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FARMERS' INTERESTS. 
 
 Local Legislation Affecting the Well Being of 
 the Agricultural Communities. 
 
 The Rapid Growth of Co-operative Work in 
 Handling and Marketing Pro- 
 vincial Crops. 
 
 No branch or class of legislation has 
 received more careful attention at 
 the hands of the present ad- 
 ministration than that affectmg 
 and designed to assist in the devel- 
 opment of the agricultural interests of 
 the province; and the brief outline which 
 it is here possible to give of the scope 
 and provisions of the various statutes 
 can hardly be expected to convey to the 
 reader more than a general idea of thj 
 amount of practica'. assistance afforded 
 to the agricultur' 1 interests by the legis- 
 lation now under consideration. 
 
 The importance of associations having 
 for their object the uniting of the agri- 
 cultural classes, with power to promote 
 and protect the mutual interests of the 
 members, and to procure and disseminate 
 information respecting modern methods, 
 inventions and appliances is now uni- 
 versally recognized, and has at the hands 
 of the government received careful at- 
 tention. We Avill, therefore, in the first 
 instance, deal with the legislation af- 
 fecting these associations. The original 
 act was the Agricultural Associations 
 act which was consolidated as chapter 
 4 of the Consolidated Acts, 1893, and is 
 now chapter 12 of the Revised Statutes, 
 1897. In 1890 a further statute was 
 passed at the instance o^" the government 
 which while extending the objects and 
 powers of the original class of associa- 
 tions, made provision to include in ad- 
 dition to, or rather to combine with ag- 
 riculture and its interests, horticultural 
 
 and cognate interests as well as provid- 
 ing for the creation of a Provincial 
 Horticultural and Fruitgrowers' associ- 
 ation, having for its object the general 
 advancement of the interests of the 
 fruit growers throughout the province. 
 With the view of empowering the pro- 
 \ incial association to practically benefit 
 provincial farmers and fruitgrowers, it 
 is empowered to hold meetings and ex- 
 hibitions, and to distribute prizes, dip- 
 lomas and awards of merit; to obtain 
 seeds, plants and trees for distribution 
 for the purpose of improving existing 
 stock and to procure the introduction and 
 cultivation of new kinds and varieties; 
 to adopt a systematic method of procur- 
 ing and distributing practical informa- 
 tion respecting the objects for which 
 it is formed and generally to exercise 
 all necessary corporate powers for the 
 l)enefit of the agricultural classes 
 throughout the province. 
 
 In addition to this provincial board 
 the old provisions respecting local as- 
 sociations are kept in force, being, how- 
 ever, improved in many respects, and 
 the associations given all necessary pow- 
 ers to enable them to be of practical 
 assistance to the members and the farm- 
 ing classes generally. 
 
 THE PRUITGROW^ERS' ASSOCIA- 
 TION. 
 
 Under the powers conferred by these 
 acts a number of agricultural associa- 
 tions have been formed throughout the 
 
