FARMERS' UNION.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19728, 19 September 1929, Page 14

FARMERS' UNION.

MR POLSON'S TWO OFFICES. A WAIRARAPA RESOLUTION. (pass# Aaaocivrio* MASTEKTON, September 18. Five resignations of members, four of them from farmers who objected to Mr W. J. Poison being both Dominion president and a member of Parliament, were before the Wairarapa Provincial Executive of the Farmers' Union to-day. The secretary and several individual members said that many members who accused 3dr Poison of bringing Party politics into the Union were threatening to resign. In the course of a discussion little, if anything, was said iu criticism of Mr Poison's attitude to the taxation proposals, and some members endorsed this attitude in whole of in part. All agreed in praising his services to the Union The main line of critiesm was that the Dominion president by becoming a member of Parliament inevitably brought Party polities into the Union. Mr T. B. Barrer said he thought Mr Poison had made a grave tactical mistake. The president of the Farmers' Union outside the House could exercise 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 aaembejrs failed distinguish between the member for Stratford and the president of the Farmers' Uniaa. Mr H. Daysh defended Mr Poison, contending that if adverse things were said about him they would have wore resignations. , ~, - Mr W. A. lom# dissociated himself from any motion reprimanding or censuring Mr Poison. Mr B. S. Primer moved that a remit be sent forward providing that the Dominion president on entering Parliament should automatically resign his P °Mr H. Bennett, in supporting tie 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, said he was strongly of the opinion that if Mr Poison continued in office there would be many defections fro® 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 M? Poison before the end of Ms present term, Mr Pilmer's motion was earned on the voices. The executive also passed a tion instructing the secretary to to any members who resigned asking them to, reconsider their decision.