FARMERS' PRESIDENT IN POLITICES

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 115, 16 May 1936, Page 8

FARMERS' PRESIDENT IN POLITICES

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —I wish to enter a .strong protest against the remarks made by Mr. J. Cocker at the meeting of the Eltham branch of the New Zealand Farmers' Union on May 12, and as reported in your paper of May 13. I would like to make public the fact that Mr. Poison endeavoured last year to retire from the presidency of the union, and it | was only after very strong repeesen- | tations had been made to him that he consented to stand again. I may state that I understand Mr. Poison was elected by an overwhelming majority, and that this has always been so. In any case, the only other candidate for the office of president was an unsuccessful aspirant for Parliamentary honours. Mr. Poison has definitely stated that he will be retiring this year, and Mr. Cocker's statements are ill-timed. I would like Mr. Cocker to state what "proposals made by the present Government in the interests of the farming community" Mr. Poison has "thwarted." Does Mr. Cocker consider that proposals to deprive farmers of their freehold are "in the interests of the farming community"? Mr. Polson's efforts to try and preserve the rights of the farmers evidently did not appeal to Mr. Cocker. In any case it is not a very sporting action to try and decry a man who has given so many years of service to the Farmers' Union, and who has prejuI diced his own political position by doing so. —I am, etc., ■ • FARMERS' UNION MEMBER.