 I 
 
country for the purpose of holdlug exhi- 
 bitions and for mutual improvement, to 
 v/hich the government has extended lib- 
 eral aid. Among the most important of 
 these may be mentioned the British Co- 
 lumbia Fruitgrowers' Association, or- 
 ganized, under a special act, in 1889. 
 Ihis association has been verv success- 
 ful from the outset, and at the time it 
 was formed created a grent -leal of in- 
 terest in the subject of fruit growing, 
 uud gave an impetus to that industrv 
 whi-.h has been developed on the lines 
 then laid down. This association was 
 started when there was practical! v ik) 
 agricultural depart- lent to perform 
 similar work, and in addition to bring- 
 ing the farmers together and uniting 
 tliem for the purpose of carrving out 
 common objects and improving the in- 
 dustry, it was instrumental in dissemin- 
 ating very much valuable information, 
 both in regard to the agricultaral capa- 
 bilities of the province and as to the 
 best methods to be employed. It also did 
 much towards placing within the reach 
 of Its members information respecting 
 the prevention and extermination of 
 insect pests, which began to make their 
 appearance early in the history of the 
 association. Latterly the work of the 
 Fruitgrowers' association has been large- 
 ly taken up by the oflicers of the depart- 
 ment of agriculture and the board of 
 horticulture, which have carried on the 
 work then commenced with greater sjs- 
 tem and completeness. One special fea- 
 ture of the work of the association dur- 
 'ng the past ; wo or three years has been 
 the encouragement of co-operation on 
 practical lines for the purpose of finding 
 new markets and of affording better 
 lacilities and better methods of mar- 
 keting. Under its agents several fruit 
 exchanges have been established and the 
 one on the Fraser valley has done an im- 
 portant work in this respect, and its op- 
 <?rations are rapidly extending. It has 
 succeeded in finding a market for Brit- 
 ish Columbia fruit in the Northwest 
 markets, in obtaining concessions with 
 regard to freight rates, and obtaining 
 •co-operations among its members for 
 the purpose of disposing of their prod- 
 uce. This will undoubtedly develop in- 
 to an important agency, and its effects 
 are already quite appreciable. It is pos- 
 sible that in the near future the Fruit- 
 growers associations may become merged 
 into the Central Farmers' Institute, the 
 scope of which includes all that is con- 
 templated and performed by the Fruit- 
 growers' association. It. however, de- 
 serves, special recognition on account of 
 the pioneer work performe-' under its 
 auspices. 
 
 The Flockmasters' association and the 
 Dairymen's association are other insti- 
 
 tutions which have come into life within 
 the period referred to: Their sphere of 
 operation is not so extensive as that of 
 the Fruitgrowers' association, but thev 
 have done very useful work. It is pos'- 
 sible that these, too. may become merged 
 into the Farmers' Institute, but that de- 
 pends of course upon the disposition of 
 the members themselves. 
 PROVINCIAL BOARD OF HORTI- 
 CULTURE. 
 In order to further assist the provin- 
 cial fruitgrowers, and to render them 
 protection as well as assistance, there 
 was passed in 1894 a statute which 
 with its amending acts, is consolidated as 
 chapter 94 of the Revised Statutes. 
 1897, and is known as the "Horticultural 
 Board act." This uct as amended in 
 lo9( divides the province into three dis- 
 tricts as follows: (1) The first dlsfict- 
 comprising A'ancouver Island uiiu the 
 islands adjacent thereto; (2) the second 
 district comprising the electoral districts 
 of New Westminscter city, Vancouver 
 city, Westminster, Cassiar, and that por- 
 ii"?l-^u 9,*^'?^'^^' l.v'ing on the mainland of 
 British Columbia; (3) the third district 
 coniprising the remainder of British Col- 
 umbia not included in the two other 
 districts. 
 
 The act creates a provincial board of 
 horticulture composed of the minister 
 of agriculture and the deputy minister 
 of agriculture as ex-offlcio members, to- 
 gether with three members to be ap- 
 pointed by the Lieutenant-Governor in 
 Council, one from each of the above dis- 
 tricts; the appointed members must re- 
 side in the district for which they are 
 appointed; they are selected with refer- 
 ence to their practical knowledge of and 
 abilities in the classes of objects to be 
 dealt with by the board, and hold office 
 tor a term of four years. The objects 
 of the board are. first, to prevent the 
 spread of contagious diseases in orchards 
 and gardens and among fruit and fruit 
 trees, and for the prevention and extir- 
 pation of fruit pests and the diseases of 
 fruit and fruit trees and orchard and 
 nursery stock, and, second, to prevent 
 the importation of any diseased fruit 
 trees, plants, or mirser.. stock. 1"r effect 
 these purposes the board is empowered 
 to make all necessary regulations and to 
 take all necessary steps for the purpose 
 of preventing the spread of contagious 
 diseases in orchards and gardens and 
 among fruit and fruit trees, and for the 
 prevention, treatment, cure and exti;'pa- 
 tion of fruit pests and the diseases of 
 fruit and fruit trees, for the disinfection 
 ot grafts, scions, or orchard debris, em- 
 pty fruit boxes or packages, and other 
 suspected material or transportable ar- 
 ticles dangerous to orchards, fruit and 
 fruit trees, and for the inspection and 
 
