NO SEPARATE PARTY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 173, 24 July 1928, Page 8

NO SEPARATE PARTY.

FARMERS' UNION ADVISED. NATIONAL INTERESTS FIRST. MR. POLSOrrS RECOMMENDATION. UNION" POLICY OUTLINED. (Bj Telegraph—Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON", this day. "It seems to me that instead of attempting to carry on an independent political campaign of our own. we should continue to keep the interests of the country as a whole in the forefront, while at the same time bringing all the pressure we are capable of to bear upon Parliament and upon parties in Parliament to obtain sound legislation for the benefit of our industry and the country at large."' said Mr. W. J. Poison in the course of the presidential address to the Dominion Conference of the Farmers' Lnion, which was opened to-day. '"This can be better done,"' added Mr. Poison, "by co-operating with which ever of the existing parties is prepared and. best able to serve our needs and support our platform. Such a plan has the additional advantage that it will not inc-rea-e the electors' c>nru e ion by addin? another to the parties in the field."

The union's political committee, said Mr. Poison, had adopted a report to the ! effect that the present political situation i was extremely unsatisfactory to the j primary producer, and that some form jof political action should be taken. The i committee did not think it wise to im- | mediately decide what that form would I be—that it should be guided by circumI stances. In this important matter there j was a good deal of confusion of thought. ] because the decision was contrary to the | apparent wishes of a large number of delegates. There were all shades of political thought within the union. He could not undertake the responsibility |of recommending a plan whi<-h would ; possibly jeopardise its progress. It was j possible that a mi-Take wa= made in deciding in the past that the union should I take no part in politics. I Class Government Undesirable. j i It wa- desired, that every cla-s should j be represented in Parliament, and as Xew : I Zealand was a primary producing country, the farmer should be largely repre-1 scnted if his interests were not to be! neglected. That was quite different from i government by one class in the interests j I of one class, which wa= the case in some j ' parts of Canada. The interests of town j ] and country in New Zealand were! j largely the same. ( ity dwell"! - were j | beginning to understand the problems of i the primary producer, and appreciated i i the neees-itv for united effort on the! j part of producer and distributor. j ; Mr. Poison outlined the political plat- s ! form as decided at various conferences.! These dealt with financial proposals, in-j j eluding better rural finance, and letter! | finance for traders. Relief from taxation j j was suggested by drastic economy on the ' part of State and local authorities, by aj I more equitable distribution of the costs' lof maintaining national and district, roads, recasting of hospital rating, and • ; the rearrangement of taxation along the ; lines suggested by the taxation com- j ; mis.ion. jn order to redirect the -tream, of finance to rural securities, ! Dra'tic amendments to the Arbitra-i tion Act were outlined. Included in this' | was a proposal to amend the Act to permit the registration of a national union of workers or employers in any industry under certain conditions. Primary Industries. In reference to tariff it wj; suggested 'hat primary industries should be safeguarded by legislation so as to place j them on a more equal footing with secondary industries. A policy of protection tended to increase the cost of | living and production, and to remove this burden it was necessary that full inquiry should be made by a representative body to determine what were j the natural and essential industries of the Dominion, and the order in which they should be developed, the best methods of stimulating Imperial and inter-Empire trade and providing for closer settlement, prevention of aggregation, assistance in settlement, reading for the opening up of settlements, remissions of rent or interest, and more frequent land valuation. Social legislation proposed included national insurance on a universal contributory basis, a properly balanced immigration policy and a scheme of unemployment relief on sound economic lines. In reference to finance, a State bank was not necessary if the existing banks would continue their useful service at not too great a cost. The Government would have to exercise a watchful supervision. ■ and not merely maintain an attitude of benignant acquiescence under all circumstances. There was no reason why the principle of intermediate credit should not be extended to traders. "A Matter of Business." He was of the opinion that the adoption of the planks of the policy > outlined would enormously assist the > primary producers and the community as a whole. Xew Zealand needed econ- : omy, a tapering down of borrowing. " self-reliance and an appreciation of the fact that good government was a matter " of business and not politics. "We can- : not apply the methods of yesterday to 5 to-day," concluded Mr. Poison. "The - world is organising production and industry and we must also do so. Progress lies along new lines which must be laid on solid foundations. Efficiency, pro--1 gres3 and fraternity are the steppingi stones to that higji place in prosperity , tjum&r farUuiaU-iahj& jhoaid hgjjp"