“SINGING A DIFFERENT SONG”

Evening Star, Issue 22351, 29 May 1936, Page 8

“SINGING A DIFFERENT SONG”

THE WAIL OF A DISAPPOINTED MAN MNHSTER IN REPLY TO MR P6LBGK [Pbk United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, May 29. “ It is not a bit of use of Mr Poison or anybody else coming along and telling you the Government is Socialistic and revolutionary,” said the Hon. W. Lee Martin during a surprise visit ta the provincial conference of the Farmers’ Union, in replying to the Dominion president’s opening address to the conference on Tuesday. “ Mr Poison has changed his direction so often,” added the Minister, “ that he doesn’t know by' this time what road he is travelling. He went to Taranaki after conferring with the Ministers and assured the farmers they had nothing to fear from the Government. Now_ he is going round the country singing a different song. I don’t wish any harm to the honourable gentleman, but his is the despairing wail of a disappointed man. He’s living in the past and making a gambler’s throw for the leadership of a new political party. “ You will get a fair deal if you have representations made. Don’t he afraid to make them. TheyVill be received in a friendly and courteous spirit. We are not wreckers, and want your assistance and that of the community generally in building this country.” It was his opinion that if the Government did nothing else besides restoring _ the purchasing power of the people its efforts would not have been in vain. The Government realised that if it let the farmer down it would let everybody else down.

Mr H. O. Mellsop, president, expressed appreciation of the attitude of the Ministers when interviewed in Wellington. He congratulated the Government on putting the parliamentary debates on the air.