to inspect pigs where they are reared and brought up." The remit was rejected on the ground that the present system of inspection was deemed to be satisfactory. A remit moved bv Mr C. D. Dickie (Wavcrley) was: "That in the interests of farmers the compulsory period for dipping be from Ist February to Ist May, instead of from Ist January to 31st Alareh, as at present." It was explained that the reason for bringing forward the remit was that if the sheep were dipped immediately after shearing they were not in such a fit

state to withstand infection as when dipped later. The remit was negatived.