AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVIII, Issue 240, 7 September 1928, Page 6

AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT

FARMERS’ UNION JOURNAL

ALLEGATIONS AT MATAMATA

MATAMATA, Sept. 5. Quite an animated discussion took place at the monthly meeting of tlie Matamata branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, regarding tlie attitude of the Auckland executive and tho union journal. It arose through the reading of the outward correspondence from tho August meeting at which the secretary was instructed to write protesting against the use of the union’s official organ for political propaganda. When the copy of the letter was read, Mr D. B. Higgins said that, in view of the feeling expressed at a recent conference at Hamilton, the letter should not have been sent.

Mr J. Price said that if the union was to be a political organisation there were many unionists who would have to resign their membership. The branch had many memberg, and in any case the Dominion executive was the ruling body, not the Auckland executive. Mr H. Rolltt said that the branch was one which had consistently opposed taking part in party political warfare, and had passed resolutions to that effect. Members were of all shades of political opinion, and objected to the idea of their subscriptions being used for the advocacy of one party. Mr Higgins explained that the Country Party did not want to oust the Reform Party, but merely wished to get a few members into Parliament in order to put the farmers’ views forward.

The president (Mr T. H. Prouse) said he had now ceased to read the union’s journal, as it was a most biassed paper. A Member: It’s up against the Government every time and all the time. It is most unfair.

The outward correspondence was approved, and there was no further motion on the matter. The majority of the members had joined in the discussion. and had stoutly maintained an attitude against what was terpied a disrupting influence.