NO DIFFERENTIATION

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 131, 30 November 1939, Page 15

NO DIFFERENTIATION

FARMERS AND UNION

COMMENT ON BROADCAST

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

CHRISTCHURCH, November-29.

The alleged description of the Farmers' Union as "Public Enemy No. 3" in a recent broadcast by the Director of .Commercial Broadcasting, Mr. C.. G. Scrimgeour, was the subject of a further statement today by Mr. A. M. Carpenter, vice-president of the North Canterbury branch of the union.

Mr, Carpenter commented that, in his public statement demanding proof that he had slandered the farmers, Mr. Scrimgeour had spoken throughout of "the farmers," and not of the Farmers' Union.

"Mr. Scrimgeour is reported to have said, T have never at any time said that the farmer was Public Enemy No: 3,"' said Mr.'Carpenter. "I would point out that in his denial and ■ his challenge Mr. Scrimgeour makes no reference to the. Farmers' Union, which . was the subject, of the original broadcast... It is impossible to accept Mr ; Scrimgeour's apparent suggestion that the farmer and the Farmers' Union are different things."

Referring to his remarks at a meeting of. the executive .of the North Canterbury branch last week, Mr. Carpenter said he had spoken then as an elected representative of the Farmers' Union, supporting a protest made by the Blenheim branch.

"I have been inundated with protests from those I represent, asking me what their branch of the union proposes to do," he said. "The plain facts^are these: I am a farmer, one of 30,000 who belong, to the Farmers' Union. In- North Canterbury I do. try to represent the farmers. I have been impressed by the attitude of the Dominion body and of every branch of the union in their, offers of co-opera-tion with the Government in the prosecution of the war and in response to the call' of Britain and of our Prime Minister to increase production. • . ' "As a farnjier I am .also proud of the Minister's commendation of the planting of 60,000 extra-acres of wheat this season. Probably 90 per cent, of the farmers responsible for that extra production are members of the Farmers' Union." :

Those 30,00& farmers,.who were cooperating so loyally with the Government, were all members of the Farmers' Union, Mr. Carpenter added. It was impossible to reconcile the statements of the Minister with such statements, as; Mr. Scrimgeour, was reported to. have made.

JRepeating that there could be no 'differentiation between farmers and the Farmers' Union, Mr. Carpenter said: "If I were Catholic and the Catholic Church were assailed, I would take it as an affront to me personally." .That this was. the attitude of farmers was shown, by the disturbing effect Mr. Scrimgeour's broadcast had had. "It was regrettable that any disturbing influence should detract in any way from the co-operation of farmers in increasing production.