FARMERS DIVIDED

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 13, 16 January 1925, Page 4

FARMERS DIVIDED

COUNTRY BRANCH DISCUSSION

banking and three party ■ system:'

(BI TELBBRAI>B,—SPECIAL TO TH3 fOST.)

AUCKLAND, This Day. Apparently Auckland farmers are not altogether a. happy family in. regard to some matters now looming largely in the public eye. From a discussion at a meeting of the Matamata branch of the Far- |. mers' Union, it would appear that farmers do not all see eye to eye with each other on such important subjects as tha | establishment of an agricultural bank, or of officially supporting the new Country Party in politics. A letter was received from Mr. A. G. "Willis, secretary of the Okoroire branch, advocating thai an agricultural bank be established, and that the union withhold its support from any ' candidate for Parliament,- ; irrespective of party, who fails to support such a policy. The president, Mr. H. Bollett, said he thought an agricultural bank would be I a good thing. Mr. A. Bowler outlined the Danish system, by which district farmers gave a guarantee for approved borrowers. He was not, however, enamoured of co-opera-tive enterprises. For one thing, farmers in New Zealand moved about too much for stability to be attained. Mr. J. W. Simpson asked how an agricultural bank . could assist a farmer whose property was already mortgaged. The. letter was .formally received Mr. Madill said he had been asked by i Mr. W-.H. Allen, of Tirau, a member of tb# executive, to bring before the branch a request for the! arranging of a meeting at Matamata, for Mr. A. A. Ross to deliver an address on the aims of the Country Party. , * Members expressed- the opinion that Mr. Allen should have made the request through the secretary or president of the branch. The president said he was opposed to the formation of a Country Party, but on account 'of* the services Mr. Boss had rendered to the farmers for years past, he would like to see him get the meeting. Mr. A. Bowler said he considered that the'country did not want three or four parties. The three-party system had been a failure'in the States of Australia, and the Irish party had held up legislation in the Imperial Parliament for many years. He would rather see the farmers concentrate upon the making of one strong party. Mr. T. H. Brown' moved: "That the branch pass a resolution expressing its displeasure at Mr. Allen's discourtesy " This was seconded by Mr. Bowler, and carriad.