The Evening Star TUESDAY, AUGUST 22, 1922. THE COUNTRY PARTY.

Evening Star, Issue 18053, 22 August 1922, Page 4

The Evening Star TUESDAY, AUGUST 22, 1922. THE COUNTRY PARTY.

The latest election development in the North Island is full of interest. Mr Poland is the Liberal member for Ohinemuri. Ho has had long, though not uninterrupted, tenancy of the seat. The Reform Party’s candidate got within 500 votes of him at the last election, in 1919, and naturally an attempt will ho made, with another Reform candidate, to oust him next December. It seems that in tho North there is a split in Reform. The Country Party is feeling its legs, and wants to walk alone. It is tho political organisation of the Farmers' Unions. Tima was when these latter were Mr Massey’s strongholds. But it seems that a long lease of power has bred in the Prime Minister a spirit of contrariness; his government is no longer tho Farmers’ Government, and he must bo taught a lesson. Therefore the Country Party announces its separate existence, and threatens to make a three-cornered contest of Ohinemuri. In a country constituency, which last voted Liberal in a straight-out contest, and whose chief town is Waihi, the splitting of votes between Country ' and Reform would make Mr Poland’s re-election a practical certainty. Mr Colbeck, who threatens to do the vote-splitting, he being the Country Party's nominee for the Ohinemuri seat, knows this perfectly well, and he is, seeking to draw Mr Massey’s attention to 1 it. He wants to drive a bargain with the Government, and its nature is this: give the fanner what he wants, or the fanner will round on you and put you out.

The fact is the farmer in the North Island is in rather a desperate mood. Ho has fallen on evil 1 days, and he is seeking a scapegoat. Perhaps the state of the farming industry in many parts of the North Island, particularly in Auckland province, is not quite realised in theso Southern parts. The decline from war prices for products, coupled with severe restriction of credit just when it was needed, played havoc with those who had holdings with a top-heavy multiplicity of mortgages on them. There was many a crash. In the first seven months of this year there were five bankruptcies in New Zealand for every two in the corresponding period of last year. Most of them were in the North Island, and an unusually high proportion of them were those of farmers. The list of bankrupts by no means covers all those who were mined. Farmers have had to walk out from their homes, practically penniless, to make ' a fresh start in the world. Cases are reported of those reputedly prosperous until a few months ago having to take situations in the country as married couples. And the bulk of those who have managed to hang on to their holdings are mow engaged in a desperate struggle to pull through. That is presumably the explanation for the mood which impels them to growl menacingly at the Government and threaten to bite the hand which once they caressed. And not only this. Convention has been thrown to the winds. In bald English Mr Oolbeck says: “They (the Country Party) had reached a stage when they could make a bargain with Mr Massey, and they were prepared to sell their votes.” And what arc the terms and conditions of sale? The Agricultural Banking Bill legislation dealing with the shipping of produce, legislation for pools in the disposal of produce overseas, and: a drastic retrenchment scheme must be brought down this session if vote-splitting is to be avoided. If Mr Massey will give them these things they will be satisfied. It is a large order. Humor has had it that the North Island small farmer has developed into the most socialistic person in New Zealand. So it would appear, so long as the Socialism is confined to rural industries and the people in the towns help to pay for the cost of the experiment. A big national outlay of capital would bo required if a Stale line of shipping to lift our exports is what is meant by one of Air Colbeck’s planks. There would probably bo additional expenditure by the Government in connection with compulsory pools, if not with agricultural banks. Yet the Country Party wants at the same time a drastic retrenchment scheme. In this, though perhaps not altogether consistent, it is perfectly right. The public expenditure ought to be cut down. But one reason why it has risen to its present height is that the State has made so many experiments of a socialistic nature that a great deal of money is absorbed by them, for big staffs are necessary—so it seems—for their administration. Practically for this reason alone, quite apart from factors arising from tho war, the annual expenses of administration have increased by seven millions sterling, as compared with four years ago. As a financial contemporary has put it, “the Civil Service of tho country would suffice for the requirements of ten millions of people instead of one.” That is partly why the farmer is in, his present position. Taxes as well as mortgage interest have ground him down, and taxation had to be heavy to meet such huge expenditure by the Government. The taxes have been .too heavy on the farmer, as is shown by tho fact that in j many cases ho simply has not paid them because ho could not; there is land tax Umonnting to £300,000, overdue, which I could only be paid if the Government I gold up (the defaulters. The Country ?arly may think it has a lever which will I move Mr Massey to do something definite ! for Sy quickly. One thing, not likely to pWa, it, which he should do is improve th« Lj£// vßJTßfc®' .