3 
 
 disinfection or flostruclion thereof or of 
 non-fniit-beorinK trees or shrubs which 
 may carry contagion, and also for re- 
 qiiinnK all cases of contagious diseases 
 or fruit pests ta.be reported to the board. 
 Ihese regulations are circulated in print- 
 ed form by the board among the irtiit 
 growers and fruit dealers of the nrov- 
 iiice. 
 
 PRACTICAL RESULTS. 
 
 Regarding the practical working of 
 the board of hcrticulture a gre.it deal 
 might be said. However, it is unnoces- 
 sary here to deal with it in a compiehen- 
 sive way. The work of the l)o,ird. al- 
 though not so fully appreciateii a, id so 
 well known as it should be has been 
 most beneficial. The members )<av(. de- 
 voted a great deal of time and put forth 
 very earnest efforts towards accomplish- 
 ing objects sought by the legis'ation 
 creating the board. Its work has been 
 three-fold in character: (1) As to the 
 inspection of fruit and nursery stock in 
 order to prevent the importation ot dis- 
 eased fruit or nursery scions; (2) in fram- 
 ing and enforcing regulations for the 
 conduct of the fruit industry in respect 
 to the prevention and extermination of 
 fruit pests concerning which the province 
 was at one time seriously threatened 
 and It has only been by constant vigil- 
 ance on the part of the oflicials that com- 
 parative immunity has been obtained; 
 and (3) in respect to educating the farm- 
 ers and fruit growers of the provin..^ as 
 to the science and best methods of hor- 
 ticulture in every department, 'ncluding 
 planting, cultivation, pruning, harvest- 
 ing and marketing. The members of 
 the board, who are all zealous and effi- 
 cient men, have travelled over the por- 
 tions of the province in Avhich fruit 
 growing is carried on. and visited in- 
 dividual orchards, have instructed fann- 
 ers, delivered addresses and i;i ni.-my 
 other ways have promoted interest and 
 produced good results generally. 
 
 It may be stated here that' the prov- 
 ince of British Columbia has been the 
 pioneer in Canada in respect to this im- 
 portant work, and in no other province 
 has such systematic efforts been put in 
 force, and had a similar svstem been 
 carried out in Eastern Canada, it •,\-ould 
 not have been necessary to-dav to have 
 enacted the stringent legislation that 
 has recently been placed upon the sta- 
 tute books of the Dominion, preventing 
 the importation of foreign nursery stock 
 which is now a serious matter to many 
 of our farmers, owing to contracts whioh 
 have been entered into, and to the diffi- 
 culty which is experienced in obtaining 
 a sufficient supply of the right varieties 
 for orchards from the South where the 
 conditions are similar. The regulations 
 ot the deiiartmcnt have been carried out 
 
 judiciously as well as effectivelv, and 
 there is absolutely nothing to be c.jni- 
 plained of in regard to the manner in 
 which the duties of the board have been 
 performed. 
 ^, , DAIRYING. 
 
 Closely allied to the agricultu.-.il and 
 fiuit-growmg interests, and fully equal 
 to them ill iKjint of importance; is the 
 subject of dairying and the providiri," of 
 means to render possible the consolida- 
 tion of the individual resources of a 
 district so as to insure a greatly increas- 
 ed and more marketable product with a 
 corresponding of profits to the individual 
 tarmeT. To effect this purpose several 
 acts have been passed, the first being 
 the Dairymen's Association Act, 1S94 
 i *l ^^o^"^^' ^''^^ Dairymen's Association 
 A I' \ocd: "V,\\ *^^ th'i"fl the Creameries 
 Act, isyb. Ihese acts have oeen con- 
 solidated in the above order as Part I 
 Part II and Part III. of the revis'^d 
 Dairy Associations Act, chanter IS of 
 the Revised Statutes, 1897. " 
 
