WORDY CAUCUS

Taranaki Daily News, 22 February 1935, Page 4

WORDY CAUCUS

“NOTjAHAPPYFAMBr MORTGAGE CORPORATION MR. POLSON STANDS OUT attitude of farmers ANXIETY OF THE MINISTRY (By Wire—Parliamentary Reporter). Wellington, Last Night. The Coalition caucus to-day was anything but a happy family. There were sharp differences of opinion, the central figures in the verbal duel being Mr. W. J. Polson on the one side and the leaders qf the Government on the other. The attitude of the president of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union toward the provisions of the Mortgage Corporation Bill was the cause of the fuss. Mr. Polson has declared himself as determined to place his convictions and principles above and beyond allegiance to political parties, and has made it clear that in the opinion of the farmers qf New Zealand there must be in the absence of co-operative methods State control of the mortgage system. In his speech on Friday he vigorously assailed the Government’s proposals as expressed in the legislation now under review, and he maintained that stand when the subject was raised in the caucus to-day, The lobby interpretation of the incident is that the Minister’s anxiety to reconcile Mr. Polson’s views is a recognition that the farmers as a whgle are not satisfied with the measure as it stands. This raises immediately the question of drastic amendments and accounts for the worried looks some of the Ministers are wearing.

What the upshot will be is difficult to predict, but there is rq mistaking the feeling of uneasiness which exists in Government circles. This has been increased by the receipt by members of telegraphed copies of a resolution passed by a meeting of over 500 west coast farmers at Hawera. The meeting expressed itself entirely opposed to the principle of joint stock control and urged Parliament to amend the measure to provide for co-operative, or in the alternative, State control. . Rumours worQ current in the lobbies at the dinner adjournment that Mr. Polson had severed his connection with the Coalition, but these were groundless. Mr. Polson is still a member of the Government Party, and it is clear he Will still be a thorn in its side over the Mortgage Corporation Bill,