FARMERS’ DEADLOCK

Evening Star, Issue 25676, 27 December 1945, Page 4

FARMERS’ DEADLOCK

AUCKLAND UNION AND ■ FEDERATION ARBITRATION SUGGESTED (P.A.) WHANGAREI, Dec. 27. A suggestion for arbitration in the present dispute between the Federated Farmers’ organisation and the Auckland Farmers’ Union is made by Mr A. Briscoe Moore, of Pipiwai, the Dominion vice-president of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union. “ Farmers cannot understand why negotiations between the two bodies have reached a deadlock,” said Mr Moore in a statement. “I am convinced it is largely due to genuine misunderstanding, and that the charges of . bad faith are unjustified. In particular, the attacks upon Mr Mulholland are deplorable. No man has given more in selfless service for the farmers, and to suggest that he of all men is smashing 'the Auckland farmers’ interests is absurd. The Auckland delegates went to the ‘ rules conference ’ in October believing that they had complied with the terms necessary for branch incorporation. They were shocked and perplexed to find it refused by the Federated Farmers. On the other side, the members of the Federated Farmers’ Provisional Council could not understand why Auckland had not carried out the procedure they thought Auckland had agreed to, and that they deemed necessary. I think the misunderstanding centred on the last amendments to Rule 44, covering the correct procedure required for branch incorporation, and whether or not the amended rule had been accepted by Auckland. The famers are more concerned that this misunderstanding be cleared up than in post mortems on the negotiations. Months of discussion had produced agreement on the main points at issue concerning the protection of Auckland interests, and it is unfortunate that the unified organisation should now be hung up fan what is a comparatively minor matter ( . " In the face of hostility from a Government that has never understood primary production, the farmers cannot afford to split on the rocks of recrimination or technicalities. I suggest that both, parties might agree upon an arbitrator and give him power to prescribe a course which will resolve the difficulty. This is the season of goodwill, and I hope the farmers will urge upon their representatives the solution suggested.”