FARMERS' UNION CONFERENCE, (By Our Special Reporter.)

Otago Witness, Issue 2493, 25 December 1901, Page 16

FARMER S' UNION CONFERENCE, (By Our Special Reporter.)

INVERCARGILL, December 21. The first conference of delegates from the Southland branch of the Farmers' Union was held yesterday in Mr R. Allen's office, Esk street, Invercargill, and was attended by Messrs James Milne, of Wyndham (provisional chairman of the Southland execu« tive) ; H. M'CoU (Mataura Island), James M'Kerchar (Woodlands), John M'Queen (Invercargill), H. J. Middleton (Fortroae), J. A. Mitchell (Mateura), R. Dodds (Gore), W, Newton (Wairio), S. James (Otautau), T* Giller (Dipton), E. M'Alister (Riversdale), John M'Pharson (Balfowr), W. Wateon (Heddon Biißh), D. Gilchrist (Waikaka Valley), W. Teinpleton (Thornbury), D. A< Purvis (Pukerau), D. Marshall (Waipawa), D. Clarke (Gore), Thomas Patei-son (Winton), and A. Tapper (Wallacetown). Mr Glass, organising secretary, was also present. Mr Milne was elected chairman, and Messrs Giller, Tapper, and M'Queen a Finance Committee. It was decided to limit speakers to five minutes. " The first question discussed was fire insurance, and it was proposed that a. New Zealand Farmers' Fire Association should be recommended to the New Zealand Conference, but an amendment favouring inviting tenders from existing companies was carried ; Mr Glass explaining that no special arrangement with companies could be made till the Underwriters' Association meet in February, when a deputation of executive I would wait on them. Regarding accident insurance, Mr Glass complained) that the Premier, though he had t^icef promised to do so, had not yet de« fined the bearing or the Workers' Compensation Act on the farmers, and tha ants were full of difficulties. At present if an employee was injured through the culpable nagieci; of an employer the injured man could under common law sue for £2000. Tenders had been invited for, the business controlled by the conference', and the lowest tender had been received) from the Commercial Union Company, ac ss, including farmers themselves.— Dele gates agreed to support the company. .No recommendation was made on th© subject of the establishment of corn exchanges in. the various centres, but a motion/ was carried urging the need for a reduction. of railway charges on wool, and the executive were instructed to wait on the Minister of Railways regarding the matter. A motion to the effect that the cost of running the Stock Department should be taken out 'of the Consolidated Revenue was negatived. At present, it was Baid, tfce inspectors were paid out of the sheep tax, ana all their time was* taken tvo.witli, cattle. The sheep tax was introduced when sheep were infected with scab, but as that hadi been stamped out the tax should disappear.. It was pointed out that if this tax" was discontinued another must b» levied to pay the inspectors . — Deferred . It was urged that the Government be asked to undertake the grading of all beef and! mutton for export, and that all first-quality meat be branded " Prime New Zealand.'' Speakers asserted that there was a feeling that meat wa.s not being handled as ib should be, and if the Government took the matter in hand it would be an improvement. In reply it was pointed out that the only graders in the colony were those afc the freezing works, and the work was being well done. — No recommendation was made. The conference expressed its appreciation of the Government's action with regard to trade with South Africa. A motion wa<» carried opposing the proposal to elect local bodies on the same franchise as general elections, speakers considering it absurd that those who paid no i"ates shoulcl say howi rates should be paid. A long discussion took place on the matter of asking the Government to guarantee the correctness of railway weights in farm produce, and * motion was carried favoming thi-> departure; and the executive were asked to direct the Minister's attention to the matter. — A committee was set up, consisting of Messrs M'Queen, Tapper, and Middleton, to see the Minister on all question* affecting railways. Mr Middleton moved — " Th.it, in the opinion of this conference, the Conciliation and Arbitration Act should be repealed.'*' It was a question which affected farmers, and they had a perfect right to give their opinions on it. — Mr James seconded thai motion. — Mr M'Queen said the Conciliation! Act was all right, but he did not believe! in the powers of the Arbitration Court ta make awards and enforce them He moved] as an amendment — " That this conference is of opinion that the Conciliation au<i

