THE COUNTRY PARTY.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4440, 21 August 1901, Page 4

THE COUNTRY PARTY.

Farnjers throughout the country are displaying activity in the formation of unions to further their interests. The producers of New Zealand have been too long disorganised. It has been com= plained that their interests, in a polk tical sense, have been neglected, be. cause of their want of cohesion and unity of purpo-se. To some extent this contention is right but it is in some directions manifestly erroneous. The conviction of the Government of the day is that unless the farmers are' successful. unless the lands of the country are adequately settled by hardworking and industrious men, there can be but little real prosperity. That has been the moving idea in the whole policy of the Government; and while mufch has been accomplished in the past, it is the determination of the Premier to do greater things in the future for those engaged in agricultural and pastoral pursuits.’ It is not necessary to recapitulate what the Government has already accomplished. Farmers through out New Zealand are aware of its beneficence and importance. Even staunch supporters of Captain Russell allow that the present Administration has greatly benefited the farming communitjh Speak, ing at Hastings the other evening, as our Napier correspondent Has told us, Mr Thomas Crosse—whoso Kuraoroa property is to be taken for closer settlement under the compulsory clauses of the Lands for Settlement Act, and who may not be expected to be in a humour favourable to the Government, even if his political leanings were expressly Liberal—declared that the Government had done much for the farmers, and he cited the advantages settlers had obtained from the Advances to Settlers Office alone. Mr Crosse might have gone further. He could have noted hew money to farmers had been cheapened, how Customs duties had been reduced, and how the incidence of taxation had been so altered as to allow the small farmer to bear less of the burdens of the State.

Still, notwithstanding all that has been done to 'benefit farmers, much more should be undertaken. In order to ensure their requirements being attended to with greater despatch, and to enable them to present a solid front to any Administration in support of iust demands, tlio farmers are forming themselves into a union which will, it is estimated, have a roll of something ke thirty thousand before the end of the present year. It is a pity that a section of producers deemed it sarv to, form a rival union to the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, for since that organisation has been shorn of its poll-

tical character and its platform re*, modelled, there is little or no. difference between the two unions. Their aims and efforts are, indeed, almost identical. They both seek to foster the material •velfare of all producers of wool, meat, butter, flax. fruit and other products. They both seek to secure regular means of communication to markets and improved methods of sale. They both seek to obtain cheaper railway and steamer freights, so that their products might he landed at the doors of the consumers at the lowest possible price over and above the actual cost of pro: duefcion. They likewise both seek protection, by legislation or otherwise, from combinations that aim at unduly exploiting the returns of the producers. In minor matters there are slight dif, ferences, but in the main the unions are alike, and it is a waste of energy and money to have farmers creating and maintaining two organisations to attain the same objects. There is, however, a belief that brth unions will ultimately amalgamate. Indeed, the only difficulty seems to he the taking over of the secretary to the Producers’ Union, and if his services were utilised, the amalgamation might he consummated immediately. It is strenuously mains tainod that the Farmers’ Union is not a party organisation, but its aim is, as Ur Majendie observed at the Hutt branch meeting tho other evening, “net to support tho present or any future Government, but simply to look (after the interests of fanners generally.’’ The fusion of both/unions ought not, therefore, to be long delayed. In tho discussion of nearly every question in this country, politics in some form or other cannot be excluded; but such politics need not necessarily be party politics. It is not reasonable to suppose that (hero is any disposition on the part of fanners to work up an organisation simply to overthrow tho Seddon Administration, which has aI, ready done more than any previous Government for tho producers. The Fanners’ Union might, however, bo utilised to support and encourage the Premier to carry out those proposals, manifestly in the interests of producers, which he has just laid down in his Financial Statement. There is the Rebate of . Crown Tenants Act, under which it is proposed to give effect to one of the platforms of the Producers’ Union. There is the scheme to exploit new' markets, to erSct cool stores for the reception of New Zealand produce at oversea markets, the subsidising of regular steam, services between this country and South Africa, and the provision for suitable freights, for all of which Hr Seddon proposes to provide, and for which tho platforms of tire Farmers’ and Producers’ Unions express urgency and need. Among the officebearers of both unions arc Liberals and Conservatives, men of small means and others of opulence. The organisations aro spontaneous, and thoir proposals have received the approbation of all classes ef country settlers. They, there: fore, are becoming a towor of strength in the country, and relying on their strength leaders of political parties may wisely' balance their legislative enact, meats. The Farmers’ Union may be relied upon to express what is sound in the agricultural and pastoral interests ; and what is in tho interests of the producer must bo admitted to be in the interests of tho country as a whole. While, therefore, sympathetic with the town workers, Mr Seddon has warned tho leaders of industrial unions that they must restrain themselves, and in the interests of tlie farmers tho Premier has already amended a measure which was shown to be objectionable to agriculturists while favourable to the workers. Apart from its utility to the producers themselves, the Farmers’ Union is certain from the force of its numbers to exert a salutary influence upon tho Legislature. And is there any reason to doubt that our political life will be improved and stimulated by the activity of tho producers at this juncture ? Properly managed, tho country ought to be the better for the creation of farmers’ unions.