FARMERS’ UNION

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20465, 9 July 1936, Page 4

FARMERS’ UNION

DOMINION CONFERENCE PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, July 8. The Farmers’ Union conference opened with one of the fullest attendances of delegates, including the women’s branch, ever recorded. In his address the president, Mr W. J. Polson MP, said the Union had never sought to secure unfair advantages. Indeed on occasions, such as the recent mortgage legislation, it declined to press for amendments notwithstanding that it would suffer in consequence. He said the trend towards nationalisation meant reconsideration of the fiscal policy and the establishment of fair trading agreements within the Empire particularly but with other countries also if markets abroad were still to be found. Dealing with the Government's guaranteed price policy he said the policy the Farmers Union had always advocated would not have failed. It had been successful wherever tried, but there was no record of success for the policy to which they were committed in any part of the world. He emphasised that because there were many who believed that even the recovery in prices was largely due to the change in Government and the consequent change in policy. Referring to farm wages and the prospect of their improvement, Mr Polson said the difficulty was that the rewards for farming were meagre. If wages continued to be paid on relief and public works on the present scale the problem would cure itself, because no one would work for the farmer. Even if guaranteed prices increased the Income of farmers by 25 per cent, a large sect' -i would be unable to employ labour, and if the Government desired to put such farms on a payable basis, the price of produce must be such as to enable it to be done. With regard to the Aribtration Act he said there was no object in any longer maintaining an attitude of isolation from Industrial registration. In fact the new Act made it necessary for the protection of the farmer that they should be registered under the Act. On the motion of Mr W. W. Mulholland (Mid-Canterbury) a vote of thanks was carried by acclamation.