The Waipa Post. Published on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. THURSDAY, MAY 18, 1922. A POLITICAL EXCRESCENCE.

Waipa Post, Volume XX, Issue 1244, 18 May 1922, Page 4

The Waipa Post. Published on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. THURSDAY, MAY 18, 1922. A POLITICAL EXCRESCENCE.

RECOGNITION of the incontrovertible truth embodied in the maxim that " unity is strength " is apparently not to be found in the creed promulgated by the leader of the new Country Party, for, if it were, he would not be found advocating the organisation of another political party at a time when it is more than ever essential that the ranks of the moderates should be closed and welded together in greater harmony to counteract the undoubted/ progress the extreme Labour Party is making in the metropolitan centres. The introduction of a schism into the ranks of the Reform Party, which the formation of a new party must entail, is to be deplored; its creation offers the most cogent reason why the Country Party should stay its hand. Speaking at Cambridge on Monday, Mr A. A. Ross, the leader, indicated that some such fears as herein expressed were originally entertained by the promoters of the scheme, for we have his candid admission, after stating that it had been previously decided that the farmers should take no definite part in politics, that they at first decided they "should aim at uniting all the farmers in the country, and then decide which party they should support." We are vouchsafed no reason why that judgment has not been respected, nor have we in existence that unity which, it was decreed, should first be accomplished. The farmers as a body are not unanimously organised, for we have the Farmers' Union on the one hand and the Dairy Farmers' Union on the

other, each maintaining its separate , entity and each proclaiming itself the j duly-recognised voice of the producer. We cannot, therefore, accept the assumption that the Farmers' Union speaks for the farmers as a whole, as unmistakable evidence exits that it does not. But, granting that it has a considerable following, its activities in forming a separate party are none the less open to objection. Farmers, we are convinced, would have a great deal to lose and nothing to gain by taking part in a political breakaway. Under the present regime they enjoy the benefits of full and fair representation in Parliament, and it is difficult to see haw the creation of a Country Party would improve the situation or increase their influence. Certainly we cannot agree with the sunny optimism of Mr Ross that its numerical strength in the next Parliament will be so great as to place it in a position to bargain with the predominant parties. That is highly improbable. The present Government has ever exhibited its earnest desire to protect and promote the interests of the primary producer; and at a period such as this, when hard times prevail as a result of external causes over which the Government and Parliament have no control, it would be extremely unwise to shift adherence from a proved and faithful friend to a faction whose actions are prompted as much by a desire to reach office as to serve the farmer. It would be akin to the dangerous process of "swapping horses in mid stream." Farmers, especially those in the Waikato electorate, where persistent attempts are being made to introduce vote-splitting, and thereby 1 thwart the will of the majority, would, I be well advised to eschew the overtures now being put forth on behalf of the new party and to remain loyal to those parties which have proved capable of maintaining stable govern* ment and forwarding a sound policy of constructive development. The changes that would be invited by setting up a Country Party in New Zealand may be envisaged not only by considering local political conditions, but by taking account of the experience of other British countries where the experiment has been tried. Both in Canada and Australia the effect of the creation Of country or farmers' parties has been to impair- the stability of government, and give primary producers a much less effective voice in the conduct of national affairs than they enjoy in New Zealand. They cannot isolate themselves without antagonising other sections o fthe community. In this countions of the community. In this country farnjers have good reason to congratulate themselves upon being the dominant influence in Parliament, not as a purely country party, but as the most powerful factor in the Government party, which is headed by a farmer. The old love is the best.