FARMERS’ UNION

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 June 1936, Page 5

FARMERS’ UNION

DEFENCE OF MR POLSON

[PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

GISBORNE, .lune 19

Resentment at the criticim of Mr Tolson, M.P., was expressed by memLers at the annual meeting of the Poverty Bgy Provincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union to-day. Mr T. Trafford, in introducing the subject, said Mr Polson had been badly “knocked” by some of the branches of the Farmers’ Union. He thought that a resolution should be sent from the Poverty Bay branch, thanking him for the work he had done. No matter what Dominion President the New Zealand Farmers Union might have, he could not, to the speaker’s mind, do work that Mr Polson had done. He not only fought for the farmers with brains, but with money. His advocacy of the farmers’ cause cost him many thousands of founds. Now that he was getting all these knocks from branches of the Union, and in the House, the speaker thought it would be a kindly action to send him a vote of thanks for the work he had done in the past, and he hoped the Dominion Conference would follow suit.

Mr W. T. Veitch said that when he read' of a vote of censure being passed, by a branch on Mr Polson, he almost cried. The idea of a branch daring to censure Mr Polson, who had given his life’s time and his money to improve the position of the farmers was “rotten.’’

The president, Mr J. E. Benson, said he agreed with Mr Veitch that when a man served fifteen years as president of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, and then a few irresponsibles carried resolutions adverse to him, and had them spread throughout New Zealand, it was indeed deplorable. Mr Polson had wanted to retire last year, but they insisted on him remaining in office. “Now he is going out,” concluded the speaker, “let us be decent, and commend him for what he has done!” It was decided, on Mr Trafford’s motion, that q, vote of thanks be passed to Mr Polson, that he be congratulated on the great work he had done for the farmers, and that the branch recommend that he be permitted to retain a seat on the executive for many years.

COMPULSORY MEMBERS!! IP

GISBORNE, June 19

At its annual meeting, the Poverty Bay Provincial Branch of the Farmers’ Union to-day decided that, in view of the new legislation, a recommendation lie made to the Dominion Conference of the Farmers’ Union, that membership of the Farmers’ Union should be made compulsory on all farmers in the Dominion.