FEDERATED FARMERS IN AUCKLAND

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24985, 20 September 1946, Page 8

FEDERATED FARMERS IN AUCKLAND

ALLEGATIONS ABOUT DOMINION

COUNCIL (P.A.) AUCKLAND, Sept. 19. Delegates to a conference of Federated Farmers of New Zealand (Auckland Province) set about the task of reorganising their affairs to-day after the formation of Waikato farmers into a separate province. The conference passed a resolution on the same lines as the Dominion council 'recognising Waikato as a separate entity. The boundaries of the new province are as yet undecided.

During the discussion it was alleged that members of the Dominion Council were trying to foster a spirit of disunity among farmers of the province, and that a bid was being made for a movement in the Bay of Plenty similar to that in the Waikato.

Mr H. M. Rushworth, the president, said their object was unity among the farmers of the province. The present tactics of the Wellington headquarters in trying to split,up the Auckland Province into separate entities could not be regarded as a contribution in that direction. Certain vested interests that expected to be adversely affected by the Auckland Farmers’ Union were using dupes in thef Federated Farmers’ movement in their efforts to weaken the Auckland orgahisation. A resolution was adopted regretting the general position of farmers’ organisations in the Bay of Plenty, and asking the Dominion council to take the necessary steps to observe the agreement with Federated Farmers.