THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. THURSDAY, MAY 22, 1913. THE FARMERS' UNION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15308, 22 May 1913, Page 6

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. THURSDAY, MAY 22, 1913. THE FARMERS' UNION.

The Auckland Provincial Conference of the New Zealand Farmers' Union opens to-day at the Chamber of Commerce under conditions which have a most important bearing upon the prosperity of this essentially agricultural province. The mineral wealth of Auckland contributes greatly to its progress and must become an even more important factor in the future than in the past, but the development of the province as of the entire Dominion lies primarily in the hands of those who make the soil productive and thus ensure from year to year and from generation to generation an unceasing and increasing flow of wealth into the channels of trade and into the coffers of the State. There was a time, not far distant, when the farmers were unorganised and inarticulate, isolated on their holdings, vague in their contentions, wasteful in their political energies. Although the largest and most important body in the community they were overwhelmed and outvoted by the superior organisation and more concerted action of less stolid add more nervous city organisations, who not unnaturally came to the conclusion that the man on, the land did not know what was best for his welfare, and who proceeded to impose upon agriculture laws and regulations of an oppressive and objectionable character. This state of affairs continued until the farmers began to understand that organisation was imperative. They were told, of course, that this was very shortsighted because their interests were being so carefully conserved ; by governments which relied upon labour unions for majorities, that any defensive action on their own part would estrange their best friends and place them at the mercy of their enemies. The establishment . of the Farmers Union throughout New Zealand was effected , in the face of the most pathetic protests, all directed to con-, vince the farmer that he lived in the best of all possible worlds and that it was folly on his part to imagine that he knew his own business better than did anybody else. We hear no such diatribes to-day. The Farmers' Union has not, only come into existence, but has justified its existence. It 'has demonstrated that those who r prated of setting "Country" against

"Town" had a 'Very mistaken conception of what is' best , for the " Town" and no conception whatever of what is 'best for the ' " Country." The legitimate influence of agriculturalists upon the political and industrial life of the nation has been made possible. Much has been done to secure due consideration for legitimate agricultural interests, but the most encouraging feature of the movement is the way, in which awful and patriotic avenues of ; influence open out before the banded farmers as they come together in meeting and conference to discuss the many matters bearing upon their industry. The business sheet of the Auckland Conference is a convincing reply to those who once tried to persuade the farmers that they ought to leave their interests to the care of party politicians and to the muddling of theorists who had never journeyed beyond the gas mains and the water pipes. ':■■■;... : ''■>'. It will be admitted by shrewd agriculturalists that various items in the business sheet exhibit the peculiar tendency of all amateur unionists to drag before conferences all sorts of I extraneous topics. ; But this is hardly an evil in ■ the Farmers' Union, seeing that we may rely upon the collective common sense of a body of practical men not to fritter away their reputation and destroy their influence by fathering any fantastical proposition. The Auckland Conference is not likely ,to commit itself upon the very dubious Friedmann "consumption cure" or to become enthusiastic upon the much more reasonable proposal to prohibit under one mile races at racing club events. If we eliminate half-a-dozen items the business sheet of the Conference is seen to be singularly practicable, and we see no reason why the Reform Government should not embody many of the suggestions in its Departmental ordering without any delay whatever. There cannot possibly be any sound objection to the more equitable adjustment of railway rates, to the connection of railway tablet stations with existing telephone systems, to the giving of preference to veterinary surgeons in the appointment of stock inspectors, to the inclusion of suburban fares in general railway charging, to the facilitation and improvement of stock-trucking, to the sheltering of milk cans at railway stations, to the lifting of protection from destructive game, to better control of butter sales in the Home markets, and to other reasonable proposals. That these and other suggestions of a desirable and non-debatable character have to be urged upon the attention of the Government shows the necessity for a Farmers' Union and what great assistance can be given by the Union to reforming ministers who seek to galvanise - into life -those lethargic j departments which ought to serve the public but appear most eager to avoid all disturbing innovations.! Among the most pressing sugges- j tions, and one which the Conference is bound to discuss in all its bearings, is one for the compulsory pasteurising of all milk received at creameries. When the Continuous Government alarmed and incensed agriculturalists by attempting to institute a series of dairying regulations of which several were extremely objectionable under the existing conditions of the , industry, the Herald pointed out that the most necessary of all regulations—one requiring ■ pasteurisinghad been ignored. Every farmer knows that by the non-pasteurising of factorymilk tuberculosis is sown broadcast in every district where a single tuberculous cow exists. The. effect of this broadcast sowing has been completely proved by the United States Department of Agriculture, which found that pigs and cows could be kept practically free from disease with factory pasteurisation, while unpasteurised milk defeated every effort .of inspectors and - dairymen. Among other scheduled matters of vital importance to farmers is the question of rating on native land, a proposal being made that the Government, through the Native Department, collect the rates and pay the local bodies. Another proposal is that the Government should construct and maintain the great arterial roads, upon which the only question is how long it will take to force the Government to shoulder this inevit-1 able burden. Railway matters, land tenures, land taxes, local government, Customs duties, and other! problems also confront the Conference, which is handicapped not by the absence of questions directly important to farmers, but by a volume of business which cannot be adequately dealt with in the time available. '