STEADYING INFLUENCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26272, 2 October 1946, Page 4

STEADYING INFLUENCE

FARMERS’ NEW FEDERATION DIRECT ACTION DEPLORED \ (Special) WELLINGTON, Oct. 1. In concluding his address at the annual conference of the Federated Farmers of New Zealand to-day, the. acting president, Mr W. N. Perry, spoke of the tasks facing the new organisation. “We are not here,” he said, “in the interests of any political party. We are here to look after the interests of the farmer and we should tell the truth as God gives it to us to see the truth. We should do this in the national inter est." “ The Farmers' Union motto,” Mr Perry said, “was a good one—‘Principles. not Party, and that also should be our guiding principle—* Measures, not men.' This organisation can be a great power for good in the community. We have a job to do and we must do it. We must have a full sense of responsibility, for as I said before we have always played the part of the steady section of the community. Round us from day to day we see examples of direct action which can only lead to anarchy. I hope that affairs in New Zealand never get to such a state where we shall even have to consider adopting similar policies and I sincerely hope that we shall never employ them. “Recently in connection with the loading of wool for Spain we have seen how one section tried to dominate the whole community. We have seen it with tramway men. bus drivers and coal miners. It is our duty to act as a steadying influence when these forces of anarchy are struggling to become supreme in New Zealand. We can plav a great part if we remain steady and do what we think is right. This should be our guiding principle and I trust that it will continue to be so throughout *.oe history of the organisation. ’’