FARMERS' UNION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12637, 23 May 1919, Page 6

FARMERS' UNION.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE. TO-DAY'S PROCEEDINGS. Tlu> provincial conference of the North Canterbury district of the New Zealand Fanners’ Union was continued m the board room of the New Zealand banners’ Co-operative Association this morning. The president (Mr I). Jones) occupied tho chair. In regard to tho discussion the previous day on storage space, Mi Evans said that in his remarks ho had intended to convey that through the eflorts of the union additional space tor 1,300,000 carcases had been supplied in Canterbury. GRADUATED SUBSCRIPTION. __ A remit by the Christchurch brunch—- “ Graduated subscription for members of the banners’ Union”— caused much discussion, many delegates speaking against the raising of the subscription, it was pointed out that the union’s powers lay in its number of members. Air G. AV. Leadley said one or two branches raising their subscription, and others remaining as they are, would nob help the organisation a bit. It was a most peculiar thing that members could not realise the small amount they were paying, compared with other bodies they belonged to, seeing the work the union was doing. There were men whoso subscriptions to the Farmers’ Union had averaged £25 a year tor the past sixteen years. ('Hear, hear.) That was up to £25 in their own money, not counting the time and brain sweat. He did not think the graduated system had everything to commend it. Mr StTeat said many men bad asked Tim what fhey were doing, and ho had ‘icphea to them to come in n.n'd lend, s hand, putting in^ his unit of strength. One thing was to increase tho memberw*iat they wanted was members, they had been twitted by members of Parliament that they did not represent the voice of the community. The matter would bo threshed out .it the Dominion Conference. They should all become organisers- He desired to compliment the Darfield branch on the view they had recently shown. The tractor trial the other day was tho best advertisement the Farmers’ Union had ever had. He complimented the secretary, Air Alulholland, on the work he had done. ■ Mr R. Evans said he had met one man who would have no more to do with the Farmers’ Union because one president had signed his name to a temperance petition. Air AY. AV. Alulholland repudiated the responsibility for all the “ gilt”, at Darfield. He was going to challenge all the branches to pay in £4O next year. (Mr Sheat: “ I won’t take you up.”) Da-r----fiold had done what it had achieved by strending money. They were in the strong position they were financially simply by the new members that had joined. Air Evans, he said, bad mentioned that at his branch’s meetings l they had a difficulty to get enough members along to keep themselves warm, ' ■ An amendment by the president, that the present system of subscriptions continue, was seconded by Air G. AV. Leadley and carried. LAND VALUATIONS. A Loburn remit—"That this conference considers that the land valuations are not carried out in ,t just manner, and tho improvements are not given fair value for, unimproved values in some cases being raised 100 per cent, we consider a local man should act with the Government Valuer ” —was next on the order paper. Air R. H. .Bailey, the mover, asked where they got their unimproved value on a farm that had been in cultivation for forty or fifty years. A man came into ft district, where on on© side of the road there was a property in a rough state, and on tho other side an improved property, and no distinction was made. In their own district tho unimproved value had been put up 100 per cent and tbe improved value had decreased. He thought it would be a great help if a local man acted with the Government Valuer. Air R. Evans seconded the motion. Mr J. Brown said that tho terra “in a just manner ” was rather sweeping. He could not give Ids vote on the first part. The president (Air D. Jones) said that the words were qualified in a certain part. Air Kippenberger supported Air Brown’s contention. An amendment, to read “ the land valuations are not in many cases carried out in a just manner,” was agreed to by the mover, 'and the motion 1 was thus carried. TAXATION FORAIS. Another remit from Loburn ran—- “ That the Government be asked to post to all farmers laud and income tax forms, as was previously done.” Mr R. H. Bailey, in moving tho remit, thought it was only right the Government should post the notices as usual. Air G. Shout seconded the tionAir G, AV. Leadley said the forms could be made simpler, it was difficult for many, for instance, to understand what tho “deductions” were. Personally he could not see why improvements were allowed under one* system of taxation and disallowed under anotherAir Kippenberger suggested that the motion should read—“ That the Government laud and income tax return forms Should be simplified and that tho G'" , -” , 'ine.nt should post them as previously.” me president questioned if the forms could be simplified. Air Kippenberger said that the posting would entail a great deal of expenditure. They were the Government, and should save their own pockets. Tho president said it was asking the Government to do something for which they were not responsible. They had got in the habit of going to the post offices for their forms. He could not see how the forms could be simplifiedThe motion was lost. MANURES. It was moved by Air Brown (Ashburton) —“That the Minister of Agriculture be urged to bring forward legislation to amend the Fertilisers Act, 1908, on tbe lines suggested by the Board of Agriculture to Air Pope', Secretory of the Department of Agriculture, on Alay 29, 1917.” Air Brown, in moving this, dealt with previous action by the executive with tho Board of Agriculture. The matter had Iteen shelved since Alay, 1917. He asked them to pass the motion unanimously. The manure question was not more satisfactory to-day than it was in July, 1914. The price list analysis of some of the manuresellers were absolutely useless for purposes of comparison of values- The prices had increased over 90 per cent, and what was worse, the analysis at the same time in many cases had been lowered. The sooner manure vendors recognised that farmers were not altogether devoid of intelligence the better it would bo for all concerned. Air P. Gallagher (Ashburton) seconded the motion, which was carried. OFFICERS ELECTED. The election of officers resulted; — President, Mr David Jones (re-elected); vice-president, Air AV. A- Banks (reelected) ; honorary treasurer, Air AVilliam Bailey (re-elected); auditor, Air T. 11. Cavcrhill (re-elected); executive, Alossrs D- Bates. R. H. Bailey, AA ; . AV. Alulholland, AV. T. Lill, J. D. Dealt. R. Evans, K. Keys, J. T. Henley, J. ,D. AAylie, 11. AI. Anderson, 6. AV. Heney, J■ R. Cullen, J. Drown: delegates to Dominion executive, Messrs K. Evans an<l \V A [Un',