Farmers and Politics.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 43114, 6 July 1907, Page 2

Farmers and Politics.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, This Day,

At the Farmers’ Union Conference on Thursday, Mr L. Clayton, of Poverty Bay, m >v \1 a resolution to the effect that the union must adopt a stronger and united political attitude, although not necessarily a party attitude. This was the only way in winch its influence could be made manifest. He said the union boro all the discredit, but enjoyed none of the advantages of being a political organisatibn. They were ridiculed because people thought they had not the backbone to fight. They must ce ise to be mere trimmers

Captain Bell of Waikato, said be felt certain the union would never be a power until it took a pronounced attitude. The time had arrived when they must take off the gloves. The absolute futility of their e Torts was due to the fact that they had not taken apolitical stand. Mr Jones (Canterbury) defended the un : ' n’s past attitude. The men who said tuey left political questions alone mu«i have been iu a trance The strength of the union was in the fact that ihey had never tacked themselves to any political party. Mr C. Cooper said they ecu'd claim that their opposition was responsible for the fact that was now a majority of freeholders in the House. Aft-r further discussion the motion was de> feated by eleven votes to four.