FARMING INDUSTRY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23796, 1 May 1939, Page 13

FARMING INDUSTRY

A SERIOUS POSITION WIDESPREAD DISSATISFACTION NO NEED FOR INSPIRED PROPAGANDA (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, Apl. 30. “ The statement by Mr R. K. Campbell, provincial president for Hawke’s Bay of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, ‘ that as a lead is not coming from head office we must take the lead in Hawke’s Bay,’ should prove beyond question that insinuations that the leaders of the Farmers’ Union have been endeavouring to use the organisation for party political purposes, are absolutely unfounded.” said Mr A. P. O’Shea, Dominion secretary of the union, in an interview

“Mr Campbell’s statement,-

fact, the whole tenor of the meeting as reported in the press —proves that these expressions of dissatisfaction are not only spontaneous,” Mr O’Shea said, “but that they are widespread / throughout the Dominion. As a matter of fact, the Dominion president, up to date, has counselled moderation, and the Hawke’s Bay meeting, and those meetings that have been held in other parts of New Zealand, show that the rank and file have become much more militant than the leaders have ever thought of being. “ I have just returned from a trip in the South Island,” Mr O’Shea said, and I found there that clearing sales are being held nearly every day in the week. The general public has no idea how serious the position is in the sheep-farming industry, but before very long, the depression from which the farming community is suffering will be transmitted to the general public, and it will be properly realised then. Before very long, expressions of dissatisfaction will be heard from every part of New Zealand and there will be no opportunity for anyone to say that they have been inspired by the heads of e Farmers’ Union They will be just as spontaneous as the Hawke’s Bay statement.”