 Part I. provides for the incorporation 
 of a Provincial Dairymen's Association, 
 which IS given a charter covering the 
 province with power to hold exhibitions 
 u- u ^'•'^I'l'^y of dairying products for 
 which prizes, diplomas, or other awards 
 pt rnerit may be given; to purchase such 
 implements of dairying as may be deem- 
 ed advisable for the purpose of experi- 
 mentmg and for the education of the 
 public 111 the art and science of praftieal 
 dairying; to purchase, hold and dispose 
 of lands, erect buildings, and obtain all 
 necessary ecjuipments therefor for the 
 purpose of experiment or instruction in 
 the methods of dairying, or holding ex- 
 hibitions, or the establishment of a col- 
 lection of products, articles and iniple- 
 nicnts pertaining to the study of dai v- 
 ing; to organize, establish, and condi-t 
 a bureau for the collection and dissem- 
 ination of information bearing on the 
 science of dairying and a department for 
 the promotion of that science. 
 
 Part II. provides for the formation of 
 local dairying associations for the ob- 
 jects following: 
 
 (a) The manufacturing of cheese and 
 t<utter; 
 
 (b) The keeping of swine and the man- 
 ufacture and sale of the various prodacts 
 resulting therefrom; and 
 
 (c) The dealing in swine and vttle 
 foods for the purpose of supplying such 
 foods to the patrons of such association. 
 Any associations under the origin.il act 
 as to include all objects authorized by 
 are empowered to extend their objects so 
 the revised act. These local associations 
 are given full power to carry out their 
 objects of incorporation. 
 
 Part III, deals with the establishment 
 ot co-operative creameries and empowers 
 
thf Lioiitonnnt-CJovernor in Council to 
 lend out of the itublic iuon(\VH of the 
 province to each dairy association incor- 
 porat*?(l for the purpose of carr.viiii,' on a 
 creamery upo the co-operative svsreni. 
 (wihhc is defined as bein^ a system 
 which secures to all members of Jh<' aa- 
 Bocuition a share in the protits thcivto in 
 proportion to the better fat in the milk 
 supplied by them after payment ;if a 
 dividend upon the capital stock not ex- 
 oeetliiiK <! per cent, per annum) a sum not 
 exceedinjr .t!2.(M»() to each association. 
 Every loan made under this part of the 
 act is subject to a low rate of interest, 
 and is repayable in three instalments at 
 2 r? and 4 years, and in order lo obtain 
 such loan the association must i)rove 
 its compliance \> ith certain reciniremeuts 
 which are: 
 
 (1) That the district within w!ii«!)i it is 
 proposed to erect or operate a .'reamery 
 18 competent and fitttnl for its support, 
 and that there is a reasonable i)ros,iect 
 of the same beinj,' a financial suc-ess; 
 
 (2) That contracts contingent upon the 
 operation of the creamery have he-ni en- 
 tered into for the supply thereto of the 
 milk of not less than 300 cows, or that 
 such supply is otherwise sufHciently 
 guaranteed or secured; 
 
 (;{) That the location of the creameij 
 is such as to prevent encroachment up- 
 on the limits of an established cream- 
 ery, while allowinjr a radius to the pro- 
 posed institution of at least six Miles; 
 
 (4) That the subscribed capital of the 
 company or association is sutli.-ient, if 
 fully paid up, to enable the comp niy or 
 association to ac(|uire a site ainl to erect 
 and thornughly eciuip an efJicient ere im- 
 ery of a capacity to use the mil!: of not 
 less than 300 cows; 
 
 (5) That the lands of the .'reamerv 
 building and the nature and cost of the 
 proposed plant and equipment be submit- 
 ted to the government for approval. 
 
 Regarding the several associations the 
 leading features of which have been out- 
 lined, all the details necessary for their 
 effective operation may be found in the 
 several acts referred to. .Tust here it is 
 pertinent to remark that in no other 
 province is there such an abundame of 
 legislation providing for co-operative ef- 
 fort on the part of the farmers in the 
 way of production and the methods that 
 may be employed in carrying on the bus- 
 iness necessary for success. 
 
