THE FARMER'S VOICE

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 127, 31 May 1935, Page 8

THE FARMER'S VOICE

Complaint was made recently by Mr. W. J. Poison, M.P., president of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, that his work for the farmers in Parliament had been hampered by branches which had given publicity to views not in agreement with the union's accepted policy. He was referring more particularly to the discussions in the House of Representatives on the Mortgage Corporation and Rural Mortgagors Final Adjustment Bills. From a statement made by Mr. Poison to the North Canterbury executive of the union, it appears that the matter is not^to be allowed to rest there. ■

It was felt now, he said, that headquarters should be given power to ■have more initiative and some measure of control over the provinces, some of which were now more or less of a liability to fanning as a whole than an asset.

This would be taken into account in reorganisation. We have no criticism to offer of this (though some of the branches and provinces may be critical) provided that the public know how the machine works. It will certainly be more satisfactory to all concerned, when the Legislature receives resolutions ■ and protests from the various units of the Farmers' Union, to know that these are the product of a system in which headquarters is using its authority to control effectively—in other words, that the farmers are repeating what the Dominion executive' dictates. But the Dominion executive cannot expect echoes to be heard with the same respectful attention as independent voices.

A more interesting/light on the purpose of the proposed reorganisation is given by a further statement made by Mr. Poison: *'-

We have to become a more effective force in the field Of general politics. The whole organisati«i must be bound into one unit so that it maytake a live fighting interest in affairs of .Jhe industry. This is only under discussion so far.

We cannot interpret this except as meaning that the union proposes to become a political body. What it hopes to gain is not clear. The fanners for over two years have been the subject of the Government's very special care. They have been granted high exchange, subsidies, relief from interest contracts, and finally the prospect of relief from capital commitments with special State-directed machinery for meeting their capital requirements iii the future. As an'industry they cannot well ask for more. The inference; to be. drawn from the proposal to become a "more effective force in the field of general politics" is that they wish now to manage everything else. If that is their purpose it is well to be frank about it; but it must be clearly understood that national government cannot be maintained on such a basis. It will be class government with no hope of a wider view of national welfare.