AGRICULTURAL PROBLEMS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18768, 23 January 1923, Page 7

AGRICULTURAL PROBLEMS

PRODUCERS’ ORGANISATIONS. JOINT CONFERENCE ARRANGED. <Feou Ohh Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, January 22. For some time past the chief organisations associated with primary production In Now Zealand have recognised the desirableness of uniformity of procedure and action in certain affairs. The subject was freely discussed at the last conference of the Council of Agriculture, at which members advocated that- this body should meet at the same time as the aeiv Zealand Farmers’ Union, so that the two organisations should -e m a position to consult readily upon matters of common interest. The annual conference, which was held last July, and the subsequent quarterly meeting of the Dominion Executive* of the New Zealand .farmers’ Union heartily endorsed the proposal of a joint conference of producers’ organisations, which has now been summoned by the Council of Agriculture, and will bo hold in Wellington on Thursday after the meeting ef the banners' Union, which will take place to-morrow*. Among the questions with which the conference will be concerned are a reduction of taxation, the establishment of an agricultural banking system to enable producers to obtain more liberal and cheaper financial accommodation. a. compulsory co-operative marketing system for each section of the printary producers, the establishment of a producers’ shipping line with reasonable Government backing, the welding together of all farming bodies to deal jointly with taxation, freights, transport and labour, farming representation in Parliament, and agricultural education. *■ FARMERS’ UNION CONFERENCE. SUBJECTS FOR DISCUSSION. ' (From Ons Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, January £2. At (be Farmers’ Union quarterly conference, which will take place to-morrow*, important matters affecting dairy farmers, wool growers, and meat producers are set down for discussion. The Taranaki Provincial Executive will move that the attention of the Railway Department bo drawn to the excessive freight on dairy produce, and will suggest that a deputation urge the Minister to effect substantial reductions. ihe Manaw*atu Executive has a remit asking for the registration of a special cattle brand for cull cows to prevent their resale to other dairy farmers. The possibility of extending our meat trade* to the the subject of a proposal from the Wanganui Executive, which aims at obtaining the authority of the (-■overnment to despatch a qualified and accredited representative to the East to inquire into the potential markets for beef and beef products. The suggestion of Sir John Higgins, chairman of “Bawra” for the perpetuation of “Bawra, ’ is offered by the Wanganui Executive for discussion. Soldier settlement and its future administration are also submitted by the Wanganui Executive, which makes these original proposals for the discovery of a basis for the valuation i f soldier 1 settlers’ holdings—that the Government select, through the Land Purchase Board, a section of average quality and select the most efficient soldier settlers to v/ork the section, the Government using the same amount of capital as any other ooldier settler: that the selected soldier be paid a reasonable salary for from three to five years, whcvi he shall have the right to retain the section under the ordinary soldier settler conditions; that the Government use all its expert knowledge and communicate such knowledge to the other soldier settlers by a practical demonstration and use the financial resujts of this farm as a basis of values for the sections in the respective settlements.