TOWN v. COUNTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVI, Issue 12584, 20 August 1901, Page 4

TOWN v. COUNTRY.

The firsfcfmits of the movement for tlie formation of Farmers’ Political Uni on Is is seen this morning in the prediction of out Vviellington correspondent that the Government’s proposals with regard to the country will be strongly criticised by the representatives of the town constituencies. This means, we presume, that one section of members will strenuously protest against the concessions and privileges it is proposed to give to the constituents of another section. Something of .this sort was inevitable. The Farmers’ Unions, ox, rather, the politicians who are busying themiselveis in their formation, have, in spite of thd earnest warning pf the Premier, raised the cry of Town against Country, and it is only natural that the workers’ organisations should prepare to meet the attack. The whole position is, of course, most deplorable. Whatever indiscretions the workers may have committed in the past; 1 they have never been foolish enough to imagine tohlat the fanners’ interests were necessiaifiily opposed to their own. They have cheerfully consented to the expenditure of large sums of public money in the promotion of land settlement and in the development of the agricultural and pastoral industries of the colony. They have scarcely raised a murmur against the country being over-repre-sented in Parliament, and have never objected to the four large cities having • no direct voice in this deliberations of the Ministry. They have, in short, frankly recognised the claimls of the 'country party to special consideration, and have loyally assisted in pressing them upon, the attention of. the Government. But new a number of interested, people who are anxious to climb into power on the Shoulders of the farmers are trying to make the rural electors believe that the workers’ unions are at the bottom of all the troubles that inflict the country, from the low price of wool to the prevalence of influenza. They have, deliberately sought a quarrel with the workers, and it is only natural, as we have already said, that the latter should resent their aggressive attitude. W© hope, however, that the town members of the House of Representatives will rise superior to the petty spirit displayed by their opponents, and offer no obstacle to the Premier’s proposals for giving further assistance to the struggling producers. ! The' best way to discredit the promoters of the Farmers’ Political Unions' is to show that there is no ground for their allegations against the workers, and that the residents in the towns are just as ready as thldse in the country to provide the conditions that are necessary for the highest development of the agricultural and pastoral industries of the colony.