FARMERS AND LABOUR.

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 3 June 1932, Page 4

FARMERS AND LABOUR.

If the South Taranaki Executive’s recommendation to the Dominion executive of the Farmers’ Union regarding a conference with the trades unions is acted upon, a new element will be introduced in the national activities of the farmers of this country. The recommendation made at Hawera yesterday was that the Dominion organisation of the Farmers’ Union should appoint delegates to meet representatives of 90,000 trade unionists. The object of such a conference is not made more specific than an exchange of ideas be-

tween representatives of the rural industries and the workers in the trades, it. being hoped that “misunderstanding” would be thus removed and a “common policy might even be evolved.” It is true that, as one of the delegates said, the working farmer, while he has nothing in common with the Parliamentary Labour Party, has something in common with labour and there is room for a better understanding by each side of the difficulties and aims of the other. Nevertheless, farmers will have to move warily if they wish to keep the union free of party politics. The South Taranaki executive was well advised to transfer responsibility for acceptance of the invitation to attend the conference on to the shoulders of the Dominion executive. The latter body is in a position to know more about the true nature of this movement than any provincial executive, and in its hands there should be less danger of farmers being “used.”