The Dominion. MONDAY, APRIL ,13, 1908. FARMERS AND POLITICS. .

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 171, 13 April 1908, Page 6

The Dominion. MONDAY, APRIL ,13, 1908. FARMERS AND POLITICS. .

It is evident, from the information which we printed on Saturday respecting the programme for the Auckland Conference 'of. the Farmers' TJnion, that the agricultural community in the North is politically alive. On previous occasions we have urged that there never was greater need than at present for vigilance on the part of the farmers of the Dominion, when everything points to a further extension of the anti-agrarian legislation that the Socialists fiavo,forced from a Hiniata saturated with Socialistic

heories. The present political situaion must recall the old parable of ' the stomach and the members," rhich Menenius Agrippa used to corect an injurious discontent in the Roil an Republic. The members comilained that they were constantly 7orking, to no better purpose that hey could see, than the maintenance' if the stomach, which lived, a life of dleness, and grew fat upon their abours. Accordingly they went on trike—the first strike recorded in liisory—and the result was what might lave been expected. Deprived of the upport of the members, the stomach lickened and wasted, and the members, vanting 1 the nutriment supplied the ihief organ, began themselves to delay. In New Zealand the city Sociaists, the single-taxers, the trades mionists, and all the body of non-agri-iultural discontent have of recent years iontended incessantly that the farmer s unduly favoured, and is growing •ich on the lavish gifts of Nature and lie, "unearned increment" origiiiatng from the toil of the workers. They :omplain.of his success and prosperity, lorgetting, as the members of old forgot, that their own comfort and welljeing depend largely upon the healthy lounshmenfr of their "enemy." jAciordingly they li'ave never ceased '.'urging the Government ■ along a course ffhich would make farming the''least ittractjve of all occupations. Nor has ;he,Government shown itself unwilling ;o treat the holding of land as a luxiry to be paid for very heavily.' It is true that the Government has in many ways'assisted agriculture,.but n-hat it has done on the surface, it has undone' ,in the foundations. . It has provided dairy inspectors and experimental farms, .but 'it has also. struck i blow at the heart of. successful, agriculture by denying the Crown tenants the right to purchase . theirj holdings. The Farmers' Union is less; concerned ivith the individual farmer/ than with, the farming industry as a ( wholo, and it protests, therefore, against: such_ an injurious policy as. land .'nationalisation. By locking up 9,000,000 _acres of Crown land, and by purchasing yearly an average of over £500,000 worth of land for vesting'in the State, the Government has /plainly, - announced itself an enemy : 'of " the freehold," and an enemy, therefore, of the policy which produces, the best and most energetic farmers and the greatest national wealth. , The Auckland Conference will ' not,jconfine itself, however, to the land ■ question. Amongst the questionsj to .be discussed is ;; a proposal, "that only ratepayers should, be allowed ,to yqte on local Government matters, anil that the most emphatic protest be .-recorded, against the; proposal, to extend, the Parliamentary franchise for the purpose of, local body elections." This, perhaps, .like some, of the . other subjects' to be discussed, is not a question of interest to farmers alone, but it. affects' farmers materially, and it is Ja ■; proper. subject for legislative consideration.. There' is not a little. humour. in the remit which will ask. the Conference " to impress upon- the .Government; the paramount importance of roads jopening, up. good land as the.foundation of the prosperity of the country*" That at thi.s date of our political history it ; should'be ieiessarj* for a Farmers' Conference to impress upon the Government an axiom that all are jagreed upon is a most extraordinary but it really' cannot be contended; that the anxiety, of the Conference'.is unwarranted. .-■The roading of lands • is not one of those showy things that the late Mri- S'eddon lovpcl, nor are his successors above, the heed of perpetual reminders of their duty- in. this connection.- ; - "• ' The political position of'the Union, wo are glad to, note, is to be raised upon a proposal couched in plain and uncompromising terms. On; the proposition that " the! time has : now arrived . the. New. Zealand Farmers' Union to form a| ;separAte. political party, and run its'own candidates for such seats as it ; ; i's. considered -desirable," tjiere will ; be. . a ! division of opinion even amongst- those who are convinced of the necessity for action oi ! some kind in defence of: the largest interest in the country. It is an. extraordinary,- filing:, that farmers, whe have more to lose from tlie chances oi legislation than any pther class, should still be politically divided, giving their . votes • upon almost every issue but those ' most. nearly concerning their interests. On the lone oceasior on which, the farming community die ask for pledges from candidates on at agrarian issue, they were betrayed Certain members of Parliament wil find it difficult in ' the! next electioi campaign to v > explain th'e conflict be tween their freehold pledges and_ thei: leasehold votes. For th,e protection o their interests, .farmers need not go thi length of forming a; new politica party. It may' be foijnd sufficient ti take care that their rotes are give) to candidates who can'satisfy 'then upon their main requirements. No much will be gained jiy the discussioi that may arise upon the remits touch ing the Arbitration, Act. On the gen eral question the! Farmers' Union ca: have no policy , peculiarly its own Nor does, there ; seem' to be much pros pect of having the Act amended so a to exclude the farming industry fror its operation. Eitßer the principle c the Act is good, or it is bad. If it i good, it should goyern the farming in dustry. It it is bad, it should gover: no industry at all. The Conferenc promises to be of unusual interest, an : it is satisfactory to note that the Unio intends to make'itself felt in a large degree i,than before. / ' ' • : ; •• •