FARMING PROBLEMS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18332, 26 February 1934, Page 9

FARMING PROBLEMS

THE NEED FOR UNITY f; , _ QUOTAS AND TARIFFS ' OIS'BOIiNE ORGANISATION The 1 tuuny so lions problems facing the failiiing cowtiUinity to-day and the urgent'need for unity to fight through avoid referred to at Saturday’s meeting- of -the' Poverty iky provincial executive by the organiser, Mr. D. M. . l’obcrtspn, who is present in the district .on airt orgsynsing visit. When introducing Mr. Robertson to the meetingj the president, Mr. J. Li. Benson, said:—Since the slump, I have purposely .refrained from asking farmers to -join X have seen a good time ahead for this union if we could •weather the slump, and I hope that the ’union now will be brought back to its old strength. “The purpose of my visit,” said Jlr. Robertson, “is clearly defined, that of working iu conjunction with this executive with the object of strengthening the Poverty Bay pro-vincial-union. The national executive, in common with every primary producer in the country, is faced with problems of a more far-reaching nature than ever- previously experienced. Hoav, for instance, can one reconcile the expressed wish of the .Home Government for “quotas” and the almost certain intention to resume what it Ams pleased to call the voluntary redisjAtribution of the white peoples of the ofcmpire. “TOO LOCAL.” “It must bo clear that primary producers nrust band together, study the position and face up to facts, and if success is to be achieved a national outlook is essential. “My preliminary survey in this province leads mo definitely to the conclusion, supported by a number of contributory causes, and that is the Poverty Bay farmers’ outlook is altogether too ‘local.’ Some of the causes you are familiar with, but from an organisation point of view may l emphasise two potent ones, isolation and depression. “The local executive is looked upon almost solely as a corrective force for local .difficulties. The real issue, the national viewpoint, is almost lost sight of. While admitting your peculiar local difficulties, I trust you will be pleased to approve my suggestions for altering the present stalemate. “Regarding the determination not to harass the farmer for subscriptions during the depression, this stage, while still - of course serious, is not now tenable for the very obvious reason that primary producers will be. forced in self-protection to unite into one solid body. When one realises that those excellent and obliging young AVomen who serve our meals pay (5s a year more in union fees than the farmer, the position is almost ludicrous. “It has beeu said that this executive is one-sided and jn some cases biased. Whether this is true or not, is not material. . What is really important is that where complete satisfaction is not forthcoming members have the remedy in their own hands, as also have non- . members. ■ “Before submitting any suggestions, I * woulij; appreciate the favor of a. few niomliits relative to the immediate future of/tKe primary producer. DECENTRALISATION V. “Firstly New Zealand is faced with a Tariff; Readjustment Act next session. A matter of paramount importance to farmers, it means, we hope, an attempt to reduce the gap between production and selling costs, and what do we find? A fierce conflict has already commenced, fostered by manufacturers and kindred organisations against any alteration. As the result of the. fight may mean the difference between staying on or leaving the farm by a large number of men, it sunk - is a time for'strength and action. “Next and even more far reaching, is the quota, idr with the expiration of the Ottawa Agreement, all New Zealand fanners will be in the hands of the Home Government. Members and prospective members must be awakened to a iuller understanding of this vast and altogether new problem. While the immigration proposal is a matter for the country as a whole, farmers must be ready.’ The proposals he submitted were decentralisation by the formation of branches in the outlying areas, »ucii as Matawai, Tolaga Bay uiid Ruatoria. A series of addresses should be given in various places, meetings to be addressed by the president, members of the executive and, if the executive thought ad visable, by himself as, well. Enrolment should be made a feature of the meetings as a general campaign leading up to the natural climax, the annual provincial meeting in May. An annual round of visits .should be made to all branches by officer's of the executive. .The meeting then went into committee to discuss the proposals.