FARMERS WANTS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8190, 3 August 1912, Page 1

FARMERS WANTS.

DEPUTATION TO PRIME MINISTER. IMPORTANT QUESTIONS DISCUSSED. The delegates to the Dominion conference of tho New Zealand Farmers’ Union yesterday waited on tho Prime Minister (Mr Massey) to lay before him sumo of the more important of iL: ! decisions arrived at during tlio sittings of the conference. ' Tho vice-president of the union (Mr G. W. Leauleyj urged a vigorous land settlement policy on tno optiona. tenure .system. they considered there should be a modification of tho demand for residence in respect to Crown lands. If the occupiers were permitted to sjiend a larger amount of money in improvements, and so shoiv taeir hona fidus as settlors, tho residential qualification should bo omitted. The residential qualification gave no encouragement to the town man to go on the land, and it often iniliclegroat hardship. In regard to improvements, they asked that the Act be so

altered as to permit of all improvements to tho laud and to capital value on a 5 per cent, basis of any special rates paid on such land for reading, etc., being regarded as improvements. They desired that the native lands should be placed on tho same footing for taxation as land held by Ituropeans. They protested against the cooperative system of carrying out public works. They regarded it as the most expensive method. Support was asked for tho Sedgwick immigration scheme for domestic and farm workers. The extra railage on imported timber and on coal was objected to. It was merely penalising a man because ho lived in the country. They urged the abolition of tho mortgage tax, which was simply a tax on a inan’fi debts.

Mr Ewan Campbell also spoke, amplifying what had been said in regard to the residential qualification. The Prime Minister, in reply, expressed pleasure at meeting so many men, like himself, sons of the soil. The Government not only intended to prosecute a vigorous land policy, but they were doing it already. He hacl given instructions for the survey ol 34,000 acres of land in the North Island known as the Moerangi block, which had been, purchased by the former Government. With regard to the residential clause, ho said at one time there was a provision that a man could take up Crown land, though ho might bo a resident in a city, but he had to make twice the improvements as the man who resided. Ho did not know why it was repealed, and he felt it would bo a very good thing to reinstate the clause. With regard to money spent on roads, drains, etc., being regarded as improvements, he hno at the present time a Bill on the stocks, almost ready to go to the printer, <m the lines the deputation suggested. He did not want Ip deal with native lands at any length. That was a matter within the sphere of Mr Herries (Native Minister), and he thought that in a very short while they would express satisfaction with the way in which Mr Herries was carrying out his duties. It was recognised by the natives that it would be in their own interests to bo placed as nearly as possible on the same footing ns the whites. In regard to co-opera-tive workers, he found himself in another difficulty. It was a policy matter, and he would convoy their representations to Mr Fraser, who was Minister of Public Works. Referring to immigration, Mr Massey said what they had to do was to see that tho right class of people were brought to the country. Tho Dominion wanted more population, and they must see that tho immigrants were bona fide settlors. In regard to the railway freights that was a matter in charge of Mr Herries. The Government intended to take tho matter of railway rates in hand as soon as it was possible to do so. He could promise that before tho Government had been long in office they would see many improvements. He agreed that the operation of the mortgage tax tended to increase the rate of interest to tho borrowers. He thought he could say that reform would receive tho attention of the Minister of Finance. When the time came for dealing with the matter they would remember the suggestions of the deputation. He would be pleased to receive deputations from the executive of tho union at any time. If they were going to benefit the bona fide farmers and settlers, then they were going to benefit tho whole of the people of New Zealand.