Arbitration Act should be amencled by the abolition of the Arbitration Court." — Mr Middleton withdrew his motion end seconded the amendment. He thought the voice of the farmers would have some power. There were 20,000 in the union and 10,000 more interested, and their opinion should carry great weight. Mr M'Queen's motion wae then carried. Mr Marshall moved — " That as the popula'tion_ of New Zealand is totally inadequate to its requirements, the Government be urged to assist and devise a scheme of nominated immigration. This was seconded by Mr Milne. Mr M'Queen said he supported the motion because it was ridiculous that a fine country like this should only be populated by 800,000 people. He believed the Government were to blame in some measure, and were afraid to go against some of their supporters, who believed that immigration would mean keener competition and lower wages. Mr M'Kerchar said the prioe of Isbour had to be reduced or the price of produce had to be raised. New Zealand was farthest away from the markets, and was j paying the highest wages. The only remedy \ was to introduce more workers. Every farm was languishing for want of workers. — .Referred to the Colonial Council and provincial districts. Mr M'Queen moved — " That the time bad arrived when foreign borrowing should ceas?." He was not against borrowing, but he believed they should stop borrowing for a while. Mr Paterson seconded the motion, and said it was the Gov«rnmeut's borrowing policy that had turned him against them. They wanted a rest for a time. Mr Middleton asked if the motion merely wanted to do away with foreign borrowing, and did not affect colonial borrowing? Mr M'Pherson said those in the back-blocks needed roads and railways, and he believed borrowing was proper if the money was speni on reproductive works. Mr M'Queen, replying, said the method of expending the borrowed money was what most of them complained of. It was misappropriated. Money was scattered broadcast. The motion was lost. Mr M'Pherson moved — " That the County Councils use stringent supervision over the mixing of poison, and that they endeavour to get a more effective destroyer of small birds." Mr Marshall seconded the motion. A clause was added to the motion directing the attention of County Councils to the breeding of birds in towns, and urging that vigorous means be taken to suppress it, and that the Government be asked to offer a bonus for the discovery of an effective poison. — Carried. Mr M'Pherson moved — " That the Government be asked to bring in an act for the systematic poisoning of rabbits, and that June and July be set apart for trappers. ' Mr Middleton seconded the motion, which was lost. Mr Tapper moved — " l'hat the Government be asked to carry road metal at the lowest remunerative rates." • Seconded by Mr J. M'Pher^on and carried. Mr Mime moved — " That the Government should appoint one assessor and farmers another- to sit on Assessment Courts." — Mr M'Queen moved as an amendment — " That the conference support action of the Milton Conference." — Mr Middleton said there was loom for improvement. His experience was that valuers in his- district did their vrork well; but in instances their value? were tampered with in Invereargill. — Mr M'Coll said that the valuer who, caniG to his farm went over the whole district in one day by only walking along the roads. They objected to nearly the whole of value being put down as unimproved value.— 'Several others spoke on the question of incompetent valuers, and supported the amendment, which was carried. Mr M'Queen moved — '"That taxation through the customs should be for the purpose of raising revenue, and not for the purpose of a protective tariff." He said the policy of farmers in a country like this must be Freetrade. Tariffs were built up to pncourage industries and hampered the farmers." If they wanted to nurse industries, they should do it by bonuses. — Mr Templeton seconded the motion, and said Freetrade would be an advantage to everyone. — Mr Dodds also supported the motion, which was carried. — The Shale Company cropped up in connection with the last subject, Mr Glass stating that the remarks made at Orepuki that the Farmers' Union were against the company was not correct. They did not believe in the company being assisted by a tariff, but by a bonus for five years. Mr M'Kercbar fathered a suggestion from Woodlands that a scheme be adopted to do »way with half the guarantee on fat stock sold at saleyards. — Mr Middleton thought that a charge on all stock passing through yards would meet the case. The butcher 6hould not have to shoulder the whole loss. — Mr Tapper moved — " That they should abolish the half guarantee altogether because then butchers would know they had to take a risk, and they would buy accordingly." — Mr M'Coll seconded the motion, and Mr Marshall supported it. — Mr Giller thought that the butcher and people should not bear the whole loss. — Mr Paterson moved an amendment that the custom stand as it is. — Seconded by Mr M'Queen. — The motion was passed. Mr Giller moved — " That the Government be approached with a view to having the Australian tariff on produce modified." He said a reciprocal agreement would be very beneficial. — Mr Paterson seconded the motion, but thought they were a little late. — Mr M'Queen said the Government had this question under consideration. He approved of staying outside of the Commonwealth, and thought the more discouragement they got for the production of oats the better. — The motion was withdrawn, and no action taken. Mr Giller presented a petition on behalf of the Pomahaka settlers, who were unable to live on their lands on account of the high rents, and asked the Minister of Lands to consider their ease equitably and justly. — Mr Glass said that at Milton the delegates sympathised with the Pomahaka settlers, and thought they had been rather badly treated. - — The petition was received. Mr M'Coll moved — " That the Government be asked to make the charitable aid rate a charge on the consolidated revenue instead of a tax on land." — Mr M'Queen seconded the motion pro forma, and said there was some right in the motion, but he would not like to see it carried just now. — The motion ■was lost. A suggestion to raise the membership fee to ss, with 2s 6d for farm employeps and Is for ladies, was brought forward. Farm employees to pay an extra 2s 6d to have th© wisht Jte b» fin fioauutteeg* mi Udi*t *a

