FARMERS’ DISUNITY

Waipa Post, Volume 43, Issue 3328, 28 July 1931, Page 8

FARMERS’ DISUNITY

VETERAN LEADER’S REGRETS.

“It was. my. thirty-first conference - —and what have, we achieved? ” asked Mr F. Colbeck, a life member of the Auckland provincial branch of the Farmers’ Union, and one of the original members when reviewing at Morrinsville the recent Dominion conference of the Farmers’ Union, which he attended. “We passed .85 remits, and how much notice do you think will be taken of them? ”he continued; “I do not think any remits of importance were thrown out. They were all passed, and they will go on to the various departments, and stay there. The Government did not take much notice of the Farmers’ Union, because members were not united. The Auckland members were free traders, and the southern members were protectionists. Auckland was right, because it was merely advocating the platform of the union. . “If we are not going to unite the sooner we disband the better,” continued Mr Collock. “ The sooner we say we are dyed-in-the-wool protectionists the better. That is what the rest of them are.” The conference had been hopelessly divided oyer the question of the wheat duties. Auckland wanted the duty on wheat removed, and the South Island members said they could not grow wheat < without protection. : • . “ From my point of view everything hangs on the Customs duties,” he added. Professor Tocker, of Canterbury College, had pointed out to the conference that the things militating against farmers were Customs taxation and the high rate of interest. The rate of interest was high because Customs duties raised costs all round. “If you cannot support the platform of the Farmers’ Union, do not belong to it,” said Mr Colbeck. *1 stand for loyalty to the platform of the Farmers’ Union, and not loyalty to Mr Poison.”