FARMERS AND POLITICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17111, 17 March 1919, Page 6

FARMERS AND POLITICS.

PROPOSAL FROM WAIKATO.

PARTY MAY BE FORMED.

INTERESTS OF PRODUCERS [W (TJiUOnAIfH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT-] HAMILTON. Saturday. f The question of forming a ■ Farmers' l Political Parly was diseased by. the exe- ( eutive of the Waikato sub-provincial dis- i tjict of the Farmers' Union yesterday. In ] moving that* the executive consider the i question of. forming a Farmers' Political i Party, Mf.,R. D. Duxfleld said he had ji formerly thought there was no hoed for; i ,v farmers' political party, but his views I : had. .changed, and he now agreed that i ; those-who had advocated the- - formation I of such a party wire.'right. It was no use sending men to ' Parliament who would pull both ways, as so many members were doing at present. Candidates promisled all' sorts of things, but' as soon as they got into the House they appeared to go to sleep. At one time, to have! touched anything in regard to politics, would have damned the union, but times had changed. There was a better under' standing among farmers; they wero not I so suspicious of 'oach • other, ■ and had learned that their interests were identi-j cal. They could, therefore, now launch out, 'and form a strong and active party hi' politics., Unless they did this, the f resolutions passed by them would have 1 littlo result. He had recently, attended a conference of about .200 farmers at Whangarei, and had been'impressed by, the views expressed there in faVour of entering polities. They should iidt wed them- . selves to either party, but should draw Up a platform of fundamental requirements, which they could submit to candidates. They should not obscure their Views and ( aims, or tie 'down their representatives too stringently on minor matters. One of their cardinal planks should be in regard to the fixing of prices. Tho fixing of prices for wheat, butter, etc., , had met with disaster, and had satisfied no ono. I They were against tho fixing of prices, lor' they did not want interference with ; natural law of supply and demand. The question of the maintenance of . the main arterial roads might be another plank in tho farmers' platform. . When the platform 'was drawn up, they could submit it to candidates, and support only those, promised to endeavour to carry it but. New Zealand had taken the lead , in organising farmers, but was now falling behind. • In Australia a Farmers' Union candidato bad recently defeated a Labour candidate. <■■ He was' not advocating a party aggressive to the other sections of the community. The people of tho' Dominion relied On tho land, and in studying their oWn interests the farmers were considering the interests of every., section of •the community. The, position of politics in New Zealand Co-day was very unsatisfactory. They had the same taihoa ■ policy in regard to native laiids as that which prevailed 20 years ago. They had member? in the House who had expressed the .most revolutionary views. It was : time the farmers were up and doing. ' The matter was fully discussed, prac-. tically every speaker being in favour, of .the proposal. It seemed to be generally recognised thai if the farmers' interests were to bo safeguarded, a political party must be formed. The motion was carried, and will be . submitted to the next conference, It was further resolved, that it be an instruction to the Advisory Board •to {formulate a platform for the proposed . party, and submit it to the next meeting.