 Perhaps the most marked advance in 
 agriculture in British Columbia has been 
 made in the direction of the develop- 
 ment of the dairy industry, and from a 
 time when the province imported almost 
 all its supply of butter from outside 
 points, the several creameries which are 
 established now are active competitors 
 in the market and secure a large share 
 
 of especially the fresh butter trade. The' 
 dairy industry is only in its infaucv as 
 yet, and with the efforts being put forth 
 by the government and the various asso- 
 ciation and joint stock concerns, we may 
 safely anticipate that within a few vcars 
 the dairy industty will be one of the 
 most important branches of agriculture 
 in this province. The province itself is, 
 in respect to nutritious grasses, pure 
 water, and r)ther essentials of dairying 
 admirably adapted for carrving on" the 
 industry, perhaps not on so large a scale 
 as in the North West or in Australi:i, 
 but sufficient to supply all the wants of 
 tlie province even with the growing de- 
 mands which are being made upon the 
 market for local consumption. 
 
 FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 
 In this connection it is desirable to refer 
 at some length to the Farmers' Insti- 
 tutes, an act to establish which was- 
 l)assed in the session otL IgQT with am- 
 endments in 1898, and the most im- 
 portant of all, the Mutual Credit Asso- 
 ciations of the present sission. 
 
 The e itablishment of the Farmers' In- 
 stitutes was provided for in an act pass- 
 ed in the session of 1897. nie legisla- 
 tion is based upon that of Ontario and 
 Manitoba, the best features of whi-'h are 
 mcorporatefl. There are additional fea- 
 tui>es applicable to the conditions of the 
 province of British Columbia. In addi- 
 tion to this also there is a section pro- 
 viding for the speedy incoporation of 
 as.sociations formed for the purpose of 
 carrying out such objects as dairying, 
 the establishment of fruit ev,.hanges 
 fruit canning mutual credit assoMatious 
 or other enterprises calling for the co- 
 operation of farmers. Although it was- 
 considered at first an act somewhat in 
 advance of the uequirements of the 
 province on account of the sparsitv of 
 population in rural districts, its provis- 
 ions have been taken hold of with earn- 
 estness and zeal in all parts of the* prov- 
 ince, and there are now twelve regularly 
 organized institutes which are carryiig 
 on their work under the direction of sk 
 superintendent, appointed by the gov- 
 ernment, in a practical and' systematic 
 manner. The result of these, as was .-in- 
 ticipated has been to cause the farmers, 
 to take a more active interest in the 
 problems of agriculture, and to draw 
 them together more closely on the lines 
 of co-operation. A number of well-in- 
 formed and progressive farmers have 
 been selected to address the meetings of 
 the Fai-mers' Institutes on live topics, 
 and much information of a valuable char- 
 acter IS being imparted in addition to 
 the increased interest which is being 
 manifested and the improved methods: 
 which are being adopted as » conse- 
 quence. 
 
 I 
 
I 
 
 Agitation is the road which leads to 
 reform of all character, social or politi- 
 cal, and ;t has been through the agen- 
 ciefi of such Institutions establiahed by 
 the government that the agriculturists 
 of the province have been arou^ied to an 
 appreciation of the possibilities of agri- 
 culture in thi'j province and have been 
 led to seriously discuss methods and is- 
 sues of vit/xl importance to their own 
 interests. It is quite probable that 
 through the agencies of the Farmers' 
 Institutes, co-operation and organization 
 on a comprehensive scale will be eject- 
 ed, and as it is contemplated that the 
 Farmers' Institutes should include a con 
 Jideration and supervision of all ngr'- 
 cultural matters, placing the control di- 
 rectly in the hands of the farmers them- 
 selves, it is not improbable that ail the 
 subsidiary and auxiliary associations 
 may finally be merged into them. 
 
