The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1911. FARMERS IN PARLIAMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 2, 12 December 1911, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1911. FARMERS IN PARLIAMENT.

So f u* :»s the general election has gone it is apparently safe to predict that the new House'will be even more strongly freehold than its predecessor, the Christchurch “Press” points out, and goes on to say the larger number of supporters of the Opposition policy, and the defeat of pronounced leaseholders make it a reasonable certainty that there will be no attempt by the now Parliament to make any further move towards land nationalisation. The pronounced success of the Opposition in the country districts in the North Island, where tho question of land settlement is at the present time a more vital matter than in any other part of the Dominion, is an indication that a forward move is desired in the direction of not only settling the vast area of native and Crown lands, but affording better facilities for access to those that are already occupied. The farming community will have no reason to be dissatisfied with the type of representatives that will be sent from the country constituencies on this occasion. On the Government side the Minister for Agriculture, the Hon. T. Mackenzie, has secured his seat, this time in the North Island. Tho been interest Mr Mackenzie has taken in the dairy industry since his inclusion in the Cabinet renders his election to a scat in Taranaki the more fitting. The dairy industry, of tho great staple industries in the Dominion, is tho most capable of being rapidly expanded. There is a positive danger in the present relation of imports to exports. Tho value of exports shrank last year by about £2,00U,000, whilst imports were little more than a million and a-quarter below them. The reduction in the quantity and value of this year’s wool clip with a possible shrinkage in the exports of frozen meat, may place the balance on the wrong side of the ledger. The Leader of the Opposition is himself a farmer, and supporting him are men who have made their mark as farmers and stock breeders. The veteran Mr W. C. Buchanan appears to be certain of retaining Ids scat; the west coast of the North Island right through to Auckland will send a strong contingent of country representatives to the House, including Mr I). Buick, who has defeated Mr McNab.- In addition to Mr Geo. Hunter, who will he an acquisition to Parliament, tho east coast from the Wairarapa to Hawke’s Bay is likely to be equally well supported by strong farmers’ friends. In the South Island it is to be regretted that a man of such progressive ideas in fanning and practical experience as i\!r I). I). Macfarlane was not returned, but there are still Messrs C. H. Ensor, 11. Moore, and J. D. Hall who may yet secure election. Ellesmere has, by again returning Mr 11. Heaton Rhodes, secured a member jvho is keenly alive to tho interests of the producers. Mr G. IV. Forbes is a farmer, and Mr Buxton’s interests are bound up in agriculture. One may take some consolation in Mr Hardy’s defeat, the “Press” concludes, from tho fact that Mr Dickie is a farmer and will no doubt be a good representative of his class. Mr

Noswortliy must be again returned on the second ba Hot, and Waitaki, however the second ballot goes, will return a farmer, and another farmer has a good chance of securing tr.e Chalmers seat. It will be seen therefore that the fanning community will have an exceedingly strong representation in the new Parliament.

LABOUR’S VOICE

Speaking at Auckland tlie other day, the President of the local branch of the Labour Party, Mr G. Ingram, said that the chief offending of the Government was that it had wholly neglected what was one of the main objectives of the Labour Party. “Our chief concern,” he said, “is that the cost of living has increased much more than the standard of wages, and that the standard of wages must be made to correspond with the cost of living. The Government has done nothing at all to touch that question, and in a case like that no one could expect sympathy between the two parties. We realise that Mr Massey and his party will not do much for us,” be continued, “but we also realise that it is better to put into power a party that we know will not help us than one which professes that it will do so but cannot bo trusted to carry out what it professes. It is not good, in my opinion, for any party to remain in power for twenty odd years,” added Mr Ingram. “If it does it becomes autocratic; it does not develop with the growth of popular ideas, and gets out of touch with the people, so that by and bye it forgets what it is for. Thus it becomes a menace to society instead of the leader of social reform. Taking all these points into consideration, the workers will be justified in voting against the Liberal Party. By this means they will help to bring about a change in the administration of the country and will have the prospect of building up in the near future a united movement of the people, by the people, for the people.” From this statement it does not appear that Labour is going to give a very whole-hearted support in the north at the second ballots on Thursday.