FARMING INTERESTS

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 3, 29 September 1943, Page 4

FARMING INTERESTS

The constitution of the House of Representatives is not simply a matter of numbers or the strength of parties. It should be. as far as possible representative of every section of the community. An analysis of the list of members returned in the Government’s interests last week shows that the great rural industries as such are practically not represented at all. There may be said to be three Labour members who are, or have been, connected with the land, namely, the members for Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa and Kaiapoi. There are, in addition, nine electorates of a rural or semi-rural class—Otaki, Gisborne. Thames, Raglan, Waimarino, Lyttelton, Marlborough, Motueka and Westland—but they are not represented by farmers, and in most instances other interests'hold a dominating position. In the Lyttelton electorate, for instance, while the farming area of Bank s Peninsula is included, the voting strength lies in Woolston and the town of Lyttelton. Raglan and Thames include large mining districts, Westland and Motueka both mining and timber industries, and in such constituencies as Otaki and. Gisborne the centres of population probably hold a commanding position. It will be seen that the representation of the farming community in the Government ranks is extremely scanty, and the only Minister with farming experience was defeated at the polls. Probably at no time in the history of the Dominion will the Government benches be occupied by a party with so little claim to represent the basic industries of the country. It is ■very close to the irreducible minimum in that respect. One of the initial problems confronting the Prime Minister will be. the appointment of a Minister of Agriculture, and it must be admitted that the choice at his disposal does not afford much ground for hope, among the farming community of a selection being possible that is likely to give farmers any ground for congratulation.