PARTY POLITICS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8857, 27 April 1909, Page 4

PARTY POLITICS.

Some thoughtless persons have circulated a rumour to the effect that the Pohangina branch of the Farmers' Union has become a party organisation and is labouring for the assistance of the Opposition. These canards were of frequent occurrence some time ago, their object, of course, being to damage the Union, but . the | effort to create dissension amongst its ranks was unsuccessful, and today it is a stronger and more solid body than it has been at any time previously in its career. Those who seek to weaken the Pohangina branch of the Union by disseminating false statements are not likely to succeed in their object. As Mr Howie, the chairman, pointed out at Saturday's meeting, the Union has in its ranks members of both sides, and all farmers are niade welcome, whether Liberal or Opposition, dairy farmer or sheep farmer, men with big holdings or the small farmer. In the Pohangina branch the small farmers

predominate, and we. can state of our own knowledge that..good work lias been done by this body in advancing the cause it so strongly advocates. The guiding principle has been the advocacy of farmers' interests, and in banding together for the consummation of that worthy object the Pohangina settlers hav© shown that they are alive to their own necessities and those of the Dominion generally. The farming, community, it is gratifying to note, is awakeiiing to the need of. organisation, and we hope the day is not far distant when every man on the land will foe able to speak with pride of his membership of that "sterling and very desirable body—the Farmers' Union.