THE FARMERS’ UNION

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6488, 7 April 1908, Page 3

THE FARMERS’ UNION

ITS RELATIONS WITH THE EMPLOYEES' FEDERATION. It hna lons been a matter of speculation whether the Farmers’ Union would listen to tho blandishments of tho Employers’ Federation and join forces with that body in fighting organised labour. Tho chief argument used by tho leaders of tho Union when tho Federation first approached it was that tho Union was supposed to represent all classes of men on tho land, tho employer as well as tho employee, and if tho Union had not eucceedod in attracting farm workers to its standard nothing should bo done to alienate their sympathy. This argument is hardly likoly to bo used now. The city agitator has obtained the ear of the farm labourer, and tho Union has had to take up the chief role of tho Employers’ Federation. But the Union, or * section of it, is still disinclined to work hand in hand with tho Federation, for tho reason that on the tariff question the interests of tho two bodies are antagonistic. Tho Farmers’ Union behoves in a modified free trade-taxation through tho Customs to he on a rovenuepnoducing basis, while tho Federation is avowedly protectionist. Speaking on tho question, at a meeting of tho Ekotahuna branch of the Union, the other day, Mr T. Moss, the chairman, «aid he held no brief for tho proposal, as tho interests of tho respective bodies wore far from being identical. Those who composed the Industrial Union were merchants and traders who clamoured for protection, while the Farmers’ Union agitated for free trade. He called to mind the case where merchants set tho machinery of Parliament to work to squash tho operations of a trust which had lowered the price of agricultural Implements. Tho case in point was proof positive that the interests of the two bodies were not identical. It was stated, he said, that if tho two unions wore united sufficient pressure could be brought to bear to effectually combat tho trend of labour legislation. This was all right in its way, but tho speaker objected to tho creation of paid agitators on either side. The farmers had amongst their numbers men of sufficient ability to conduct tho cases of farmers in disfmtes which might arise, without invokng the aid of professional assessors, as amployed by tho Employers’ Federation.