"GRAVE MISTAKE."

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 222, 19 September 1929, Page 9

"GRAVE MISTAKE."

FARMERS' LEADER AS M.P. DISSENSION IN UNION. FIVE MEMBERS RESIGN. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) MASTERTON, Wednesday. Five resignations of members, four of them farmers who objected to Mr. W. J. Poison being both Dominion president of the union and a member of Parliament, were before the Wairarapa provincial executive of the Farmers' Union to-day. The secretary and several individual members stated that many members who accused Mr. Poison of bringing party politics into the union were threatening to resign. In a lengthy discussion little, if anything, was said in criticism of Mr. Polson's attitude towards the taxation proposals, and some members endorsed his attitude. All agreed in .praising his services to the union. The main line of criticism was that the Dominion president, by becoming a member of Parliament, inevitably brought party politics into the Union. Mr. T. R. Barrer said he thought Mr. Poison had made a grave tactical mistake. The president of the Farmers' Union outside the House of Representatives could exercise a far greater influence than any member sitting in the House could exercise. Mr. Poison had made it clear" that he spoke in the House as member for Stratford, but most members failed to distinguish between the member for Stratford and the president of the Farmers' Union. Mr. H. Daysh defended Mr. Poison, contending that , if adverse things were said- about him they would have more resignations. Mr; K. S. pnmer moved that a remit be sent forward providing that a Dominion president, on entering. Parliament, should automatically resign his position. Mr. H. in supporting the resolution, said that if Mr. Poison voted mostly with one party he might just as well be a member of that party. : Mr. C. C. Jackson, provincial president, leaid- was strongly - of opinion

that if Mr. Poison continued in office there would be many defections from the ranks of the .union. ' Mr. Duncan McGregor and other members having pointed out that there was no question of attempting to get rid of Mr. Poison before the end of his present term, Mr. Pilmer's motion was carried on the voices. The executive also passed a resolution instructing the secretary to write to any members who resigned, asking them to reconsider their decision.