Colonel Bell and Farmers Union.

Northland Age, Volume 28, Issue 27, 21 March 1928, Page 7

Colonel Bell and Farmers Union.

Correspondence re Tariff Bill

Continued

Letter lOfro/27 Mr H Roberts, Pres, Jeat Bay Farmers Union, Pakaraka. Dear Sir,—Some three weeks or mere ago, I wired you requesting your executive’s opinion of the Tariff Bill, and in your reply you stated that you.would let me have it after the Kaeo Conference on the 28th, September. This : t coming to hand I wired you m 4th and 6th October, and in reply tot two telegrams from your secretary—the last of a most ext ?o«dina»y nature. Would you kindly this correrpondence and let me know why such a reply has been sent. During the past two.mombs myself anti ether :"armin<r member* have l.ad many interviews with the Minister on behalf of our farming constituents with in riiost cases good result, and the action of vour executive in refusing to assist b: supplying the information asked for is not understandable. It may be several years before another j tariff bill is introduced, and no stoae should have been left unturned to assist those members who in caucus, and by deputation and interviews, have been fighting the cause ot the primary producer. Against the-hundreds of protests that have been sent to ministers and members by the manufacturing and other interests, some of whom have gone as far as to say that they have been 1 butchered to make a tarmors holiday. Your early attention would be esteemed a personal favour. Yours faithfully—Allen Bell.

Letter 14/Ixl/27

Colonel Allen Bell M.P Dear Sir, —in reply to your letter of recent date, you request an explanation as to why the subprovincial secretary replied to your telegrams in the way he did, I must trform you that it is cot v ithin ray power to give you an explanation without first consulting my executive, I therefore propose to place vour correspondence together with a copy of the wires in question before the standing corrrnritte# for them to deal with, i desire, however, to explain my reason for handing the matter over to the secretary instead of replying to your inquiry myself. 1 was unavoidably ahs nt from tiie Kaeo meeting, so was not fully conversant with all t:,e business dealt with that day. Yours faithfully—H Roberts.

Letter 13/10/27 Ivlt Roberts, President Farmers Union, Pakanka. Dear Sir, —I have to acknowledge receipt of yours of 14th inst and have to thank you for your prompt attention. I note that you propose placing the matter before yonr committee, also your explanation that you were absent from the Kaeo meeting, and I wish you to clearly understand, that I ciomot in any way blame you for ttormost unlorrunate occurence, as-any -correspondence I have had with you, has always been dealt within a business-like manner, and with courtesy. The corr”j4gyjdence with you ,re tariff w as, as you know, caused by the protests made, bv the New Zeadar d Prelexoitoc League aud other manufacturers who literally flooded Parliament wit a literature urging higher profit 4ve duties, 'happily without result. L is regrettable. that your, secretary adopted such, an attitude whicb was id fbet utrrkinf contrast to the

replies received from other brar ches ox ihe Fat arsis Union i. rr \ electorate. It was my inteauor to publish the correspondence, but in view of your explanation, end in the interests of the Farmers Union, I will refrain from doing so. Yours faithfully, Allen Bell.

Letter 22/10/27 Mr Roberts, President Farmers Union, Pakaraka. Dear Sir,—My attention has been drawn to a report in the Northland Age, purporting to contain the correspondence which passed between myself and you and also your secretary; te the tariff up to October Bth. Would you be so good as to let me know if this been done with your sanction, arid if so, why important communications 1 5vc been suppressad-whieh will cause the general public to place quite a wrong construction on the matter. Yours faithfully, Allen Bell.

Letter 25/10/27

Colonel Allen Bell M.P

Dear Sir, —In reply to your letter dated 22nd. the correspondence which passed between yourself and myself as President of the Bay of Islands Farmers’ Union passed out of my hands when I handed over to the Standing Committee to deal with so that any official communication between yourself and the Union must be dealt with bv that Committee who are responsible for the publications referred to; so far as I know the whole of the matter from yourself and to you was authorised! for publication, You can rest aasured,that I will no* be a party to any unfair statements being made. I will look into the matter. Yours faithfully. H Roberts.

Telegram 31/10/27 Roberts, President Farmers’ Union, Pakaraka.

Many thanks for letter which reached me here. I trust that you will take all steps to counteract the entirely wrong impression which it has been attempted to create. Kind regards. Allen Bell.

Letter 31/10/27

Colonel Allen Bell M.P

Sir,—A few days ago-the Standing Committee of tho Farmers’ Union (Bay of Islands Sub-Pro-vincial District) at a meeting held in Kawaifawa instructed me to inform you that the following resolution was carried unanimously . "That this meeting of the Standing Committee having reviewed the correspondence between Colonel Bell and the SubProvincial Secretary also between Col. Bell and the Kaitaia Branch Secretary desire to remind Col. Fell that farmers having for so long suffered from mal-adminis-trarion of Dominion affairs especially as affecting the primary producers and realising the necessity for full co-ordination of their efforts now speak on all policy matter* through their appropriate executives. That being so the Sub-Provincial President requested the Secretary do reply to the correspondence as recieved being aware that the Secretary, as a member of the Provincial Executive, had an intimate knowledge of the full information which had been ojbmiitftdJo all Parliamentary Representatives including Col. Bell. The Standng Committee having perused Col Beli’s letter of the loth- October to the Sub-Provincial President cannot agtee4hat.tke SubProvincial Secretary's csgnmunicatldns op the matter have been

other than in accordance vr ' fact ar # d appropriate, B hare the honour to be, Sir, your obciierr

servant, H M Rushwpxth.

Telegram 1/11/27 Roberts, President Farmers’ Union, Pakaraka. Returned from Auckland yesterday and.find that a further instalment tariff correspondence appears in Age of 19th October. Kindly order that the whele of correspondence be published to counteract entirely wrong impression couveyed. Kind regards. Allen Bell.

Letter 6/11/27 Mr Roberts, President Farmers’ Union, Pakaraka. Dear Sir—l would esteem it a personal favour if. you would Ist me have a definite reply to my recent letters and telegrams re suppression of portion of my correspondence with you re tariff. You will readily understand that this is u serious matter. Yours faithfully. Allen Bell.

Telegram 14/1,1/27 Roberts, President Farmers’ Union, Pakaraka. I would esteem it a personal favour if you would reply at once to my various letters and telegrams re suppression portion of my correspondence. Matter is urgent and important. Allen Bell.

Letter 18/11/27 Colonel Allen Bell M.P Sir,—The President has handed me your telegram dated 14/11/27 with a request that I should rtpxy to it as follows

Correspondence between us germane to the Tariff question was published in th* Northland Age, an official organ of the Farmers’ Union. There has been no suppression of any portion Of the correspondence with the icfea of creating a wrong impression as suggested by you. If you will be so kind as to supply a copy of the correspondence alleged to have been suppressed the standing Committee will be recommended to arrange lor its publication in the same organ.

All northern papers quoted your speech in the House on this subject gnd represented you as strongly advocating increased duties on slashers, farming implements etc. Will you please advise whether there was any suppression or misrepresentation in these cases also. I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant, H M Rush worth.

Telegram 24/11/27 Secretary, Farmers’ Union, Opua.

Yours 18th. Correspondence with your President and his replies started September 9th whereas correspondence published started? October 6th and conveys totally wrong impression as to origin and purpose. Kindly publish whole. Have not seen paper you mention wherein I am reported as strongly advocating increased duties -agricultural implements. Kindly forward me name of paper and date in order that I may contradict statement which is untrue. Allen Belß (To be Continued)