THE FARMERS' UNION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13482, 5 July 1907, Page 3

THE FARMERS' UNION.

FREE TRADE AND PROTECTION

PREFERENCE TO THE MOTHER

COUNTRY

[BY TELEGRAM!.SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.]

■* \ Wellington', Thursday. - The tariff question came on for discussion > at the Farmers' Union Conference to-day. A warm debate centring about the wheat and flour duties. Captain Bell moved an Auckland remit in affirmation of the union's constitutional - plank: — That Customs duties should be for revenue e purposes, and not for protection. Mr. Birch suggested the addition of a Wellington remit, and the resolution was i carried, as follows:i ... . That the Conference protests against any ' increase in duties for the protection of local ; industries, as such duties will raise the price of all such protected articles to the consumer, and thus detrimentally affect all other industries, and considers that should any amendment be made in the present tariff it should, be in the direction of a 1 revenue instead of a protective tariff. Mr. Forsyth (Taranaki) moved-.— t That" in. -the opinion of '.this Conference it is desirable to reduce taxation on the necessaries of life. - . ■.-..- .Mr. Forsyth declared that as a union, delegates were revenue tariffiste, though , they may be freetraders. Mr. Birch : It's the same thing. »' In seconding the-motion, Mr. McQueen 3 said the tax on wheat was not a revenue - tax, and he objected to a tax on the loaf. The word "all", should be inserted before > " the necessaries "of life." He. would like " to see the duty on wheat and , flour swept n away. ' " ■■ ' 3 Mr. Birch thought the need for boots was as great as for other things called the necessaries of life. ' "BOOTS NOT NECESSARIES OF LIFE." , The President (Mr. J. G. Wilson) did not think boots and shoes could be termed , "necessaries of life." They could be done - without. ' A Voice: How about clothing? > Mr. Wilson Clothing is necessary by ■ Act of Parliament. > ; . Mr. Cooper (Mastertou) contended that the boot and clothing industries had been > largely built up on a protective'tariff.--'. We ; were only getting about 15s value for . every 20s spent in. boots. If the motion ) was carried it would appear to indicate . that the Conference -was in favour of the . abolition of the wheat duty. He was in 5 favour of a compromise providing that, af- . ter wheat had gone up to, say, 3s or 3s 6d, the duty on it should then be rei moved. A man bringing forward such a - proposal would have -a large amount of moral support behind him. .. The "effect of i the duty on boots or clothing was practically to fix the prices of tho.se articles ' but the price of wheat was always going . up and down, and the duty would only be collected when it was scarce. THE GRAINGROWING INTEREST. ' Mr. Lc'adley (Canterbury) said ..the'posi--1 tion of the union had been clearly and definitely outlined years ago in the platform, and it ought to be left alone. Coming from the largest, graingrowing part of New . Zealand, he hoped the Conference would pause before committing the union to such a position. The duty on-imported grain products was practically the only bit of protection the Canterbury farmers.had ever enjoyed or asked for. 'Without the duty wheatgrowers would have to go out of business. It took six million bushels" of' wheat , to feed the- people, of New Zealand, or, in other words, they would have to send out a million pounds a year to purchase wheat. Of course, the farmers could live without growing wheat, but he contended that an. alteration in the existing state of things would not be good for the community as a whole. The price of bread had only risen about jd the 41b loaf, in consequence of the rise in the price of grain. He protested warmly against the continual revival of,». question that had been settled on the platform years ago. ; THE TEA AND SUGAR QUESTION. Mr. Forsyth (Taranaki) said the Taranaki Conference had not thought of wheat at all. They generally regarded tea. and sugar as ■ the necessaries of life. (Laughter.) The duty on wheat was very low. He accepted a .suggestion by. Mr. Leadley to alter the motion to read, "That it is desirable to reduce taxation on ; the necessaries of life which are highly protected." " ! Captain Bell said they would surely not allow it to go forth that the removal of a 5 per cent, duty would destroy the wheat industry, or 12 per cent, destroy the flour industry. On being personally appealed to, . Mr. Forsyth agreed to withdraw the motion. The decision was warmly applauded, and ; the matter dropped. PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT. Mr. McQueen moved: — That unconditional preferential treatment should be continued to the Mother Country. Speaking to the motion, he said he did [ not believe in giving preference by means , of a'surtax on foreign goods; but that had ' been decided upon by Parliament. The . result of the preference had undoubtedly ; been to increase trade. , The motion was seconded by Mr. Birch, '■ and carried. . LAND TAX AND INCOME TAX. ; On the motion of Mr. Jones (Canter- , bury), it was resolved by nine votes to , seven that any increase in the graduated i land tax should be accompanied by a j similar increase in the income tax. j . " ' PUBLIC WORKS. ! On the motion of Captain Bell, it was , resolved :— ( That all public works should be constructed J on the contract system, as against tho co- | operative system now in vogue. i It was decided, on Captain Bell's mo- * tion : — { " That the paramount importance of roads opening up land as the foundation of the s prosperity of the conntry should be forcibly \ impressed upon the Government by the c Farmers' Union. „ RAILWAY MATTERS. i . Resolutions were carried regarding the scarcity of trucks for stock, endorsing fl Mr. Buchanan's continuous loading j scheme, and requesting the Department to consign empty trucks to applicants, and asking for a reduction of freight on road metal. The Council also resolved :— c That the Railway" Department be now requested to have gratings placed in all sheep trucks. £ MISCELLANEOUS. C The Conference decided to use its in- j t Huence to prevent acclimatisation societies,! t destroying stoats, weasels, and other nalu- * ral enemies of the rabbit in districts where j l ' rabbits abound. ?

A resolution was passed expressing satisfaction with the action of the education boards regarding nature study and gardening, and suggesting that a conference should be held as early as possible of agricultural, technical," and dairy instructors so as to obtain uniformity throughout the State.

The Conference reaffirmed its dissatisfaction with the present arrangements for the importation of bones. The Conference affirmed the .unqualified opposition of the union to the referendum.