STRONG STAND

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26027, 15 December 1945, Page 6

STRONG STAND

FARMERS DETERMINED HALTING SOCIALISTIC DRIFT COMMENT ON FUTURE PLANS What may be regarded as the official attitude of the Otago Provincial Council of the Federated Farmers of New Zealand to the present strained relationship between the farming community and the Government was contained in a statement made at yesterday’s meeting of that body by the president, Mr J. S. Hunt, of Maungawera. “ Too much has already appeared in the press concerning our plans to halt the drift towards Socialism and economic chaos that is the obvious policy of the Government at the present time,” Mr Hunt said. “It is to be deplored if, as reported in the press, the executive of the Federation of Labour is ‘ merely amused ’ at the plans being prepared by Federated Farmers to halt this drift.” Farmers “ Merely Amused ” The president of the South Canterbury Farmers’ Federation, Mr J. Dempsey, must have been speaking on his own account when he suggested that there should be more co-operation by the farmer and willingness to understand the attitude of the Government, the speaker continued. The Federated Farmers considered that there had already been the fullest co-operation possible on the farmers’ part, and as for understanding the Government’s attitude, they felt that this was now one of land confiscation, as stated by the Prime Minister (Mr P. Fraser) in the House of Representatives last month. There might be two meanings to the word “ confiscation,” but farmers knew of only one. Farmers, too, were ‘ merely amused ’ at the reply of the Minister of Finance, Mr W. Nash, concerning the taking over of one of the largest stock and station agencies. He had stated that he knew nothing about it. He had given the farmers the same reply in July when asked about the country quota. _ “ Federated Farmers,” Mr Hunt continued, “is rapidly being built into a powerful organisation, and its influence will be used for the benefit of the country as a whole. It is no reflection on the Government for tolerating a politically diseased minority in their controlling authority—the Federation of Labour.” Spontaneous Outburst Predicted The farmers’ plans were definite, and if they had to be put into operation this would be done at a time suitable to the farmer and not to the Government. Their plans were constitutional, and they did not believe in unconstitutional action. Should action ever come to this country, it would come from a spontaneous outburst by a majority of the people—not from a section of the people. The following committee was appointed to control a defence fund created by the executive to place the organisation of the Federated Farmers on a proper financial footing:—The chairman, Messrs J. Andrew, J. D. Mosley. A. S. Orbell, W. P. Saunders, J. S. Elliot, S. Sim, and N. Denford (representing the poultry farmers).