have votes at branch meetings only. It was stated that the present fee of 2s was not large enough to cany on with, and that the increased fee would reduce the membership. This was answered by the argument that if the farmers were not willing to make a small sacrifice of 5s a year they would never live, and would never do any good. A. motion recommending the suggestion to the colonial conference was carried. Mr Milne moved — " That in the event of the Government receiving an order for oats from the Imperial Government it was desirable that the price should be made known to the executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union." — Seconded by Mr Paterson. — Mr Tapper moved as an amendment — " That in future any order for New Zealand produce received from the Imperial Government be first handed to the Farmers' Union for its information." — The amendment was lost, and i\lr M'Kerchar moved — " That in the event of the New Zealand Government receiving an order for oate public tenders be called giving fanners the same opportunities as others for tendering." — This was carried. The following gentlemen were elected to form the Provincial Executive : — Mr John M'Queen, chairman ; Mr R. Allen, secretary; Mr A. Tapper, auditor; Messrs M'Kerchar, Milne, Marshall, Middleton, Gilchrist, and Paterson, committee. Mr M'Queen was elected delegate to the colonial conference. A vote of thanks to Mr Tapper for his work as hon. provincial secretary was carried by acclamation. A vote of thanka was passed to the chairman, Mr Glass, and the press, and the conference then adjourned. A banquet held in the evening at M'Farlane's Hotel was attended by most of the delegates. Mr M'Nab, M.H.R. for Mataura, and Mr Longuet, Mayor, were present by j invitation, and congratulated the conference I on the progress made in organisation. Messrs Gilfedder and Hanan were conspicuous by their absence. In noticing their failure to accept the invitation Mr M'Queen, the newly-elected chairman of the conference, said it looked like a slight, and if so intended, the representatives would find that the farmers oould do without them as well as they could do without the farmers. — Mr Glass took formal farewell of the union, and hoped the work he had begun would be carried to fine fruition. A vote of thanks to Mr Glass for his strenuous and highly successful efforts in the cause of the farmers was most heartily received, and carried with acclamation. Mr Glass, the organising secretary of the Farmers' Union, visited Stirling on Saturday, when about 20 farmers met him. It was arranged to form a branch of the Farmers' Union for the Stirling district. Mr Anderson was appointed secretary, and a canvassing committee of 1£ was appointed. It is anticipated that a membership of 150 will be secured within a fortnight.