THE FARMERS' UNION.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 12863, 23 May 1905, Page 8

THE FARMERS' UNION.

PROVINCIAL CONFERENCE.

Following are the resolutions passed by the Provincial Conference, sitting at Stratford last week :?— > That this branch is ojpjppsed to the importation of Eaw Bone, is any that may be brought in a coa> cKtion to convey anthrax geiimjs, and a^ks the conference to enJdeaVoiur to have sterilising wotffcs erected 'by! tho Government in the colony.

That the Land Act be amenided so as to include the old deferred payment system.

That the enJdeaViours of ttke Union to obtain for all Crown tenants t3ie option, to secure the freebJoH be steeniuously contintae'd. That, at fhe same; time, it may be made clear that any Act passed for the ptarpose, contain a provision to prevent the obtaining of a title by 'any one to a gjreater area of the land affected by -tike Act than proivided under present Lanld Acts.

That the endeavours of the Union to obtain for all tenants Hinder the West Coast Settlements Kesexjves Acts, the option to setfure the freefctolid be strenuously conitintued.

That the Conference he asked to -use every endeavour to resist any attem*pt on the part of the Government to alter the voting; on Local Bodies, in the way of epctenlding tihe franchise beyond actual ratetpayers.

That the Government be approached with a view to farmers being exempt from land tax on loans to improve roads, the same as ipsri/vate mortgages. At present the farmers pay double : Ist, interest on loans : anjd 2nd, rates on property imjproived by same.

That an assessor be appointed by the local authority to act in. conjunction with the Government one, the present system being unsatisfactory.

That the Valuation Act ibe amended so as to "provide for a recognition of all inrprovements, hy (deduction of the full value of im|a:oivemenls to the soil as well as impro/veanents in sight from total Maine. Tihat the policy to be aidojpteSd in connection with the rating- of Native lands should be to place them: on an eqfiality with European. That the Government be reqvuestekl to push, on the work of roaming the back-blocks.

That all Government jgyratats be spent by local bodies.

That the Union resjpectfully icall the attention of Government to the advisability of reducing the cost of administration.

That with a View to g'flvrn'g' effect to plank five of the Union platform, the reduction of Customs tariff be made a test question at. the forthcoming Parliamentary electioni, and that the Union and all interested in the welfare of t!he qofotay be invited to give a block vote to secuxo this object.

That as the middle al aliim|m,er is an inconvenient time for farjmerw to travel, the Government be aalked to issjue excursion tickets during -tine winter.

That the attention of the Agricultural Department be drawn to the ineffectiveness of their inspection of noxious weeds, which are increasing at a greater rate than ever. That it be a recommendation to all members of the Union to vote against a«y Parliamentary candidate who advocates the referendum. That provision should bo made to grant school committees sufficient capitation allowance to frneet the I'easona'fa.le expenses of school management. That, the Conference protest against the second ballot, believing: it to bo prejudicial to fanners' interests. That the Government be urged to take immediate steps to establish, a

properly-equipped experimental flaky station.

That seeing aatepayers, necessarily! being property owners, always are made to pay for upkeep of "hospitals and those who have the xise cf thahos^ pital or receive charitable aid, contribute nothing towards cost unless through the Customs, and, further, the hospitals are chiefly used by those in towns, and the charitable aid is alniost entirely dispensed to such, it is unjust that the coat of hospital and charitable aid s-hould be [drawn from the ratepayers, especially in the country, and this branch would ask the Conference to endeavour to have the law altered so as to have entire cost paid by the general Government.

That the Union take the necessary steps to see that in every constituency, in the district a farmer and a man whose interests are in sympathy with tho Union be put up, and that he be pledged on the principal questions .

That this Conference condemns the enforcement of the residential clause in Crown leases until such time as roads and bridges are provided.

That the G-ovemment bo asked to place the Farmers' Union on the same footing as trades unions by giving its members free passes on the railway. That the Government be asked to place a sufficient sum on tho 'Estimates to provide requisites for the teaching of agriculture in country schools. Mr Boddie was re-elected president. Mr Maxwell was elected vice-president, Mr Pairlane axtditor, and the following the executive : — Messrs Davidson (Hawera), Hawken (Patea), Thomaon (Wgaire), Brown (Carrmgton Road), Voullaire (Riverdae), Baker (Hormanby), Hodgson (Eltham), Blair fPatea), Latmbie (Pihapra^ Mr Burgess was appointed delegate to the Colonial Conference.