“Farmers Must Weld Themselves Together”

Franklin Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 109, 16 September 1938, Page 5

“Farmers Must Weld Themselves Together”

TO REACH OBJECTIVE

CO-OPERATION ESSENTIAL

UNION AND PARTY POLITICS

LEADER CHANGES OPINION

AN APPEAL FOR MEMBERS

“Co-operation is essential; there must be unity among the farmers if they ever hope to become the driving force they should be in order to obtain the justice that is due to them from the authorities,” declared Mr A. C. A. Sexton, M.P. for Franklin, when speaking at the annual smoke concert of the Mauku Farmers’ Union on Monday evening. Mr Sexton made a strong appeal to ail farmers who had not already done so, to link up with the Farmers’ Union.

Mr Sexton went on to reaffirm that ;lhe farmers were the backbone of the country, this being proved by the tact that To per cent of the resources of the Dominion came from farming pursuits and 25 per cent from secondary industries. Despite the great growth of secondary industries during the past 40 years, 75 per cent of the total production came directly from the land. The people who were responsible for this should he a dominant force in the land, and it was up to them, by a united effort, to see that they obtained .a fair return for their labour. If the farmers themselves did not support their own organisation, that which

spoke for the farmers, he was sure

they would not get that to which they ,/ were entitled. “Build up your union * and make it such a strong force that Governments must give the requests of the Union the consideration they deserve. A weak organisation will get us nowhere and that is partly why the* farmers have not succeeded in the past. Legislation does not depend so much on the members in the House, but the force that is behind them —the member is the spearhead but lie must have the driving force behind him to achieve anything. If members got the support of an industry such as farming, welded together they can press for, and obtain a fair return for the farmer’s labour, but if the farmers lagged, the other interests who were united would get more than their

«hare, which means that you as farjfencrs, get less,” said Mr Sexton, who concluded by stressing the need for more unity among farmers. That unity jind driving force would result if the farmers, to a man, linked up with the union. The Spirit of Co-operation Mr V. G. Pilcher divided the union into three parts —business, instructive and social —and stressed the fact that to obtain the maximum benefits for all, the farmers must he welded into one organisation—the Farmers’ Union. Speaking of the business section, Mr Pilcher said the union could he a terrible source of nuisance to the Powers-that-be. Even at the present time the, union could claim that it was largely responsible for some of the measures designed for the benefit of the farming industry. Regarding instruction, he pointed out that competitions conducted by the union spoke for themselves and results had proved the wisdom of inaugurating them. It would not be long, he predicted, before the Danish system of adult education would be introduced into New Zealand. By the social side —functions such as those arranged by the Mauku branch of the union—Lhey were able to spread the doctrine of tolerant co-operation which had been the basis of the success of the British race. The world today was suffering because of the lack of tolerant cooperation, and until that spirit was universally adopted there would be fear of hostilities. Toleration, cooperation, and an understanding of the other fellow’s viewpoints were desirable if an everlasting order of peace was to be obtained. The British race, he said, had risen to its present envious position because of the spirit of co-operation it had adopted. Mr Pilcher concluded with an appeal to all farmers to link up with the union and so make il the driving force referred to by Mr Sexton. * The World’s Ills Mr* White said lie agreed with Mr Pilcii'cr that the numerous ills of the world today were due to a lack of toleration and co-operation. lie referred to the upheavals in different parts of the world and suggested thal if the present state of affairs continued for long there would be a major conflict. The people of the British Empire should take heed of what had happened, and was happening, in other countries. The farmers of New Zealand should think not only of their own welfare hut of the welfare of the whole country. They should have, by this, benefited from the lessons taught them by other organisations in the matter of unity. While other industries and financial interests were strongly organised, the farmers themselves were by no means as strong as they should be. Tie supported the

Looking to the Future appeal for a much larger membership and stressed the benefits to be derived from joining up with the union. Mr G. A. Moore pointed out that the East Tarnaki branch of the union was one of the strongest in (lie Province. It had as members, 93 per cent of the farmers in tlie East Tamaki district. He expressed the opinion that the Farmers’ Union should employ the tactics known as political penetration. It was the Farmers’ Union which had asked the Government for the tribunal which was to fix the guaranteed price for the season. The farmers, he asserted, must lake a larger hand in the management of their own affairs, and for this reason it was essential that they co-operate, link up with the union, and when the occasion demanded it they could speak with one voice, formulate a policy and demand that that policy be given effect to. “The Farmers’ Union has had a great past, but there is a greater future before it,” declared Mr H. 0. Mellsop, who strongly supported the other speakers in their appeal for greater unity amongst farmers. Today the necessity was greater than ever for the farmers to get together and so be able to fight their cause as one strong body.

“Must Enter Political Arena” “The time is coming when we, as a union, must enter the political arena,” emphasised Mr Mellsop. “In the past the union has been non-party political, but there must be a change in that policy. The leaders of the union have recognised that if the union is to get what it asked for, and it asked for nothing unreasonable, it must be represented in the House of Parliament. We can get further if we get direct representation from a united party in the House. Party politics are a curse as they are conducted today. If we have a party representing the rural interests we can do a great deal in curing some of the ills attendant on party politics as we know them. The day is coming when New Zealand farmers will follow the example set by Australian

States, and enter party politics. I give you this suggestion to think over so that you will be ready when the time comes to make a change for the welfare of the great industry in which we are engaged. The aim should be to get the farmers as well organised as ether sections of the community,” he concluded.

Other speakers, during the course of the evening’s entertainment, emphasised the need for every farmer seeking membership with the union.