FARMER'S UNION AND POLITICS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 496, 1 May 1909, Page 14

FARMER'S UNION AND POLITICS.

.®r,n;lowr: artiolo_ on, tho above and on toy action in resigning. from the' union has Iccu. brought to my notice, and I would joalc yon far a little spaoo to reply tosome ■Jcri tho comments'you make. With your re- j - gnarka 10 Socialists, labour unions, etc., I aavo, pfioourao,'no concern; liy act'onwas based on my_ baliefthattheunionhas bo- . con® to., all intents 'an organ- » Ssation far forwarding the ; Opposition mterosts. p.mong tho ■ country - districts. My , for so stating'arc briefly- aa folT . low > Firstly, at £L& last election tto Vrsiolo , »f tbe Farmers' Union i candidates, certainly ion this .coast, and Ibeliove throughout tho Duiiiinxm, ;WQie Opposition candidates. ■/ In as £ar:as I can find out, did the : anaaa soppart*a Government man. The leaders of :tne tnuon - and . tho most -prominent jtaon inythe union >aro of: strong. Opposition, .'tendencies, e.g-, Mr. Ooopor, vioe-preaident \ tot Wellington province, was Opposition eon-', ■ clkfale ,for- P&tnntua; tho. Auckland president « (Captain.- Bell), Opposition ; osndidate for "Waikato"; tho Gantcrbur7 president (Mr. Jones),, Opposition candidate for Ashburton; ■ the Otaao president is at present Opposition member:for Tomuka. Secondly; there can bo ■no denying the fact, that at the last ekction tho whole weight of tho nnion and every froto tho loaders could influence waa used for . tho benefit oft ono political party. I could tnenfaon; other things, bnt' if the' above -do ■ not provo that tbo union is to aU intents and putposos a party organisation, I should : nke toiknow" further action the union . must ■ tako before, ono .would - bo : justified''-in ■ R)"t«rniiiig it. A ll M their talk of • 1 impartiality in:-politico,' as. in every thing else, itis'Moeds not words''thai, connt.—Z Bin, • . ~ _ , , , . E. H. CRABB. -.■■.■,.m>orfidd,'Hoiffing, April'? 7.