ANGRY POTATO GROWERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18663, 20 March 1924, Page 8

ANGRY POTATO GROWERS.

CRY FOR COUNTRY PARTY. . " TO FIGHT THE GOVERNMENT." [BX TEEECffiAPH.— COKItESPOITOfcNT.] CHKTSTCHUECH, Wednesday. At a meeting of potato growers to-day, the chairman, Mr. W. J. 'Waller, said 1 that the time was ripe• for a' Country Party, to protect farmers. ' Mr. J. W. Prebblo- said that potatoes this year at £5 a| ton would not give farmers any profit at all. "The '■ unions had the Arbitration Court to ensure a living wage, and the small farmers should also bo ensured a living wage. At present they were not working at a profit. He- did not have much faith in the Government, and there Vere many who felt the same as he did. The Minister for Agriculture, Hon. W. Nosworthy, had said time and time again that ha was out to fight for the farmer to the last ditch." Here was an opportunity -to fight. What was he doing? ! Nothing 5 The: speaker agreed - that it was time to form a Farmers' Party. JETe had always been against a town v. country controversy, but if the farmers did not fight, they would be " down and out." Three of the members of the Cabinet had agreed that the mortgage tax was a most unfair tax and the reduction of the income tax had helped only the . big man. The only thing left * was to get to work to form a .Country Party and fight the Government. „