NO POLITICS

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 22, 27 July 1928, Page 11

NO POLITICS

>•> . . • ■ FOR FARMERS' UNION DECISION ADHERED TO Last year's conference of the New Zealand Farmers' Union had much to say about the question- as to whether the union should enter the political arena or not. In his presidential address to the union this year Mr. W. J. Poison' set out at length the reasons why, in the opinion of the -Political Committee, the union should keep clear of politics. These reasons did not satisfy some members who wished to have the question reopened, Mr. Poison promising to give an opportunity for discussion. This came last night, when it was moved by Mr. A. A. Ross (Auckland) that a political organisation should Tjo set-up outside the Farmers' Union 'for ihe purpose' of- putting into effect the political platform adopted by the conference. "If you want to burst the Farmers' Union, then go into politics," was the comment of ono delegate when the motion was discussed, and it represented tho view of a majority of those present, although one or two speakers gave it as their opinion that the deathknell- of the union was sounded when it decided to keep aloof from politics. It was pointed: out that any individual member ,of the union, could enter tho political arena on his own account without the union involving itself in politics. , When the motion was put to tho meeting it was lost by 36 votes to 21. The report of the Political Committee of the Farmers' Union that it was undesirable that the union as an organisation should engage in party politics, and that any political action which members decided to take must be apart from the organisation as a union, was adopted.