FARMERS’ UNION.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144147, 17 July 1913, Page 3

FARMERS’ UNION.

EXCESSIVE DUTIES AND FREIGHTS. PEE PRESS ASSOCIATION. WELLINGTON, July 17. Mr. Ross (Auckland) moved at the Farmers’ Union Conference to-day that this conference would urge the Dominion Executive to watch attempt by interested parties'to further increase the customs’ duties on farmers’ requirements, and to take every opportunity to press for reductions and removals or any duties which place undue burdens on the farming industry. The mover declared that the farmers were being tho most heavily taxed of all the community through the customs tariff. Major Lusk seconded the motion, which was adopted. There were no fewer than six remits before the conference dealing with the question of prferential rates on railways. The purport of the remits was to protest against the preferential and penal rates on imported coal, timber, fruit, flour, etc. The reduction or removal of these rates was demanded by many speakers, who urged that the burden of extra freight constituted a most unjust penalty on inland settlers. A resolution was passed that the present system of charging extra rail freights on certain classes of imported goods is very unfair to inland setters, and should be abolished.