MR POLSON, M.P.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 22 June 1936, Page 7

MR POLSON, M.P.

! >■ WORK FOR FARMERS i ■ CRITICISM RESENTED IN POVERTY BAY (United Press Association) i GISBORNE, 20th June. 1* Resentment at criticism of the Dominion president, Mr Poison, M.P., was expressed by members at the annual meeting of the Poverty Bay provincial executive of the Farmers’ Union yesterday. Mr M. T. Trafford, in introducing the subject, said that Mr Poison had been badly “knocked” by some branches of the union and he thought a resolution should be sent from the Poverty Bay branch thanking him for the work he had done. No matter | what Dominion president of the New ' Zealand Farmers’ Union might have, he could not, to the speaker’s mind, ,do work that Mr Poison had done. He jhad not only fought for the farmers i with his brains but 'with his money. His advocacy of the farmers’ causehad cost him many thousands of pounds. Now that he was : getting all these knocks from branches of the [union and in the House, the speaker ' thought it would be a kindly action to sc-nd him a. vote of thanks for the work he had done in the past, and he hoped the Dominion conference would follow suit.

Mr W. T. Veitch said that when he read of a vote of censure being passed by a branch on Mr Poison he almost cried. The idea of a branch daring to censure Mr Poison who had given his time and his money to improve the position of farmers was Vrotten.” . The president (Mr J. E. Benson) said he agreed with Mr Veitch that when a man served fifteen years as president of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union and then a few irresponsibles carried resolutions adverse to him and had them spread throughout New Zealand, it was indeed deplorable. Mr Poison had wanted to retire last year but they had insisted on his remaining in office. “Now he is going out,” concluded Mr Benson, “let us be decent and commend him for what he has done.” It was decided, on Mr Trafford’s motion, that a vote of thanks be passed to Mr Poison, that he be congratulated on the great work done for farmers, and to recommend that he be permitted to retain a seat on the executive for many years.