THE FARMERS' UNION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7322, 7 February 1902, Page 2

THE FARMERS' UNION.

RepresenJtatives of tie Fanners' Union, consisting of Messrs R. B. Hamilton and Ledtch (Taranakil Executive), J. G. Wilson, Rayner and Richards (Welliangton Executive), and H. < F. . Reisce j (representing the south) took the oppoufcimity whilst in Wellington, thiia week in conaiiectioii with insuraiice business, to interview Mr M'Gowan, the Commissioner of Taxes, upon valuation matters. 'Mr M'Gowan. said he tboujrhT that there would not be anything like' so 1 • much dissatisfaction with the present Act (1901) as in the past. His endeavour was to make the values of land as level as possible, and, although the Department had the power to value every two years, his present intention was not to alter values for a considerably longer time than that. In the past, he pointed out, if any land was valued by the Valuation- Department for any purpose, he was 'bound by Act to that value on the roll.' That wasitot the case now, and much vexation would fee, relieved. The question of appointing one of the assessors 'by the loc&l bodies of the district was touched, on, and all the members present said, if that were done, farmers would go into an, Mssessment Court with much greater confi|ence. At present they felt it useless. i / When it Ws pointed out that such an assessor could be appointed by the different local bodies voting on the question, in the same wray-as'tfoey would do for a representative . ;on. a, Hai-bour Bpard or He^ital and Charitable Aid Board, Mr M'Gowan said much of hits objection, to the proposal was dlome away witii, 'arid! he saads df any amending Act. was brought in 'h« would recommiKnd such, a change. The next question was a rebate in the values of land in the back country, which derived its source of revenue from wool only. There was much of the land on the fringe of settlement in this category, and where owners were n-etting l£d and 1 2d per lb it was im-ucssihle to farm at a profit. Mr M'Gow-an replied that he had no power to make such alteration. The only way for anyone thinking himself aggrieved was to pay a fee and have the land re-vahied. If he was not content with the value he could appeal to the Assessment Court against the value. But the only way the Commissioner could do it was to have the whole district re-valued, and he did not see any reason for this, as he did not think that any serious fall in the value of land had yet taken place owing to the low price of wool. H* expressed a hope that there would be less friction in tlie future generally under tie new Act tha.n was fooranerl'y tie case.

A deputation from, the Unean, consisting of Messrs J. G. Wilson. and ; Hamilt<fck (representing the North Island 1 ), amd! H. F. Beeco (representing th© South Island'),, yesterday interviewed the Underwroteirs' Aseooi&tian, now sitting in> Wellington. T<he business of the deputation! was in oooniection wit>h country fire insura-Boe, and it spake of the dissatisrfectiem generally fdlfc tfliiroiughoub New Zealand at the existing fire insurance- rates on farm buildings. It was pointed out that thte risk was an isolated, one, a.n<s iin inoßt easels was not for large amounts. The feeling of the deputation vrm thai, the farmers' rate was regulated largely by the losses mounted in •tihe towins, which seemed- most unfair. The Uaion h>ad been approached with vacious schemes of relief, but none <of them had been entertained. '••' The deputation trusted that, as the farmers had' dome business for so mamy yeans ■ wsiib the existing -insurance companies, the latter would see theiir way to making a reduction in the rates, to cinr able them to continue their policies. The deputation was listened' to attentively, and the Chairman promised to give the diecision of th© Association -in- <a> few days.