 AGRICULTURAL CREDIT ASSO- 
 CIATIONS. 
 
 Coincident with the establishment of 
 the Farmers' Institutes came a move- 
 ment in favor of obtaining che.iper 
 money for the purposes of carrying on or- 
 dinary farming operations where it wa'i 
 necessary to borrow. In a young coun- 
 try like British Columbia with the cur- 
 rent rate of interest high and the neces- 
 sities of farmers in the way of develop- 
 ment many, it was natural that a 
 iiieasure looking towards the reduction 
 of interest would be forthcoming, as the 
 difference between the rate at which 
 money could be obtained by the jiovern- 
 ment and the ordinary rate paid bv farm- 
 ers on mortgages and loans (the latter 
 being from 8 to 12 per cent.) means in 
 Itself a large share of profit, and the 
 n.oney required for paying off interest 
 on mortgages or on loans necessary for 
 temporary purposes the profits of ordin- 
 "i'^' *'mP operations are entirely absorb- 
 ed. Ihe question how this reduction 
 of interest could be best obtained was 
 a serious problem for the government 
 mere were a number of systems c nsid- 
 ered. including the Land Banks and 
 Agricultural Associations of Europe, and 
 the direct method employed in New 
 Zealand of advancing money to fanners 
 for the purpose of paying- off their 
 mortgages, the government acceptin<' 
 first mortgages for securitv. There were 
 many things to be taken into considera- 
 tion and many conditions to observe The 
 government after taking everything into 
 cciisideration decided to adopt a svstem 
 wftich in many respects i-eaemb!es the 
 agricultural credit assocations of Ger- 
 inany and for all pr.xctical purposes is 
 the same as the agricultural and village 
 banks of Great Britain, with this differ- 
 ence, that while these assooiaUons in 
 
 Europe by the combined credit of the 
 ni»>mber8 can obtain advances from Ihe 
 banks at a rate of interest correspond- 
 nig to the government rate in this coun- 
 try, and are independent of government 
 assistance, no such arrangement was 
 possible in British Columbia .vhere in 
 order to obtain by united crp.llt (heap 
 money it was necessary for the gorern- 
 ment to take the place of the p rivaie 
 «"«™"tors in Europe. The systoin s 
 based solely upon the 
 
 PRINCIPLE OP CO-OPERATION. 
 
 by which the individuals of the com- 
 
 Ttm ?r' *^""' '''^'''. '^"'1 their Ts. 
 sets for the purpose obtaining advances 
 
 S^-nriivn ™r'" ^•'^u«"«''h the assocKii 
 to individual members and for which 
 
 sponsible, the association being author- 
 ized to accept proper security, both real 
 and personal, for repayment: The gov- 
 ernment thereby does not deal dfrec^hr 
 
 TL'-'^^V'^r^'' '^"t ^'th communities 
 of individuals, and through the act, and 
 by rules and regulationse to be proraul- 
 
 fdlon„Ji"*^"^*^^ ^^*' P'-^^'des ^for an 
 adequate system of supervision and for 
 the reasonable safety of the operation 
 
 ad«?fnf'^'*^"2' '''h'^h '« practically aS 
 adaptation of commercial banking to 
 agriculatural conditions. The priSarv 
 off'1^* f '^^ legislation is n^t'^to paj 
 off mortgages of farmers, although this 
 may be incidentally accomplished to the 
 extent to which the association has pow^ 
 er to loan, but for the purposes of de- 
 velopment and affording^fafnm-s crAtt 
 i%}^% ^-^tent of the security they can 
 offer for carrying on the ordinan^ ri^ 
 productive business of farming, whether 
 It be clearing, draining,, buvinff stock 
 harvesting their crops, building ^or what 
 Z; «*lJo»g a« the objects are legiti- 
 mate, the methods intelligent, and the 
 expenditure of the money properly mule 
 Ihe measure of course must be more 
 or less experimental and in the verv na- 
 ture of things a tentative one. and ??- 
 P^"^«ce in actual operation may sug- 
 
 fdant itTo It''^^' -"^"^ amendments fo 
 aaapt it to the requirements of the oro- 
 
 nS Jh^«"^^««« of the system X 
 pends to a large extent upon the hon- 
 esty and industry of farmers themselv^." 
 fh^'detaSs ' '®''""* administration of 
 
