WARNING TO FARMERS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19024, 26 May 1936, Page 15

WARNING TO FARMERS

LABOUR LEGISLATION “STATE 01-' PEASANTRY” VIEWS OF AIR. BOI.SON (Pur Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day. A warning that the results may not turn out nearly so well as was hoped for by fanners iu the legislation ot. the I .about’ Government-, and the suggest ion that strong resistance should he offered to the legislation which might reduce tlie farmers of New Zealand to a state of peasantry', were made by Mr. \\ . JPoison. M.P., the. Dominion president of the New Zealand Farmers’ Unionwhen opening the annual Auckland provincial conference of the union to-day. One hundred delegates were present. "It is a sort of swan song I an) going to sing you : next- year 1 will not- be the president as L am retiring. said Mr. Poison. "The job has not- been so easy as might be imagined, because there have been two sections, Radical in the north and Conservative in the south. I have been the. president- for 16 years. lie added that he hoped to see all farmers join the organisation to bring about, utility of the interests of all.

SOCI A LISATTON OPPOSED "The farmers are borne down with taxation to help others who do not- help us,” said Mr. Poison. ‘‘We stand for freedom from fiscal taxation, and want to be. free to dispose, of our produce. If that is so. is not the Fanners' I nion opposed to socialisation? "I definitely am opposed to socialisation. and fought in the last election opposed to it. I cannot approve of the legislation passed recently. "L am a monetary reformer, but the Reserve Bank Bill places the credit of this country in the hands of an individual to do what lie. likes. Should the occasion arise ho is going to give credit to approved clients. A voice: What’s wrong with that? Mr. Poison : Everything. Voices : No ! No ! The chairman': Order, please. Give the speaker a fair hearing. Continuing, Mr. Poison said that the Industrial Concilation and Arbitration Art. went further than the farmers expected. In tiie Marketing Bill the tanners would have to stand the first shock of what, was intended to lie extended to other sections later. "You are going to lose a good deal with the fixed price,” Mr. Poison added. "You will lose control of the business. The Government has sold us a, husk. Make no mistake about, that.”