MASS MEETING OF FARMERS

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 6 November 1913, Page 5

MASS MEETING OF FARMERS

DECIDES TO HANDLE FARM PRODUCE.

AN UNANIMOUS DECISION

The A. and P. room in Masterton was taxed to its utmost limits to accommodate the farmers at the mass meeting held yester<J*y afternoon. The chairman (Mr Hugh Morrison) stated that they had assembled to •consider the- posiiioii as -regards the strike in Wellington. ; The action of the strikers in cea-sing work, taking charge of the wharves, and preventing others from working, had already seriously affected the farmers of the district. The fighi was not between capital and labour, because the farmer, who was a worker himself, was the hardest hit". It was a serious position when a" small body of mon could say that because they have had a disagreement with their, employers,, no produce from the Dominion was to. be shipped. As they were only claiming their rights, and their rights at the present tkne were to put their own produce on the ohips, (Applause.)" He moved:— (1) "That we do all in our power to maintain law and order." (2) "That ! while we do not wish,to become par-! ties to the present unfortunate dispute which is holding up the country's trade and coinmerce, it is our intention as farmers to load the produce of our farms on ships for conveyance to the markets of the world." j Mr D. -McGregor, in seconding the resolution, said that as farmers they were not interested in the- strike when it started, but when the strik-. ers broke the laws of the country and smashed up property they wero right in sending down the special mounted.police. No doubt there was a big section of the wateivsiders who •were willing to go back to work : and' were} anathematising the strike as much as ( any may in" the room; A lot of - their produce was lying •in Wellington deteriorating, " and the farmeos would go down and »ut it oh the ships. (Applause.]) , Messrs D. "' McLachlnn. Murray Jackson, A. J. Speedy, B. R. Bunny, and M. J. McGregor spoke in favour of the resolutions, - and expressed themselves deterzrifned to protect the produce of xho farmer, while regretting that the waterside/workers should be so misled as to go on strike and bring about all this trouble for.themselves as well as othere.

The chairman, before putting the resolutions, said thai he, in common with other farmers, wished to see labour well paid,prosperous and we!! housed in this country. The farmers wanted it clearly understood that they did not want to go down to Wellington to do the watersidera out of their jobs, but as. the wharf labourers had gono on strike, the. farmers were determined to load their own produce especially the perishable products of the dairy farmer, till' soch time a/a the watersiders resumed work. " The-rosolutidns,- ohl>eing put,;.were carried unanimously,. amid applause.