FARMERS AND POLITICS.

Evening Star, Issue 14636, 4 August 1911, Page 10

FARMERS AND POLITICS.

Regarding the attitude of tho Farmers'. Union towards politics, as disclosed by, tho recent conference at Wellington, the Minister of Agriculture (Hon. T. Mackenzie) tavs:—"lf it means that the Farmers* Union are going to form the Opposition party —as many say they intand to do—it must, of course, place that body upon a new basis, not necessarily on our part. What I mean by that is this: At presentwhen the farmers meet in conference 1 earefullv go through the agenda paper and obtain "the most minute information on every point they purpose dealing with, in order that I may go before them in an entirely non-party spirit, and with a singleness" of purpose for procuring the best interests that they are there assembled to advocate. Speaking as.Minister of Agriculture, I may say that I have endeavored to raise my "work above party. When party enters into a question there is a tendency, perhaps unconsciously, to .<ce only evil in all that is done by thoee with whom, for the time being, they are not in accord. No one has been more devoted to the interests of agriculture than I have been during my twenty-four years' association with public life. In the government of a country it is not wke for any oection of the community to elect members solely on promises given to that particular Stwti-on. There are developing factors in our community at the present time which may have to be handled with no ordinary care, and in the event of such not. being exercised, consequences may arise whicli may take many years to correct, if cor-. rec'ticn be possible at all."