Federated Farmers to discuss future of two key men

Press, 7 March 1984, Page 3

Federated Farmers to discuss future of two key men

Parliamentary reporter Federated Farmers’ Dominion council is expected to learn this week whether its president, Mr W. R. Storey, plans to retire if he is selected to stand as a National Party candidate in Waikato. The council is also expected to discuss with- its meat and wool section chairman, Mr T. J. Plummer, the speculation that he plans to stand as a candidate and deputy leader of the New Zealand Party.

Both men are attending the Dominion council meeting in Wellington today and tomorrow and, according to the chief executive of Federated Fanners, Mr R. D. McLagan, it can be assumed that their future will be discussed.

Mr McLagan said both men had served the normal three-year term in their posts, although at least in Mr Storey’s case another year’s extension could be expected under normal circumstances.

Mr McLagan denied that either man was about to be dismissed from his post, or that Federated Farmers had any rule prohibiting political involvement by any of its office holders. Both men have been increasingly identified with

political parties in recent weeks. Mr Storey is among five nominations for the National Party’s candidacy in Waikato, which, after extensive boundary changes, is being vacated by the present member of Parliament, Mr S. D. Upton, who plans to, contest the new Raglan seat.

While Mr Storey’s future plans are likely to be discussed this week, he need not announce his decision until after the Waikato National Party candidate has been selected, leaving him eligible for another year as Federated Farmers’ president if he misses the Waikato seat. , Mr Plummer was promin-

ent at the New Zealand Party’s inaugural conference in Wellington at the week-end, where he was openly talked of as a more likely deputy leader than the broadcaster-business-man, Mr Gordon Dryden, or the party’s Birkenhead candidate, Mrs Janie Pearce.

The National Party’s candidate will be chosen tomorrow evening and although Mr Storey, who farms in the electorate near Ohinewai, is regarded in Waikato as a front-runner in the race, the party is not ruling out a closely fought race if he fails to Win on the first ballot.

Mr Storey has served as president of Federated Farmers for three years. If he steps down, a new president would be elected at the federation’s annual conference later in the year. One top New Zealand Party source said that the conference motion not to select a deputy leader until the party had 65 candidates, was taken deliberately to allow Mr Plummer, a Hawke’s Bay farmer, to seek the deputy leadership. It was suggested .that Mr Plummer could not do this until he had quit his post in Federated Farmers, and then announced his candidacy for the New Zealand Party in an electorate.