THE FARMERS' UNION CONFERENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13193, 2 June 1906, Page 3

THE FARMERS' UNION CONFERENCE.

LAND AND LABOUR . - QUESTIONS. IMPORTANT RESOLUTIONS. The annua- conference of delegate* from the Auckland branches of the Now Zealand farmers' Union was resumed in the Chamber of Commerce Buildings, Swahson-streei, yesterday morning, the president (Mr. C- R. Phillips) being in the chair. A circular was received from the New Zealand Executive, stating that the colonial levy for the year would be 2s per member, the same as last year. The. chairman moved, ' That the provincial levy for the year ending June, 1907, be 5s per mernbei." The motion was carried. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The election of office-bearers for the ensuing year was proeeede'.' with. Mr. t. Dye moved, "That Mr. Phillips be- elected president," and referred to the able manner in which that gentleman had carried out his duties in this capacity for the past two years'. The motion was carried. Messrs. F. Dye. and H. Wily were reelected vice-presidents. The following wore elected as the executive:—Messrs. Scruby, Shepherd. Rutherford, Duxfiekl. MeLeod, Ross, J. S. Wilton, ISurgoyne, Kay, .lowitt, T. W. WiLon, Clements, and Walker. NATIVE LANDS. The president moved : That the attention of tbe Government be. urgently called to the necessity for dealing at once with ilie Maori lands, with J view : (1) To the individualising of sufficient land to each Maori familr: (2t thai all native lands be individualised as spVedii.v as .possible, reserving sufficient J" 11 " for the sustenance of the natives: (3) alter three rears from the individualism;? or the titles all i:uid other than the reserve.? to be subject to lie same rating and taxing as European land*, the natives to be free to.dculuiihthm amis "other than the reserves as they think nest., (41 provision to bo made to prevent the allelation of large estates by Europeans. On the suggestion of Mr. Duxfield, it was decided to defer further consideration, in order to give the president and Major Lu>L time to confer and reframe tho resolution. The president, and Ma jot Lu«k decided _ to delete clause 3, and to add the. following words to clause 2:-" And that, all restrictions against lease or sale on all other native lands be removed.' 1 lie resolution in this form -was carried without, fiuthci discussion. CO-OPERATIVE LABOUR, The president moved: That this conference protests against the present. system of co-operative labour for public works, and favours a return to the contract system The mover said co-operative labour was the most expensive, system they could have. Even the men themselves were dissatisfied. Mr. Duxfiekl considered that the business of the country should be conducted so that tho best, returns could be obtained from tho money invested. . Major Ltisk said two points about cooperative labour were tha.t it.cost about 50 per cent, more than under the contract system, and that the good men themselves were against it. The motion was carried. AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. , The president moved : That, the union keep the question of agricultural education prominently before the, education authorities in tho colony. . • ; •4 ? ■'The motion was carried. , LIBERATION OF GAME. The president moved: That no body. Government or otherwise, shall liberate game "(birds or animals) in any district without til?* consent of the settlers of the dmtrict in which the game is liberated. The mover said the deer liberated by the Tourist Department came down from the hills on to the farms, and did a great amount of damage. suggested" that the followMr. J. Borrie suggested 1 that the following words should be added to the motion: — "That farmers claim tho right to protect their property from all wild' animals or otherwise, and- at. all seasons'. • , . • • 8 The. president accepted the suggestion.. Mr. Duxfield' said the only solution of the difficulty was to get farmers in the House.• The mover said there was no man fonder of shooting than . himself, . but lie did . not think that those who were, not sportsmen should be: penalised for. those, who were. The motion was carried. Mr. Walker moved: That ad local bodies receive half the liccnse fee. ; The motion was carried. SMALL BIRDS NUISANCE. Mr. Duxfield' moved: Thai-it is advisable to amend the Small Birds Nuisance Act so. as to make it compulsory on local bodies (including town boards and borough councils) to exterminate small birds in their respective areas. One sneakei said it was impossible for local bodies to do so, and to attempt it would almost drive some of them bankrupt. The mover agreed to alter tho motion so as to read. "To keep th© small birds nuisance in check." * ' Th© motion was carried as amended. ROADS THROUGH PRODUCTIVE COUNTRY. Mr. C. Bell, on behalf of the Oparau branch, moved: That tbe failure of the Government to recogniee that the most important work required of them is the development of the resources of the country br constructing roads through productive country and bv securing native lands for settlement, makes it incumbent, upon the Farmers' Union to do everything within its power to forward this work. • Mr. Bell said it was imperative that the native lands sho tld be opened tip. Mr. Walker seconded. Major Lusk urged that the (Government should' take over the entire control of the main trunk roads. Several speakers said tho money spent at present was often spent at the wrong time of tire year. The motion was carried. VETERINARY SURGEONS. Mr. Burgoyne, of the C'levedon branch, moved: In the interest of public health the Government be asked to appoint a fully-qualified veterinarian to inspect all dairy cows at least once a yew, and that half the salable value be paid cm all condemned animais. Mr. C. Bell opposed the motion, upon the ground that there were far 100 many inspectors. The motion was defeated. Mr. J. Borrie moved: That all ' stock inspectors should be qualified veterinary surgeons. This was carried. ACCIDENT INSURANCE. Mr. Burgoyne moved: That this meeting is of opinio?- that a rate should b* fixed with the insurance company for accident, and employers' liability insurance which would cover all work done on or in connection with a farm, as at the present time farmers are put not only to a great deal of inconvenience, bul also to considerable expense, in providing cover for the multiplicity of extrr. risks. The president thought that the matter should be left in the hands of the executive, He moved in that direction. This was carried. DISTRIBUTION AND PURCHASE OF PRODUCE. Mr. G. J. Garland, on behalf of the Kaii,aia branch, moved pro form*: That a comprehensive scheme be decided upon by the. delegates to the Auckland Provincial Conference for the distribution s.nd purchase of all produce and goods of members by the Fanners', Union, and that (.übscriptione be revised so as to allow good salaries to be paid to competent men having a thorough knowledge of the separate branches of the business, who shall be under the direct control of the executive, to be appointed ami removed by that body. Mr. Garland said they could not do this, as they were registered as. an unclassified society, and as ■ such could 1 not outer into trade. The only way that they, could give effect to the resolution was by the formation of a co-operative'association. ■ The president moved as an amendment: .That this meeting is of opinion that the only, way to give effect to this resolution ia •by the formation of a co-operative association. . " The amendment was carried. •

