CORRESPONDENCE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXII, Issue LXII, 8 May 1911, Page 7

CORRESPONDENCE.

• £ , FARMERS' UNION. (To th© Editor.) Sir, —-It was with a feeling akin to fear that I counted the members who assembled at the annual meeting of the Farmers' Union on Saturday last. At the annual meeting, when the whole of the past year's work is under review, and the organised policy for the coming one anticipated, but seven out of a total of 60 members faced the chair. This apathy, this amazing carelessness in the farmer to-day, to guard his own interests is astounding. Cannot they see whitner this neglect is leading? It is leading to loss of iiberty. Why are the nations of the world arming in such feverisb haste? Not for peace, nor yet to ensure peace; but to be secure against attack from some aggressive, grasping force. And those who are hot prepared must go to the-wall. The same is being done before our eyes, though in a lesser'degree. All workers (except the farmers) of whatever degree, of whatever limitations, are organising and uniting with untiring energy. They have learnt the simple lesson of strength in union. And their policy, is exactly similar to that of some nations. It is entirely an aggressive one. And why not? Who shall blame them? The Farmers' Union policy on the other hand is, and must be defensive. But we must be strong enough to defend our rights, and this means the rights of every farmer, great and small, of every single man who gets his living directly from the land, whether he farms 10 acres or 10,000 acres, whether he sells 1 lb of putter or 100 bales of wool One and all they form the £reat body of producers, arid*when the individual suffers the whole class suffers. That the spirit of unrest is abroad is patent to all, no man can plead ignorance, the warnings have been many, so take heed lest some day we see the writing on the wall. If the*union is doing no good—as so mar ; y scoffers sa.r —oorae an<] help its. Come to the meetings, suggest advise, and help. Union means power and is not that the ultima thule of every man ? Don't sneer and don't quit; "for the treasure is for the digger—for the qtiitter the rifled land." —T~am, etc., W. J. WILLIS. , Hawera, May 8, 1911.