FARM AND TOWN WORKERS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16462, 14 June 1919, Page 6

FARM AND TOWN WORKERS.

HOW TFTEIB INTERESTS COINCIDE. ADDRESS TO WORKERS BY MR. BUCKERIDGE. What could, truthfully he termed a gathering oF an unusual nature was held in the Soldiers’ Club on Friday evening. Mr. G. H. Buckeridge, organising secretary for the Fanners’ Union in Taranaki, met workers from the town, under the auspices of th* Workers’ Council, to place before them the position in regard to the relation .between farmers (workers on the land) and workers in the towns. The speaker , sought to show how the interests of these two classes of workers are bound up together, and he dealt with the difficulties’ that have to be faced in order that the two 'shall live in the amicable relation that ought to exist. The question is undoubtedly an important one, and those present at the meeting appeared to recognise this fully, the proceedings being marked throughout by forbearance and good feeling. The attendance, which numbered about 60 people, was representative of the workers’ organisations in New Plymouth, and included also several farmers.

Mr. W. H. Fitzpatrick, president of the Workers’ Council, occupied the chair. Ho said h© hoped the gathering would be th© forerunner of others, where the, town workers could , meet other classes of workers, and come to practical and sensible understandings as far asi possible with each other. Referring to the vast changes taking place in the world, he urged the wisdom of the people getting together and endeavouring to bring about these changes in a peaceful and practical manner.

Mr. Buckeridge first substantiated his claim to the right to call those present “fellow workers” By relating how he was the son of a journeyman printer, started work at the age of seven as a newspaper runner, earned, at public schools his education at higher schools, worked on a surrey party in the hack country of Taranaki for a number of years, had experience as a country store-keeper and entered upon the organisation of co-operative societies among farmers. Proceeding, Mr. Buckeridge said he believed in labour co-partnership, and had put it to_ the test, and it had- proved all he claimed for it. Touching on the problems which were before the country, and ■which the people had to solve, the speaker said the greatest of these was how to pay the cost of the war. One of the means of solution to his mind was to increase the earning power of the country, and the best means of doing this was to production. To increase production it was necessary to increase the number of producers, and this was where one of the problems arose in the form of how was it to be done. He believed it could only be done by wiping away some of the misconceptions that at present obtained between the worker in the town and the worker, in the country. One of these was in regard to what was called “unearned increment.” _ Mr. Buckeridge proceeded to relate instances of the hardships undergone by country settlers to illustrate how difficult it was in ihhi r case to assess unearned increment, to divide the proceeds of the sale of their selections into the portion which should belong to the State and the portion that should belong to the farmers as a reward for thfir labour and the hard,ships they had undergone. There was, however, another class who were getting “unearned.increment,” and in doing so, were building up for the country an absolutely dangerous position. These were the people who bought land not to farm and improve it, but merely to turn it over to somebody else a little later at an enhanced value. The speaker pointed out how disaster might come to the country as the result of the inflated values’ of land if it should happen that the value of the staple products of the country should fall, as 'it was quite possible they might. The workers in the town had every right to complain of this position because the enhanced land values were making it impossible for those workers in the towns who desired to own their own piece of land and become farmers to do so. The speaker referred to the British love of freedom and the desire cherished by most men to have the freehold of a piece of land. A contented population made a prosperous country, so he said that if people desired what they called freehold instead of tenure give it to them and make them contented. Mr. Buckeridge made a point of the fact that if wrongs existed they existed because the people let them. .He pointed oat that if a Government was not doing what • the people required the people should See that they got another Government that would do so. ‘ ‘How are we going to give to the labourer wbat he is entitled to in equity” was another of the problems which Mr. Buckeridge mentioned as awaiting solution, and he said it was by no means an easy one. He referred to co-partnership as it exists between owners of farms and those whef milk the cows, and suggested that the system of profit-sharing on which this was based might be extended tq other classes of workers concerned in the manufacture and handling of dairy produce and the principle thus brought to its logical conclusion. He recog-, nised that this was, a very big matter, and that it could not be carried out in its entirety at once, but what he suggested was starting qt the bottom storey and ivorking upwards. In conclusion Mr. Buckeridge referred to the fact that with good friendship between tl\e different sections of the people there would be peace. Of the three ways of settling difficulties peaceable discussion was by far the most satisfactory. A number of questions were asked by those present, and were answered by Mr. Buckeridge. Mr. W. Nash, in proposing a vote of thanks to the speaker for the able way in which he had put the case for the farmers and the ease for co-oper-ation, said the only possible solution was for the working farmer to join with the working man. c The motion was seconded by Mr. h. G. Smith, M.P., and was carried with very hearty applause. The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks to the chairman.