CRITICS REBUKED

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 6, 2 October 1929, Page 11

CRITICS REBUKED

ALLIES FOR MR. POLSON

Dominion Special Service

Dunedin, October 1. The president of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union has staunch" allies in the members of the Otago Provincial Executive. At this morning’s meeting of that body an emphatic motion was passed which voiced disapproval of the methods used in directing criticism against the Dominion president. After the secretary had read clauses from the report of the Dominion conference, Mr. E. H. Murney said that the matters embodied in the clauses were the very things Mr. Polson had been striving for in Parliament. There was nothing there in which the Otago branch was not unanimous, with the possible exemption of the land and income tax findings. As time went on the farmers were swinging over more and more to some form of income tax. Mr. Polson occupied a difficult position. The criticsm levelled at him was deplorable, as also were the methods employed by the people who criticised him, particularly through the use of the Press. The whole business was detrimental to the union, and it was quite possible that as a result of it the Union might have lost prestige. The speaker moved: “That the executive strongly emphasises the fact that the Farmers’ Union cannot succeed in continuing to be the benefit it has been in the past to farmers if the criticism levelled against the Dominion president continues to be made by the methods adopted. The executive also points out that as a matter of courtesy all matters _of this kind should go through the Dominion Executive. The executive would further point out that Mr. Polson, in July last, was unanimously elected president by a Dominion conference.” He added that if things went on in that way it was doubtful if they would get any man to occupy the position. They did not wish to hinder criticism in any way, but he would like to see it made through the proper channels—through the Dominion Executive. The motion was seconded by Mr, J. Christie and carried,