FARMERS AND POLITICS

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14451, 25 May 1911, Page 6

FARMERS AND POLITICS

DUTY ON IMPLEMENTS. The executive of the North Canterbury branch, of the New Zealand farmers' Union in its animal report-' to the conference of members to Ik> held to-day and to-morrow, touches on the question of further protection '-n----the interests of the agricultural implement makes as follows:—The exeeutive urged ■ tho Government not to,. revive the Agricultural Implement- Im-. portatiou and Sale Act, the period for. which it was enacted having expired. The result during the currenesy of this Act has not been satisfactory to the farmers or local implement makers,, notwithstanding that" the imported article was not allowed to be sold under; a certain price, and the price of the local article has been increased, and. yet the local trade is languishing. In reference to this question, it is stated,; tlie farmera are up against a- new problem. The manufacturer's' employees arc; seeking to. impose a 33 1-3 per cent.' duty on imported machinery and implements (binders exempt), promising the farmers a reductiou in price of the. local article if the Union supports- them in their demands. This is one of themost important questions to be de-' bated by the present Conference. TO COMBAT SOCIALISM. The report refers in guarded terms to the subject of Mr D. Jones's mission.. After consulting the branches on the matter of ■ organisation, a committee was appointed by the executive, and the result of its inquiries has been tho establishment of a separate fund, administered by a separate executive, which, has to report every month to the farmers' Union Executive, and the appointment of a special organiser, Mr David Jones, late of Weedons, W|hosework is to be directed to pointing out to farm-ers the dangers threatening them from socialistic proposals, the necessity -of united action on the-ir-part, and tho desirability of upholding the Farmers' Union, apart altogether from party politics. A policy has been drawn up for Mr Jonos's guidance, which is in liarmouy with and is essentially the aim of the Union, and has been approved .of by the Advisory Com-, mittee in Wellington. Mr Jones has already begun his woTk, which it is tobe hoped may ultimately oxtond beyond the bounds of tha province.