THE POLITICAL ARENA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3881, 31 July 1928, Page 11

THE POLITICAL ARENA.

ATTITUDE OF FARMERS’ UNION. WILL NOT ENGAGE IN PARTY POLITICS. WELLINGTON, July 28. Last year’s conference of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union had much to say about the question as to whether the union should enter the political arena or not. In his presidential address to the union this yehr Mr W. J. Polson set out at length the reasons why, in the opinion of the political committee, the union should keep clear of politics. These reasons did not satisfy sonic members who wished to have the question reopened, Mr Polson promising to give an opportunity for discussion. This came last night, when it was moved by Mr A. A. Ross (Auckland) that a political organisation should be set up outside the Farmers’ Union for the purpose of putting into effect the political platform adopted by the conference. “If you want to burst the Farmers’ Union, then go into politics,” was the comment of one delegate when the motion was discussed, and it represented the view of a majority of those present, although one or two speakers gave it as their opinion that the death-knell of the union was sounded when it decided to keep aloof from politics. It was pointed out that any individual member of the union could enter the political arena on his own account without the union involving itself in politics. When the motion was put to the meeting it was lost by 36 votes to 21. The report of the Political Committee of the Farmers’ Union—“ That it was undesirable that the union as an oiganisation should engage in party politics, and that any political action which members decided to take must be apart from the organisation as a union “ —was adopted.