TOWN AND COUNTRY

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 456, 18 May 1932, Page 3

TOWN AND COUNTRY

Alliance of Farmers and Labour Suggested. DISCUSSION BY CONFERENCE. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, May 18. The provincial conference of the Auckland Farmers’ Union, which was attended by a hundred delegates, yesterday' passed a resolution endorsing the endeavour of the executive “to place before other organisations our aims and objects, and recommends the incoming executive to pursue the same objective.” This resolution was passed after a long discussion on a remit from the Bay of Islands, urging “ that as the Farmers’ Union has so many' aims and objects in common with the labour unions, we feel that closer co-operation should be to our mutual advantage.” Mr J. IT. Furness said: “Efforts are being made by' the powers that be to set town and country at each other’s throats. Remember the old Roman maxim, “ Divide and ” One member said that the aims of the producer and the consumer were too conflicting, but another urged that there was no real antagonism. Any' conflict could be overcome when the attitude of each was understood by' the other. Mr Dunning: We should include public bodies. Why stop at labour unions? Mr Gumming: The Labour Party' is i our natural ally'. ! “ We have had meetings already' with j labour unions,” said the secretary (Mr J A. E. Robinson), “and while we were not unanimous on the tariff and currency questions we were practically' so. Representatives of the public service were present.” Another amendment sought to include among those bodies which should be approached the Chamber of Commerce, but a delegate. Mr Dougherty, interjected: “We would not get much help from that body.” Several speakers opposed the Bay* of Islands remit on the ground that the general public might misunderstand it. Mr Mellsop: Don’t be afraid to stand by your views. Mr Niccol: We want to lose the old tradition that we are opposed to Labour. After further discussion, the remit was amended and carried in the form stated. PROTECTION LEAGUE. “ To Resist Victimisation,” is Farmers’ Object. (Special to the “ Star.”) AUCKLAND, May 18. A remit from the Franklin sub-pro-vince, suggesting that steps should be taken to form a protection league subsidiary' to the Farmers’ Union to resist the victimisation of farmers from outside sources was passed by the Auckland provincial branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union. The meeting set up a committee to arrange details of the programme to oppose unjust treatment of distressed farmers. A warning against unconstitutional action and revolutionary' methods was uttered by Mr R. D. Duxfield. “ It is a mistake to think that farmers are not having their properties sold over their heads at present.” said Mr IT. M. Rushworth, M.P. “ The time is over ripe for something of this sort. If we start this we must carry' it through to the bitter end. I would not have the slightest hesitation in going to extreme lengths to prevent cases of injustice such as are occurring.” Mr IT. K. Ha trick said that the remit was an indication of what desperate men were prepared to do. There were men, he said, who were prepared to adopt constitutional methods, but who would go further in desperation. Mr W. B. Cummings: We must carry this through. We control the export business of this country. We could refuse to send produce abroad until our demands were agreed to.