. ■ THE ROADLESS M)RTH. . ' v;jp| Mr. Garland also moved on behalf of tin . Kaitaia branch: *_ t That the colonial executive be urged by th« Auckland confer" to represent to the Govern- r-.' ment in the most forcible manner the urgent necessity for taking, over the main North Uoad " from I>evonport to A warm i and metalling the *~£& same, also, the nec<*«»ity lor pushing forward the "4% North Auckland railway mor» effectively (a large body of Aintriaa" now in the North would be xi glad of work until the price of (cum recovers), ' " as without better facilities for communication the North cannot progress a* it should. Mr. Garland said the farmers in the north * of this province suffered more from bar} roads than those in any province of New v'.-J Zealand. He urged the pushing on of the . ' North Auckland railway. l r ]'M Mr. T. W. Wilson, of Paparoa. »poke iy strongly in favour of pushing on the line.. ; s '^ Mr. C. Hell said the road- 4 were just a.; bad in other parts of the provincial district,, and if the motion was carried at all li should be made general. Mr. 11. Wily moved a* an amendment: S| That the Government. I*s urged to take oref .ill mail) trunk roads and the pushing on of ."7' all uncompleted lines. M Garland maintained that the question ' . '-! was a colonial affair, and pointed out that .r? v <j some 40.000 people were affected. He ■ ''' agreed to delete- the clause relating to Am- • ' ti trian-. . The amendment was lost, and the motion % as amended carried. . , OTHER MOTIONS. he following motions were also carried: That the Government be urged to Pr e< t * raffle bridge across the Waikaio Hirer at Ncarui- V*l wahia. . "jvlfSig: That, the sheep tax lie abolished. That, the Government be 111 ged to increase the rolling stock of the Hallway Department. That, the Government be urged to pans such 1 ■! legislation us will compel natives who own land pfg u> be subject to '.he provisions of the Fencing 1 Acts now in operation. '.VVSa '1 hat this conference highly approve# of the '."fil Government employing prison labour for planting 'li-vJ trees. Th«i this meeting condemns the action of the '"m#! labour unions in their endeavour to stop the . MSI sale of (.'town lands and asks the colonial con- ■■ feieneo to urge the Government not to depart ' from the optional system. . That this conference strongly , disapproves of the action of the labour unions' in endeavouring / to get 11 law passed making it compulsory for .fi|p all employers of labour to liavo their books ex- *' .'S® ainiiied. That it be a recommendation of this conference I to the colonial conference that they lake inte ,"Ail consideration the mode of electing the member* s.jj of the Legislative Council of New Zealand by the property-owners of the colony. , > "/%, That Crown tenants 011 lease-in-perpetuity . 'i tenure have, right to acquire the freehold of their ',f holdings on payment by the lessee of the originsl - J value and the payment of the difference .on the '• , „ lease in perpetuity mid the 5 per cent, charged "V'Sw to tenants with light of purchase. Mr. Buckeridgo addressed the conference" . ' upon co-operation, after which the meeting' * ff| was brought to a dose. , >%1