FARMERS' UNION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 5919, 6 October 1910, Page 3

FARMERS' UNION.

GMtALULNE BEiANOH, A meeting of farmers .was hold hi tiu: (j.E.G.A. shareholders’ room. Go* raldine, yesterday afternoon, ultor the live stock sab, when Mr JohaTalbot, president of the South Oantierbuiy district, attended to deliver an address on the work of the dominion Conference, at which 'ho represented this district. Mr Robert Skinner occupied tbo chair, and there was a very fai- attendance of tanners. Mr ialbot, thanked the chairman and mem tiers of the Geraldine branch for inviting liim to be present, nnd remarked that if farmers would only Slick together and hold meetings o Uns kind more blten he was sure it would result in benelit to the taraung community. The conirrence was wen attended by delegates from ah ovm the dominion, and was a very inter os turn gathering, includUig men o large interests and men ol small hold in,;,a ■ leaseholders and freeholders, ami men with all sorts of interests. U waa uni education to be i.resent peopl# of such a diversity ol interests, in dealing with the_ questions wnc i came up at the conlereaeo Air ialbot look only those which materially infected this district or the dominion as

u whole. The brat question was Hurt of defence, it was admitted among farmers without dissent that the line had conw when something praetica should bo done in preparing to doiona our country against any wlto might interfere with it. Our immediate forefathers had kept our Empire in lu foremost rank among nations, but tbe l>osit/iou was always liable lo bo c a longed, frio long as the Old Country stood its ground -as first among* the nations wo hud nothing lo feur, bu we could not tell what might happen, ft would be a good thing it they had arrived at the stage when_ there would be no more war, but it did not seem like it. iu connection with the pro-

posed scheme for compulsory training, the farmers would have to make some solf-aacrilico as well as others. 1 would interfere with farm work lo . certain extent, to have their young men sent away for training at certain times, bat the inconvenience would no doubt soon be got over, it was hrst proposed that the age limit should be 21, but military men who were present at the farmers’ conference soon convinced them that 25 should be the age. A compromise has since been arrived at, he noticed, to the elfuet that bho -5 years age limit should not come into full working force for two or three years. Another matter brought up was that of Government inspection of stallions, and the conference decided to recommend the same. The Government Vet, was present,and explained that it was only tho intention that stallions should lie examined {or soundness from three years to eight years of age. After that they would be free, Certilicates would be issued to owners every year. The question of right or wrong stamp oi horse would not enter into the inspection. It was only the matter ..-of

heredity l soundness, and horses lor owners' own use or racing sloes would not bo alfected. Another ques-1 lion was a complaint that fat stocky buyers were combining at live stock sales, so as not to run one another up in the buying. A proposition was made that auctioneers be assisted in trying to stop this as it affected their interests as much as the farmers, liie auctioneers had suggested that the only way in which they could deal with the matter was lo make every buyer liable for the sheep he purchased. Of course this would not prevent one man buying and paying for the stock and dividing it afterwards. I nr mere had protection, however, in that they could always get so much a pound for their ‘‘fats” at tho works, or they could ship Home, I’ersomdly he never sold fat lambs at auction ; always sent them away on his_ own account. There was no doubt it buyers of “fats” continued, to combine it would destroy conlidence in the auction sales. An important question was the noxious weeds question,which oame before tho conference in the form of asking that more drastic measures be taken to cope with tho evil. In his opinion the noxious weeds legislation of tho past had been practical y useless and quite inoperative. He mentioned this because there had been cases in Geraldine. Our riverbeds were infested with noxious weeds, and whim it was hardly the thing that one man shoulc keep his farm clean while another was neglecting his be could not .sou that the Act had done much gootl. ‘Californian thistle, for instance, stalled in small patches, and it was not till it got a good lead before any action was usually taken, and they could not expect the inspector to go minutely over farms in the district. Blackberries ini this; -district were spreading along the roadsides, and the riverbeds were now taking it up- Hirer it got root in rough country it was a case, and the matter was becoming serious. Some of our riverbeds wuic already pretty full of it. All the conference could do was to recommend that the Act be more strictly enforced. It was thought that the matlei might be placed in the hands of tho County Councils or other local authorities to Bay whether the Act .should be more strictly enforced or made inoperative in some places. The matter of repealing the Act regarding imported agricultural implements was discussed, and a recommendation mac e in favour of this which he opposed. Ho was in favour of leaving the Act as it was. It, had never been pul into force to his knowledge, but it migh bo useful some time. If the American Harvester Companies were allowed a monopoly they might crush the local manufacturers, who were very useful to the fanners.. If the local manufacturers went to tho wall tho outsiders might exploit the farmer. As to the local men charging -too ranch, they had to remember that they had, an in ' creased rate of w'agos to pay now-a-days, and he did not know of any who were making fortunes out of business. Mr Talbot hero stated that any recommendations made by the conference he believed would carry consider, able weight and receive every consideration from the Government. Another important question was that of whether taxation should not conic from the customs only for revenue purpose:-. He consideml, however, that the time had passed for practical pulitii-s to nmke a change of this land. If our industries were not protected a lot of people would no doubt he thrown out of work and why should the farmer admit wheat, free

