FARMERS' DISAGREEMENT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXVI, Issue 24, 27 December 1945, Page 5

FARMERS' DISAGREEMENT

ARBITRATION SUGGESTED

(Press Assn.) WHANGAREI, Dec. 27. A suggestion for the adoption .'of arbitration in the present dispute between the Federated Farmers' organisation and the Auckland Farmers' Union is made by Mr A. Briscoe Moore, of Pipiwai, Dominion vicepresident of tlie .New Zealand Farmers' Union. "The farmers caimot understand why negotiations between the two bodies have reached a deadlock," said Mr Moore in a statement. "I am convinced it is largely due to a genuine misunderstanding, and that charges of bad faith are unjustified and, in particular, attacks upon Mr Mulhoiland are deplorable. No man has given more in selfless service for the farmers, and to suggest that he, of all men, is smashing the Auckland farmers' interests is absurd. The Auckland delegates went to a "rules conference" in October, believing they had complied with the terms necessary for branch incorporation. They were shocked and perplexed to find it refused by Federated Farmers. On the other side, members of the Federated Farmers' . provisional council could not understand why Auckland had not carried out the procedure they thought Auckland had agreed to, and they deemed necessary. "I think the misunderstanding is centred on the last amendments to Rule 44, covering the correct procedure required for branch incorporation and, whether or not the amended rule has been accepted by Auckand, farmers are more concerned that this misunderstanding be cleared up than in post-mortems on negotiations. Months of discussion have produced agreement on the main points at issue, concerning the protection of Auckland interests. "It is unfortunate that the unified organisation should now be hung up on what is a comparatively minor matter in the face of hostility from the Government that has never understood primary production. "Farmers cannot afford to be split on the rocks of recrimination ot technicalities and I suggest that both parties might agree .upon aii . arbitrator and give him power to prescribe a course which will resolve the difficulty. This is the season of goodwill and, I hope farmers w ; uT urge upon their representatives' the solution suggested."