NOT AFRAID OF LABOUR

Northland Age, Volume 25, Issue 27, 22 October 1925, Page 3

NOT AFRAID OF LABOUR

MR. WILKINSON'S VIEWS UNDERGO A CHANGE. Speaking at Kaitaia on August 19 1924 on the question of the Farmers’ Union taking political action Mr. George Wilkinson .said he believed strongly that farmers, to protect themselves against the other strongly organised sections of the comm, unity and the financial rings and trusts, must enter the political arena as a party and a lighting force. It was ridiculous, sa:d Mr. Wilkinson, to contend that they could not or should not, enter politics. In Australia the Farmeis’ Party was a tower of strength, and had been able to force strong men out of Ministries. He detailed instances where the Party had been able 10 dictate terms, protect themselves, and get their representatives into Ministries. Why should farmers enter politics? was the question asked. The reasons why they should so exceeded those why they should not that the question was almost an absurdity. The wot king of land and the marketing of produce were dependent on means of communication. Look at

our railway construction, which was pa;i lolly slow, and our roading, which was really a national matter. Farmers went into the backblocks to develop the count!y, and were neglected by ever' party which jot into power. These men were bearing tremendous burdens, and were not getting a fair deal. The Government was giving no encouragement to these people—in fact, Government neglect ol ihe farming community was leading to the undesirable drift of people to the cities. In education ihe towns had all the best of the deal. Schools in towns were better equipped and better staffed. There wane proper provision for training in agriculture. Fanners were disinclined to enter politics, and this was all to the good for the Government. The Labour Party was being used as a bug-bear to frighten farmers. It was an it, - sane idea that the Labour Party would crush the farmers-they would be no more harmful to the farmers than the present party in prnter Take banking as an instance of the treatment meted out to farmers. The farmers wanted an Agricultural Rack. These had been successful, in fact had helped to build up the industry in other countries. The Government would give no encouragement to the scheme here. Why? Possibly the reason lay in the Tact that many members of Parliament were big shareholders iri the Bank of N.Z The Bank of N.Z. was one of the farmers’ greatest siumbiing blocks. The other banks were not nearly so bard. It had to be remembered that of our enormous exports 90% came from the land. As to Ihe practicability of a Farmers’ Party political history of the last few years made it perfectly plain (hat it was an easy matter to get members into Parliament and, by their means, get better conditions for farmers. In Australia the bulk of the population was in, or near cities. Yet, in the Federal Parliament, and in several of the State Parliaments, the Farmers' Party held the balance of : power, and were able to make or break Ministries. In Victoria twelve members, of the Farmers’ Party had been returned. They dictated terms, asking for better conditions and legislation, and for greater country representation in the Ministry. When their terms were refused they voted with Labour, and evicted the unsympathetic Ministry. Personally, said Mr. W ilkinson, he had not the fear that a lot ot people seemed to have of a Labour Government. They would be all right, for a while at any ra'e, and would give the farmers legislation that Ihe present Government refused. Canada also had a Farmers’ Party, which had got into powerIf the farmers here had a party and members in Parliament it would be well for the country as a whole as well as for the farmers. The big financial institutions had too much “pull” with Ihe present Party in power.

The sole agencies were instanced as one of the curses of the farmer. There were too many parasites preying on the fanning community—too many middlemen. The Bank of New Zealand, controlled by the Government, paid dividends of 15 percent to 20 per cent, a large amouat of which came out of the pockets ef the farmers The farmers giowt but pay—they won’t organise to protect themselves. The moneyed interests were against them, and the Government gave little encourage ment. Denmark was an instance of what co-op-eration and Farmers’ Banks could do. Banks heie lent in good times, but tightened up when times were hard, and in this the Bank of New Zealand was the wot st. In moving a vote of confidence in Mr. hell at Kaitaia on OctobcrU2ih 1925 Mr Wilkinson saw no need for the Country ”arty and saw great danger in splitting die vole and. letting the Labour Party into power. Comment is unnecessary.