BRIGHTER MOMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 20538, 14 July 1928, Page 7

BRIGHTER MOMENTS

AMUSING EXCHANGES. A LABOUR MEMBER’S AFFAIR. (Special to the Times.) Wellington, July 13. The association of Mr W. L. Martin, the member for the rural constituency of Raglan, with the Labour Party, his position in the Farmers’ Union and the relationship of that body with the country political party, provided the subject of some bright passages in the House to-day. Early this morning Mr C. E. MacMillan (Tauranga) had stated that Mr Martin was the only representative in the House of the Country Party, a statement which was challenged by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr H. E. Holland). Mr MacMillan also alleged that Mr Martin was associated with the Farmers’ Fertilizer Company, which Mr MacMillan said was a party to an agreement signed in 1926 for the maintenance of fertilizer prices. Mr Martin was out of the House at the time. The allegations were replied to by Mr Martin this afternoon. He said that so far from being a party to keeping up the price of fertilizers, he was a large shareholder in the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company which had been responsible for the formation of a company which had made sweeping reductions in the prices of manures. He had never been a director of the Farmers’ Fertilizer Company, not was he a shareholder and he was in no way responsible for the actions of that company, whether they were good or bad. “I am not, neither have I been a member of the Country Party,” Mr Martin continued. “I have never been to any of their meetings. 1 do not know who their leader is, nor do I know their executive. I know this much, they put a candidate up against me at the Raglan by-election. I am a member of the Labour Party. I am at present a member of the Waikato executive of the Farmers’ Union and I am a member of the executive of the Auckland Provincial Union, which is a non-political body. (Reform laughter). I make no apology for that. The Country Party is a distinct association from the Farmers’ Union.” The Minister of Lands (the Hon. A. D. McLeod): For how long? Mr Martin: As long as I have known it and that is for fourteen years. The Postmaster-General (the Hon. W. Nosworthy) : A sort of Corriedale concern. (Loud laughter). Further references to the subject were made by Mr J. R. Hamilton (Awarua), who said it was unfortunate for Mr Martin that he was associated with men who were members of the Farmers’ Fertilizer Company and who had opposed a reduction in the price of fertilizers. Mr Martin: I am not. Mr Hamilton: Yes you are, here is your photograph in “Farming First.” Mr Martin: I am on the executive of the Farmers’ Union. Mr Hamilton: The member is unfortunate in his company. Mr H. T. Armstrong (Christchurch) : He is a member of the Challenge Fertilizer Company. Mr Hamilton: Yes, he is getting into better company now. He has realized the need for getting under shelter. Mr P. Fraser (Wellington Central) : The trouble is the Reform members will not be decent about it. Mr Hamilton: The unfortunate part for him is that he is in a very difficult position. Mr Fraser: Oh, rubbish. Mr W. E. Parry (Auckland Central) : He’ll get out of it. Mr Armstrong (to Mr Hamilton): Do you belong to the Farmers’ Union ? Mr Hamilton said that Mr MacMillan had told them of the very successful fight he had put up to get the farmers cheaper manures. The dairy companies could not get fertilizers at the same price that was paid by the merchants who would not now get a big cheque simply for handing over the cheque of the dairy companies. Mr Martin: The fight was put up by the big dairy company. Mr Hamilton: I don’t think anyone can say a big fight was put up by the Farmers’ Fertilizer Company. Mr Fraser: Are not Reform members shareholders in that company? Mr Hamilton: I do not think so. Mr Parry: You are on dangerous ground yourself. Mr Hamilton then passed on to other subjects. ____________