into Urn country from Australia when even at the present time if lie shipped it to Australia a duty double that <>l tlm Xcw Zealand duty would l>o imposed. The matter of tree plantina was also discussed. and the conference viewed wilh considerable alarm tlm f a i.( dial tlm t i 111 1 u 1 1 ■ in tin- country was being worked out, 'Jo encourage ■free planting a rccommendnc-ion was

mad* that the Government should spend £IOO,OOO for this purpose. The most important question of all was the land quest on. It was first complained that tbo system of the "dis-| posal of Crown lands by ballot was| not a satisfactory one, and a ••uggestion was made that iln.y sno ihl be disposed of at auction. lie f.-.iibled if this would he an iuipr.r.oi'Via. Other objectionable features might come in even with this system winch they know not of at present. All that they could do iu the matter would bo to ask that any ■jbje> tamable features of the present s.. stem ■.should be rcuuUltxl as much as possible- Then there was the question of the freehold option, which lie was in favour of 'although in making a personal visit to several of the Government leasehold seUlu.m.iits ho was much struck with the general air of comfort and prosperity alum. ibem. U'hat was more, he i ad lo admit that in talking to settlers ver v few ol them

seemed to want, the freehold. Sib! he considered that it would be a good thing to give settlors the option of

buying at the original valuation if they wanted to. It was ma u matter of forcing them Into '.he freehold if they preferred the other, lly this means ho believed the Government lmancos would be relieved, and they would not have to be continually borrowing /or land settlement. In reply to Air Alarkham, Air Talbot said he. thought they could easily guard against the aggregation of largo estates again, lie did not think that ■it would have, a tightening tendency on the money market by granting the freehold. Men would not borrow from money lenders at hi per cent when they' were only paying rent at the rate of 4.J- per Cent. It was only the' option; the leaseholders should (Uej given so that if ; they could linance it they might purchase the property from the Government, The question of valuation of land also came before the con-

forence, and the -question' was whether the old system is to remain or who' tlier they are to return to the annual rental valuation for taxation purposes. He ivent on to show that lo-

cal bodies at present are rating on tin? capital value and tho iqucsti-on now was whether they should continue to rate on that or on the unimproved value. Local bodies were now given the option to rate on this basis, and ire noticed -that the W-aimia-te County Council were about to try it on the unimproved values instead of the capital value, |but ho failed to see Hint it made much difference. The rate would have to be raised, and i it would .adjust itself as before. Tho question was glso raised as to whether taxation should not bo based on the rental .value, of property. Ho saw no advantage in going back to this old method, which -those who could remember it knew that was not altogether satisfactory. What they might do in regard to taxation was to endeavour to have uniform values made. One of the remits from the confcmicu- was -that -sheep owners 1 should lie compelled to brand their wool with a registered ' brand in the

same way as they branded sheep. : la five discussion which followed Mr Talbot's address it was pointed out that.-the registered brand used for branding sheep might also ho used for wool. Many farmers already branded their wool with their sheep brand. Mr MuMhill laid great stress on the noxious weeds question, and said it should be made a penal olfcnec for a man to have noxious. weeds on his property not attended to under the Act. This would make people search oiil'-nud cut their weeds. Mr Murphy asked whether the conference had dealt with a remit from £1 era I dine about the draft on wool, and Mr Talbot replied that as far as he could remember the remit did. not come before the conference, Mr Murphy said he thought the matter of fur more importance than some that had v: n discussed. .Mr Murphy also brought up the i|Ue«Tion of the. penalty on overweight racks.'-of grain ismod on the railways. Mr Talbot 'said they, were assured that this matter would not come up again, the Minister of hallways being satisfied to let matters rest. On the'motion of the chairman, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr Talbot For his interesting address.