DIFFICULT TIMES

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 1, 1 July 1939, Page 10

DIFFICULT TIMES

FARMING INDUSTRY

"FACING SERIOUS POSITION"

WORST IN HISTORY

The opinion that the position facing the farming community in New Zealand today is more serious than at any time, was expressed by Mr. W. W. Mulholland, Dominion president of the New Zealand Farmers'. Union, when speaking at the Makara-Hutt Valley provincial executive meeting yesterday. Plain speaking, he declared, was required and it was necessary also that they stand up for their rights and an equitable economic adjustment, in the interests of the community as a whole. Mr. Mulholland said they were living in times when it was necessary for them to be fairly plain spoken about things as they affected the farming community, and to stand up very definitely not only for their rights but for the adjustment of things on an equitable basis from an economic point of view in the interests of the whole community. He was very definitely of the opinion that they were facing the most serious position they farming industry had ever faced in New Zealand, and in saying that he was fully aware of the difficult time through which they had passed five years ago. WORSE THAN IN 1934. He had just been going into certain figures and had found that the relative position of the farming .community was worse 4oday, than in 1934. People, other than farmers, would not believe that. It was very difficult to convince a person who was having a good time that there was anything wrong, and most of the people of New Zealand! were having a good time, but it was at the expense of the stored wealth which the farmer had produced. As farmers, however, and knowing the position, they were in duty bound as patriotic New Zealanders to state the position to the people of New Zealand and it was not a welcome statement. Further, it, had to be presented to the people dispassionately, and he would prefer to state, the position as a pure statement of fact. Such he considered was the policy they should pursue. Mr. Mulholland referred to difficulties confi'onting the country generally, and the farming community in particular. He had always endeavoured not to attack the Government, he said, but only those measures which he thought were wrong. He had endeavoured always to put out positively the policy of the Farmers' Union, and ,not merely ; to criticise those things which they said ! should not'be done,^ but to try as far as possible to put up what they thought ought to be done. That was why their criticisms had been taken notice of in New Zealand. It was their duty to act at all times in the best interests of their industry and their country. Mr. R. Sievers, provincial president, thanked Mr. Mulholland and paid tribute to his leadership. He assured Mr. Mulholland that the farmers all realised the wonderful work he was doing, and they would support him to the fullest possible -extent. In returning his thanks, Mr. Mulholland said that it was a great inspiration to have their loyalty and the loyalty of the farmers throughout New Zealand.