FARMERS’ UNION

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 53, Issue 3827, 30 October 1936, Page 6

FARMERS’ UNION

COMPULSORY UNIONISM FAVOURED.

There was a large attendance of members at the monthly meeting of the Otorohanga branch of the N.Z. Farmers’ Union, in the Town Hall annexe, when the notice of motion to make membership of the Union compulsory was finalised —in favour of compulsion. Mr L. Palmer presided. The notice of motion, by Mr W. R. Harty (Honikiwi) was "That it be a recommendation to the Auckland provincial executive that efforts be made to have membership of the Farmers’ Union made compulsory.”

The mover stated that we were living in days when compulsory unionism was in vogue, and it the farmers did not keep in step they would soon be left far behind.

The chairman thought that it would be preferable if they could cut non-unionists oft from getting Union benefits.

Mr V. W. Simms, a member of the executive, opposed the motion, although he had sympathy with the mover’s ideals. He did not like compulsion, as with this they would have no argument against a farm labourers’ union. He did not want compulsion, but if it was carried he would do his best to bring the remit before the Auckland executive. Many other members spoke on the subject, numbers of them instancing cases where non-unionists were getting the benefits that were provided by unionists. As an instance of this it was pointed out that -the Auckland executive had obtained concessions on fertilisers and non-menrbers were getting benefits equally with members. Mr Simms stated that these reductions were made two Jtears before the dairy companies brought their prices down.

Upon being put to the vote compulsory unionism was carried by 23 votes to 12, numbers refraining fromi exercising their votes. The motion by Mr Backett, of Honikiwi, "That in the event of this country being involved in war compulsory power over all the resources of the nation be applied as well as the compulsion of man power,” was carried.

Mr Simms stated that the shortage oi farm workers was very acute, and yet there were large numbers of able-bodied, young men on sustenance in the metropolitan centres of population. Farming costs were steadily soaring, and labour on dairying farms was evidently almost unprocurable, while an army of healthy young men were content to live on sustenance, without any further effort to improve their position.