THE FARMERS’ UNION AND PARTY POLITICS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20783, 19 July 1937, Page 6

THE FARMERS’ UNION AND PARTY POLITICS.

Having regard to the varied and often contrary political convictions cherished by men and women engaged in rural interests, the Dominion Conference of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union took a safe course when it decided to place principle before party, in making a declaration to support no political party, but to reserve the right to criticise the legislation of any political party. It is nevertheless clear that before another appeal to the electors is made, all associated with the Dominion organisation of the farmers will be forced to face up to the main issue in the political arena in New Zealand. The rural community is traditionally conservative in its approach to political changes and is certainly loath to rush at conclusions. Indeed, quite a measure of uncertainty was displayed by the principal spokesmen associated with opening proceedings of the Dominion Conference in relation to the intention of the Government. But before the Conference had been brought to a conclusion, something of the full significance of recent political developments began to dawn on the rank and file of the Conference. “The Government,” declared the president in a telling address, “must be pressed to make its position clear, and the Union must face the possibility of the Government declaring its adherence to Socialism.” Manifestly the rural community need not await an announcement by the Government. For years the Labour Party has been pledged to the “socialisation of the means of production, distribution and exchange.” Just what this means is beginning to dawn on the people of New Zealand. The Government, on its part, although it has not of late unduly paraded its principal objective before the eyes of the people, still, every intelligent citizen who keeps his eyes open and is intelligently alert ought to be able to discern the intention of the Government as revealed in the legislative Acts that have been placed on the Statute book. Indeed, the president of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union for the edification of the Conference indicated, in the plainest language, the rapid strides the Government has made in the implementation of a policy of Socialism. In the course of his presidential address Mr Mulholland made this pronouncement: The complete operation of the Primary Products Marketing Act would place the whole of the overseas funds within the control of the Government. The Reserve Bank Act could enable

the Government to carry out almost any financial policy that it desired without further reference to Parliament. The Industrial Efficiency Act would enable the Government to control Industries to almost any extent that it desired. The Primary Products Marketing Act again could be used practically to expropriate farm owners by taking their produce at whatever price the Government decreed. The Transport Act enables the Government to

take possession of all transport services, and to put owners transporting their own goods off the roads.

If these are the signposts on the way to Socialism, members of the Farmers’ Union ought not to find very much difficulty in deciding the political camp into which they ought to go, if the country is to be saved from Socialism.