SUPPORT SOUGHT

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 138, 8 December 1945, Page 8

SUPPORT SOUGHT

MEETING OF BUSINESS MEN \ Those who attended yesterday's meeting were present by invitation from the Makara-Hutt Provincial District of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, and it was stated that the policy t was the national policy of the Do- i minion organisation and "was being im-i plemented throughout the country. Mr.; R. G. Buckleton presided, and those present were asked to place the proposals before their respective organ-; isations with a view to giving the \ farmers supportMr. R. G. Buckleton, president of the branch, was in the chair, and said he was asking the business men to declare themselves. They had to be on one side or the other. They did not mind if a mar. declared himself against the proposals, but they would not tolei'ate the man who "kidded them along" and then let them down when it came to a showdown. He said that as a result of the farmers' quota, farmers I would be handicapped to the extent of 45 per cent, in relation to the rest of the community. The position, they expected, would be that'there would be 43 city seats in Parliament and 33 rural seats. He detailed the representations that had been made to the j Government and charged the Govern- !

rnent with ''kidding them along with half-truths." "The fanners are mad about the way this Bill was foisted on the country," said Mr. Buckleton. "We had

(been mad for some time, but this j brought it to a head, and we have I drafted proposals for action, including 'direct action. We hope that these proposals will be accelerated by the sup- ; port of the business community, and i when the Boundaries Commission has fixed the boundaries we will knowbetter how we stand. "It is no good your saying that it '• can't happen to you. It can happen. :and it has happened—you have seen i the shareholders of the Bank of New i Zealand robbed. The Bank of New : Zealand today is a Government insti- | tution. Have nothing to do with it. I 1. for one am not prepared to accept a IBank of New Zealand cheque. We are i helping to fight your battle, and we ! are asking you to help us." Mr. Buckleton said that the farmers were not so easy to get at as the business community, which was divided into sections which could be got at individually FARMERS "DEFINITELY HOSTILE." i His remarks were supported by Mr. :H. J. McLeavey, of the Manawatu ! branch of the Farmers' Union. Mr. 1 McLeavey said the farmers were up in arms, and in his district they did not know just what they might be called upon to do by the pressure from the i farming community. "They are definI itely hostile, and^ ready to go over the top when it comes to direct action," he said. The policy they outlined was quite a mild one, and there was nothing unconstitutional about it. A voice: It is too mild. Mr. McLeavey said that this was just a start, a little test of the loyalty and sincerity of the farmers. They would be guided in any further action they \ might contemplate by the reaction to, these proposals. "We do not want to! take direct action." he added, "and I ' hope that it can be avoided. We are: prepared to play fair with anyone ■ who plays fair with us, but not when, the dice are loaded against us. We j suspect that there is a very strong' gang behind the Government calling the tune. but. we hold the Government responsible.'' (Hear, hear.) SPEAKING WITH ONE VOICE. Mr. J. Fleming, president of the Freedom Association, speaking in support of the proposals, said the business organisations should get behind the farmers. In the past their representations to the Government had been made by separate sections, and each representation was considered by the Government from the point of view of its effect on votes-. "In the past our representations have been made through 38 voices," he said; "Labour speaks with one voice." They now had the Freedom Association, representing the Employers' Federation, the Associated Chambers of Commerce, and the Manufacturers' Federation, organisations of conflicting interests prepared to speak with one voice, and they wanted the farmers' support. If they had that there would be one body representing the primary and secondary industries. "We are solidly behind the farmers as long as they observe the fact that action is on constitutional grounds. Direct action will get us nowhere." Mr. W. H Hindle, president of the Associated Chambers of Commerce said that the business men had to be very active in the danger that was lacing them. This was no time for appeasement. A resolution that the meeting endorse the policy of the farmers as outlined was withdrawn so that the proposals could be considered by the organisations represented.