FARMERS' UNION AND EMPLOYERS' FEDERATION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 210, 29 May 1908, Page 6

FARMERS' UNION AND EMPLOYERS' FEDERATION.

r - /■■-. . AN EXPLANATION. > The remarks made by speakers at the pro■vinoial conference of the. Farmers' Union at Feilding'on the subject of affiliation with the Employers' Federation, as telegraphed yesterday by The Dominion's spccial reporter, were brought under' the notice of Mr. W. Fryer, secretary of the Federation. " 11l connection with the discussion at Feilding .regarding the affiliation of the. Farmers' Union, with the Employers' Federation," said, Mr.. Pryor, "tho speakers who said thatthe Federation was a protectionist , organisation, are entirely mistaken, as the question of protection or free trade has never been (dealt with in any way at fill. Where I think the mistake has arisen is that the speakers have confused, by some means, the Industrial Association with the Employers' ■Federation. There is no connection whatever between the two bodies. The Employers' Federation was established solely for industrial defence matters, while tho Industrial Association deals with, such questions as ■tariff reform, etc. The functions of the two bodies "are entirely different, , and those speakers who said that the Federation, had | dealt with this matter were'in error.; The' gentleman: who said that protection was almost the Employers' Federation's ; sheet anchor was entirely in the' wroug.. There is certainly an affinity between the;' Farmers' | Unions and tho Employers'. Associations, as tlio members of both are employers of labour and their interests nro, identical" in connection "with, labour legislation and the administration of our labour Ws, and my Federation feels that, having a practically complete organisation of the trading and manufacturing employers of the Dominion, it' would strengthen their position greatly, and be of immenso benefit to all parties concerned, if the farming employers were brought into conjunction 'with the work that tho Federation is doing."