 The inauguration of agricultural cred- 
 it associations has been hailed bv many 
 with satisfaction as indicating a deS 
 on the part of the government to mill 
 the needs of the agricultural community 
 tL P'^'^f '^«1 ^^y-. and as the introduc- 
 l,?Z^ 1 "■ Pi'ogressive policy of agrical- 
 t ral development which, is as sifccess- 
 ful as Its meritB deserve, will mean thn 
 revolutionizing of agricultural mShodS 
 
6 
 
 in tluH province, and the giving to tho 
 induHtry u status far in advance of 
 what it has ever heretofore had. The 
 system has wori<ed out with Kreat suc- 
 cess (»n the continent of Europe under 
 conditions less favoral)le and with fewer 
 opportunities than exist in British Col- 
 umbia. If successful, too, it will set 
 an example for the whole Dominion of 
 (^aiuida and the continent of America 
 and will solve many of the more seriouK 
 prohlenis which at the present time con- 
 front the farmer, who from the fierce 
 competition wa>,'ed by the cheap labor 
 of foreiKii countries has had for a num- 
 ber of years past but a small margin to 
 reward his necessarily laborious efforts. 
 AID IN OTHER WAYS. 
 
 Heference in the foregoing has onlv 
 been incidentally made to the expendi- 
 ture incurred by the government from 
 year to year for agricultural purposes, 
 which in all directions, directly and in- 
 directly, has in recent years aggregated 
 ^o or ,•}() thousand dollars a year, nor 
 has reference been made to the large 
 sums loaned to the farmers of the Era- 
 ser Valley in order to assist them in re- 
 covering from the disastrous effects of 
 the flooding of the Eraser river in 1894. 
 ihere is also to consider the very large 
 snins that have been expended and are 
 being expended by the government in 
 connection with the dyking enterprises 
 of the Eraser River Valley for purpose 
 of reclamation and protection of the 
 rich delta lands of the district affected 
 by overflow, the result of which is that 
 about lOO.CXM) acres of the best land 
 ot British Columbia will be made avail- 
 able for cultivation in the highest de- 
 gree, and will render these lands capable 
 of producing a vast amount of wealth 
 in the years to come. 
 
 In view of all that has been state<l in 
 the foregoing, which merely presents an 
 outline of the policy of agricultural de- 
 velopment pursued by the government 
 It cannot be reasonably maintainel by 
 the most captious critic that the gov- 
 ernment has not done all in its power 
 to advance and promote the interests of 
 the farming community. 
 
 THE AGRICULTURAL DBPT. 
 
 Jt has also instituted bv its agricul- 
 tural department a bureau of intelli- 
 gence which has from time to time is- 
 sued most valuable information not only 
 for the benefit of the farmers in the 
 various districts themselves but for the 
 information of intending settlers. It 
 was for a long time a standing ma.'k 
 against the province that it was neces- 
 sary to import so large a share of the 
 ordinary necessaries of life which could 
 be produced in the province itself, and 
 
 that fact ha.4 exciten miii-h comment 
 JtoMi witliin and outside the proviu •(«. 
 
