FARMERS' UNION CONFERENCE

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXVII, Issue LXXVII, 1 August 1918, Page 4

FARMERS' UNION CONFERENCE

SUBJECTS DISCUSSED

At th e Dominion Conference the following subjects, among others, were discussed:—

THE WAR.

It was resolved, on the motion of Milt. Dunn (Auroa): "That the. Farmers' Union do its utmost to bring before the people of this Dominion the fact that m order to win the war it is necessary that we should be all inspired with a united determination, to each do his or her utmost in helping to bring about the desired result, a lasting and an honorable peace." It was also resolved "that the national flag should be hoisted at all schools and the children taught to salute it on all State occasions." A remit from Wellington was carried m the following f or_i:—"That, in the opinion of this conference, the only way to stop the flooding of this Dominion with enemy manufactures after the war is by seeing that legislative restrictions be imposed and that steps be taken to educate the people not to deal with any merchant, importer,, firm or company who in any way handles German manufactures.'' NATIONAL ECONOMY. The following resolutions wer© carried: — ' 'That the Government he urged to go» into the matter of producing fuel from waste products to take the placej of benzine.' "That this conference favors any attempt to establish a distillery solely for I the production* of commercial alcohol." RESTRICTION OF PRICES. "That this conference disapproves of the principle of the Government controlling prices except for Imperial war purposes, but, as practically all fanners' products have been requisitioned and the prices regulated, w e call upon the Government to protect us from exploitation by taking steps to check the unwarranted increase in the prices of materials and machinery and other necessaries which are essential to farmers for the maintenance of production." (Auckland).—Carried. It was also resolved—"That the Government be urged to regulate the prices lof manures and control supply of oil j fuels, so that the requirements of essential industries will have precedence.'s' ! SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT. ' Several remits in regard to the aboli--1 tion of Party Government aud the substitution of an elective executive on the lines of the Swiss Government were withdrawn in favor of the following motion brought forward by Major D. H. Lusk (Auckland): —

(a) "That this conference considers that the time has come when the party system should be superseded by seme form of Government calculated to cairy more truly into effect the v:ews of the electors, and tending to eliminate from the politics of the Dominion the many eA-ils that have grown up around theparty system, and this conference suggests that the Government be urged to bring in a form of government somewhat on the lines of the Savlss Constitution, whereby each member of the Cabinet is chosen by a proportional representation vote, and who consequently would b.e elected by a majority of the members of Parliament, and elected because of his fitness to carry on the work of his particular department, thus elim- [ mating Government by party." (b) "And that the Dominion and Provincial Executives take immediate steps lin order that the Farmers' Union may enter upon an active campaign to ' bring the principle before the electors. lof the Dominion." Major Lusk urged that the party system of government resulted in much : Avaste of time, and the best brains were ! not made good use of for the benefit of , the country. President Wilson had given | a good deal of thought to the matter, ; and favored the Saviss system, in which there Avas an elimination of the objec- | tionable spirit of party. The experience jof New Zealand Avas that men had to • sink principles in order to vot© for j party. Party Government had been deemed inadvisable in time of stress, ' and it was a fair deduction that it ■ might be easily dispensed with in nor- ; m&i times. With non-party Government. jit Avould not b_ a case of saying who I was going to run the Treasury or to be Prime Minister, but to ascertain really ! the best means of attending to the afj faii-s of the country on business lines. \ The men most qualified Avould be chosen !to carry on the administration of the various departments, and things would not be so much left to officials. This was a good time to face the matter boldly, and it Avas avoll worthy of the most thorough investigation. The subject was debated from several ■ points of vieAv. The mam point urged i in favor of the party system Avas that | after all, though there appeared to be much Avaste of time, it always alloAved of the political atmosphere being cleared. It Avas urged that under the elective system many doors Avould be open to graft and corruption. It Avas also stated that since the establishment of the National Government the disadvantage of dispensing with party methods had been distinctly visible. I The president, addressing himself? to the question, pointed out the difficulty under Avhich a non-party system of concentrating views into one policy to becarried out. On what grounds Avere members of Parliament to be. elected ?

It seemed to him that there Avould be any amount of room for "log-rolling." Political promises to secure election as a Minister would be profuse, and corruption might ensue. Pope had written —

For forms of Government let fools contest, That Avhich is best administered is. best.

No doubt the great thing was good administration. The defects of party government were generally acknoAvledged, but the trouble Avas to find something that Avould be sure to be better. It seemed to him that it was preferable* to have "the devil you know than the devil you don't know." It was resolved that the executiveshould be asked to remit the Avhole subject to the branches for consideration Avith a vieAv to instructing delegates. lioav to vote at next conference. THE REFERENDUM. It was proposed by Mr R. Dunn. (Auroa)—"That the union resist any attempt to extend the principle of the referendum." Considerable opposition Avas shown to the remit, Avhich came from Taranaki. An amendment that the words "beyond the limits of theliquor question" should be added Avas*--carried. The motion as amended Avasthen adopted. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Mr J. H. Joll (fiaveiock North) moved —"That the attention of the Government bo called to the fact that in the recent appointments to tho Legislative Council the farming and pastoral community has been overlooked, and that in the ■.-•■inion of this conference representations should be made to the Government to remedy this condition of things."

Mr A. J. Nichol (MaiHand) seconder} the motion, which avp.s carried.