Farmers' Union

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXI, Issue 8831, 11 July 1905, Page 2

Farmers' Union

liy Tolograph, Wellington, Jnfy 11. The Farmers' I'liiou annual eonl'crcnni opened In day. when Mr .1. <!. Wiliinli, president, ;iII"I delee.iten hum all parts of llie colony were present. The I'resilient, in his addnss, said the year had been one of progress. The u'n-iiibi>rr<lii|j> } i :ii 1 increased, but not by so many aw should have been the ruse. l''arincr» re cognised that, the I'niiin had been uf great, service to them in many ways, hut to sentro them as members there would have lo bo instituted a. thorough system of canvas, Thi> President expressed surprise at the description of the Trades anil l.abor Council's demand for revalulion of al!i leases as a counterblast to the I'niotiV; platform, and lie urged that where tin,, producer's and eniMunner's interest, wcrr noclosely connected and where the lenderm woro fair men, there was ureal hope of intercourse, allaying any feeling of antagonism. The year had been jv prosper ous one for farmers, he snid, and, after referring to lhn good prices ruling, he urgci* dairy farmers to adopt, the most, approved methods, lie touched on the question of freights, in which he hoped for a rcdnc lion, and also referred to Ihe quenlion of sugar-growing. and submitted thai, this wan a finest ion which required attention. The question of the attitude of the I'nion at. next general election must be most, care-, fully considered and ill'.l met ions given | u the incoming executive as lo what '.,<lrpii to take to lay the I'nion's views fccfori* the country and timl out, thi- vievit-. of thevarious candidates as to tin- t'iUijr,' H p| ri | form, and whether | hey w<c.iM !,npport, it, or not, so that the executive might ae cording to rules adviM l members which candidates they should vole for. A special vole of thank',; was passed to the president, for hi* address, being carried by acclamation. 'I he conference rcallirinerl tbo motion that, the (lovernnienl he urged t■ > so amend the Land Act, as to give Crown tenants the option of purchasing the freehold of their land at the original valur and the payment, of the difference betwrcu the 1 per cent, now charged on leases io-perpetuity and the 5 per cent. chargcil lo tenants with ri"lit of purchase.