FARMERS AND POLITICS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1232, 14 September 1911, Page 4

FARMERS AND POLITICS.

NEED FOR COMBINED ACTION. (By Telesraph.-Snecial Correspondent.) Auckland, September 13. 'At a Farmers' Union meeting at Putmahoe a prominent member of the Auckland Executive (Mnjor Lusk) eaid that when tho farmers all recognised what they would gain from the union and its trading association they would join to a man. Only about 10 per cent, of tho farmers in New Zealand belonged to the union. _ This showed that the rest wore not alive to what was happening, or looking after their own interests. Eo suggested that tho resignation of the Hon. George Fowlcls foreboded an attempt to introduce the single tax and the nationalisation of the land, and the consequent conversion of tho farmer into a Eorf. Therefore, it was high timo the farmers realised that they must combine so as to have some political weight. If the union had ten times its present strength the Govemmient would find it necessary to consent to every i fair domsnd that tho farming community might make. Mr. A. Schmidt (secretary of the provincial executive) said tho trading association was making good; progress, and would soon bo one of the most powerful trading bodies in the province. Mr. J. W. Makgill said they could not blame the merchants for making, largo profits out of them, nor the legislators for treating them in a way not altogether such as they desired j for if those things happened, it was the fault of tho farmers themselves for not organising. The same position applied to politics, and the farmers should show that if they wcro not treated properly they could step in and do tho legislating themselves.