FARMERS’ UNION

Southland Times, Issue 25302, 4 June 1935, Page 7

FARMERS’ UNION

PARTY POLITICS.

STATEMENT BY MR POLSON.

(Per United Press Association.) Dunedin, June 3. Speaking at an executive meeting of the Farmers’ Union this afternoon the Dominion president, Mr W. J. Polson, elaborated proposals for reorganizing the headquarters staff which he had already referred to in Christchurcn. He had noticed with some astonishment, he said, that this had been assumed by some North Island papers to indicate an attempt to break into party politics. What he had discussed and what had been clearly understood by his hearers was a means of dealing more effectively and intimately with the domestic politics of the Farmers Union, and by that he meant particularly a measure of control which would enable the establishment of young farmers’ clubs, farm accounting and similar activities to be undertaken and work initiated by headquarters on a uniform plan that would enable the valuable service given in Otago, Southland and Canterbury to be shared by the rest of the Dominion.

The object, Mr Polson added, was to bring the Farmers’ Union into closer touch with individual members so that it could provide them with actual as well as political benefits. In regard to the latter term he referred to farmers’ politics which were at present being dealt with. The question of entering party politics had not arisen and, as far as he was aware, the opinion of the organization was substantially opposed tc any such steps. He thought farmers generally were aware of his own attitude, which was against the entry of the organization into the party political field. Criticism and unwarranted interpretation of his remarks was therefore difficult to understand.