N.Z. FARMERS' UNION.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 46, Issue 14127, 26 May 1920, Page 6

N.Z. FARMERS' UNION.

PROVINCIAL CONFERENCE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) PM I LIVING, Tuesday. The Wellington Provincial Farmers' I'nimi Conference opened here to-day, the President. (31 r G. L. Marshall) being in the chair. About oO delegates attended. The Hon. 1). U. Guthrie was present, and was welcomed. Mr D. McLaren addressed the Conference on the industrial unrest, and asked support for the proposal of the Welfare League that a conference be held to discuss hotter methods of dealing with the industrial question. The following remits were carried by the Conference:—

That the Conference suggests to the Government that, taking into consideration thq necessity of growing wheat for local consumption, the price of such wheat should he fixed on the minimum instead of the maximum basis.

That until there is a positive solution of the. extreme congestion of frozen meat, and until there are better trading conditions, the Imperial authorities be asked to continue their requisition.

'That the Conference protests against the continuance of-the practice of fixing the maximum prices for primary prorlucts. in this country, and is opposed to any committee being set up in England by the Imperial Government to have control of the disposal of our exports at Home. -\

That the Gvoernment be requested to publish the names under which "the Meat Trust is operating in this Dominion, and the names of agents of the Meat Trust in this country. This was promised by the late Minister of Agriculture, but so far lias not been given effect to v That this Conference considers that the. Commissioner of Taxes should acknowledge, or receipt, all returns furnished by farmers on land and income lax business. A That owing to the increasing shortage of timber, the Union strongly urges all farmers to give greater attention to the establishing of plantations of suitable timber and trees. That the Government lie urged to remove the import duty on all timber, Jtnd that the railway freights on imported timber be brought iuto line with the Zealand timber rates. That the attention of the Minister for Railways be again drawn to the urgent necessity for better communication between Wellington and the surrounding country districts, and that Second-class railway stations be connected with the local telephone bureau in their respective districts, for the convenience of settlers receiving goods and requiring trucks. That the Govcrn'mont lift the restrictions on the sale of damaged railway

tarpaulins. That the Government lie urged to bring pressure to bear oil the Imperial Government, to Ho - away with the draft' on wool charges of £1 per ewt.' j That the Government be urged to do its utmost to supply farmers with the necessary fertilisers, especially superphosphates and basie slag, otherwise the production of foodstuffs will be seriously curtailed. That the Farmers’ Go-operative Companies in-the Dominion be given an equal opportunity of handling the New Zealand proportion of the Nauru Island phosphatic deposits, in order that thc fertilisers may \be secured at cost , price. That if no satisfactory arrangements can fee made with the shipping companies within three years for the carriage of produce, legislation be asked for to enable a poll to be taken for the raising of a shipping loan on the security of occupied land, or by an export levy if thought desirable. j