 )iy the policy of directing attention to 
 our agricultural resources in a pravtijal 
 way and affording facilities for develop- 
 ment, it will not f»e longer competent for 
 critics to point the finger )f scorn at 
 the lack of production in British Col- 
 umbia, but on the other hand, from be- 
 ing an imi»orting population we will soon 
 take rank as a population capable of ex- 
 porting its varied products to other pro- 
 vinces and other countries besides ude- 
 (|uately supplying the ever increasing de- 
 mands of home consumption. 
 AX A(iRICULTURAL COMMISSION 
 It is not, however, the intention of the 
 government to stop here, but to extend 
 Its operati(ms to new fields and in other 
 directions. The hon. the Premier in 
 his budget speech as Minister of Ein- 
 ance. indicated the policy of the gov- 
 ernment in respect to other important 
 inatters which were having the atten- 
 tion of the government. He referred to 
 the problems of irrigation by which the 
 dry belts of the interior might be made 
 capable of much greater results, and to 
 the subject of cold storage. He pointed 
 out that by establishing adequate cold 
 storage facilities at some convenient 
 point in the interior that great advant- 
 ages would ensue to the farmers there 
 where cattle raising was a predominant 
 industry. If farmers could sell their 
 cattle in the fall of the year when in 
 good condition, or kill and store the 
 beef so as to be available to supply the 
 coast markets regularly u great saving 
 would be directly effected to the farm- 
 ers, besides the many other advantages 
 and benefits that would indirectly ac- 
 crue. Pursuant to what was an an- 
 nouncement of the government's policy 
 provision was made in the supplement- 
 ary estimates for the appointment of a 
 commission which will have for its ob- 
 ject a careful enquiry into the subject 
 of irrigation, cold storage, the mortgage 
 tax and financial difflculties of the far- 
 mers and other matters affecting their 
 interests not yet dealt with by the gov- 
 ernment. An exhaustive report on these 
 subjects may no doubt be anticipated, 
 and undoubte(''.y it will have the consid- 
 eration of the government with a view 
 to^ further legislative enactment. 
 
 The subject of the mortgage tax is one 
 which has been prominently before the 
 public for several years, and has had 
 the serious consideration of the gov- 
 ernment with a view to avoiding the in- 
 cidence of taxation falling upon the 
 mortgagors as it does at present in manv 
 instances. This, however, is surround- 
 ed with many difTiculties. It mav be 
 stated here that mortgages are taxed by 
 every known government and a similar 
 
<lifH(iilty has urinfii plsewhen? as to the 
 inculeiKo of taxation. The problem has 
 nowhere yet been satiHfactorily settled, 
 but the government hopes to see its way 
 clear to practical solution. In thi'a 
 connection it may be stated that the at- 
 titude of the government with rcsppot 
 to the mortKage tax was well presented 
 in a letter written by the lion, the Pre- 
 sident of the Executive Council to his 
 constitutents, an extract from which is 
 here given: 
 
 "(1) Repeal the Mortgage Tax. 
 
 "To the first question I can only sav 
 that I, as well as the rest of the gov- 
 ernment and the government supporters, 
 are anxious to have this mis-called mort- 
 gage tax repealed, but repealed in such 
 a way as to meet the wislies of the 
 mortgages, viz.: to lift (.he burden of 
 the tax from their shoulders. No solu- 
 tion of this matter after various meet- 
 ings has ben arrived at, and the difH- 
 culties are of such a nature that the 
 government has placed upon the supple- 
 mentary estimates a sum of $1,000 for 
 a commission to report on financial dif- 
 ficulties of agriculturists, irrigation, etc.. 
 
 which will include the mortgage tax (so- 
 called). 
 
 "I hope that this commission will, af- 
 ter calling evidence and mature consid- 
 eration, be able to suggest u solution o' 
 what In my view is a most intricate 
 problem. 
 
 LITERATURE FOR FARMERS. 
 
 As further evidence of the desire of 
 the government to benefit the agricul- 
 turist, a system of circulating libraries 
 has been provided for, whereby rural or 
 other communities may be supplied with 
 suitable literatui >. This will include 
 standard works of interest to the young- 
 er people, both boys and girls, of his- 
 tory, travel, and biography; and of the 
 latest and best books in agriculture. 
 Ihese will be passed on from time to 
 time, so that in time every community 
 will have the benefit of all ihe volumes 
 purchased or available for ^his purpose 
 As the great majority of the books so 
 circulated, especially those of particu- 
 lar interest and value to farmers, would 
 otherwise not be available, great bene- 
 fits should accrue from the ostoblidh- 
 ment of such a system.