FARMERS' CONFERENCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19953, 23 May 1928, Page 14

FARMERS' CONFERENCE

MEETING AT HAMILTON. - WELCOME BY THE MAYOR. MANY PROBLEMS DISCUSSED. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] HAMILTON, Tuesday. The 28th Auckland provincial conference of the New Zealand Farmers' Union opened in Hamilton this morning. Mr. A. A. Ross presided over an attendance of 80 members. A cordial welcome was extended to the members of the conference by the Mayor of Hamilton, Mr. J. R. Fow, who said a high compliment had been paid to Hamilton by the decision of the executive to hold a conference in the town. Mr. Fow said success could be assured by adopting businesslike methods in marketing farmers' produce, by increasing production, and by obtaining a larger profit on the goods the farmer sold. In other departments of life workers united to win success and farmers were well advised to do the same. Mr. Ross, in acknowledging Mr. Fow's welcome, said the decision of the executive to hold the annual conference in different centres had been fully justified, for it did much to encourage the work of the branches in the rural areas. Many Subjects Dealt With. The conference has a large number of remits to consider, covering a wide range of subjects, including land, primary products, marketing, finance, taxation, the Arbitration Court and Parliamentary and political problems. There was a lengthy discussion on the following remit, submitted by the executive '"That nc leases of Crown, pri-vately-owned or native-owned land should be permitted unless they contain a clause allowing for compensation for improvements, or for renewal at a rent assessed on the value at the date of the original lease, such rent to be settled by a competent Court." When submitted the remit referred to leases o.i over 20-year terms, but on the deletion of this reference it was accepted by the meeting and approved. It was stated by some speakers that the improvements effected to land at a peppercorn rental constituted the rent, while others said there was no encouragement to maintain improvements at a high standard unless there was a prospect of compensation. The Drainage of Land. Dissatisfaction with the system of classifying and valuing land in drainage areas in the Kaitaia district was expressed by Mr. G. Hodgson, who moved: "That owners of land in swamp drainage areas bo granted the right to appeal against the valuation and the classification." The meeting appeared to be unanimous in its opinion that the Land Drainage Act was unsatisfactory. It was resolved to refer the remit to a committee for revision. Anomalies in connection with the present system of land valuations were quoted by numerous speakers, in support of a remit requesting the Government to replace the present methods of land valuation by a scientific system. Mr. R. D. Duxfieid moved as an amendment that valuations be based on the productive value. Mr. F. Colbeck said no law could be fairer than the New Zealand law, which provided that the owner could assess the value of his own land. Mr. A. : E. Harding said the appointment of an objectors' assessor safeguarded the interests of landowners. Mr. Duxfield's amendment was rejected. An amendment by Mr. A. N. Macky, that the system of valuation be on a uniform basis, was carried. Decisions of Conference. The following additional remits were passed:—That none but dehorned cattle be allowed to be offered for sale in any public saleyard or to be trucked. That the whole position having reference to foot-and-mouth disease be reviewed. That a Stock Food Act be placed on the Statute Book to obviate the possibility of the adulteration of stock foods. That the Government be again urged to take over the liability on all cattle dips and reimburse the expenditure already incurred in erecting the same. That it be a recommendation to the Department of Agriculture to endeavour to institute a more reliable system of milk and cream testing. That the Government be urged to continue the herd-testing subsidy at the rate of Is a cow, on those herds that are tested by registered co-operative herdtesting associations. That the Government be urged to make further investigation in the direction of discovering remedies for mammitis and all other stock diseases. That legislation be sought to enable the establishment of a wool marketing board by producers of wool for export. That conference supports the control of dairy produce and meat by boards elected by the producers, but calls for the elimination of trade representatives from both and of Government representatives from the Dairy Produce Board, the latter not being in any circumstances dependent on Government funds. That the pig subsidy should be in the form of a guarantee of a minimum price per lb on pork exported to Britain, the price obtainable there regulating other prices. Conference considers that, as the produce handled is the propertv only of the dairy farmers, the Dairy Produce Board should consist onlv of members elected by the dairy producers. That this conference again emphatically urges upon the Government the necessity for legislation enabling farmers to form agricultural banks.