OLD IDEAS ARE GOING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 69, 23 March 1939, Page 6

OLD IDEAS ARE GOING

FARMERSJ_PROBLEMS SERIOUS DECISIONS MUST BE MADE NATIONAL UNION FAVOURED. The Dominion conference of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, to take place in Wellington next July, is expected to be the most important held since the union was formed. A warning was given to members of the Wanganui Provincial Executive of the Union yesterday, by Mr. Lloyd Hammond (Rata), group representative on the Dominion executive, that between now and then farmers would have to face up to the economic facts of today and decide what policy to pursue to maintain their existence. Times had changed and were changing and the new outlook had to be viewed seriously. “You cannot go on with costs rising as they are,” Mr. Hammond said. “Either costs must come down or prices must go up to meet them. Time and time again we have beeoi to the Government and it refuses to bring costs down.” Mr. Claud Smith (Brunswick): Doesn’t that, answer the questtiu for you as to what should be done? “The position is very stickv whichever way you look at it,” Mr. Hammond continued. “You have farmers who absolutely oppose asking the Government for a compensated price for wool; some are just, as keen that that should come. We have hundreds of men in the union to-day who are wanting a compensated price for wool and do not care where the money comes from.” Mr. Smith: And they are right about it, too.

“I say, with all gravity, that a great responsibility rests upon you as members. The position the farmers are in to-day has never been more serious, not even in the great slump. Then the whole of New Zealand was in sympathy, one section of the community with another. To-day, I think the farmer has very little sympathy from anybody. I regret to say it, but a false conception has arisen in the town as to the time the farmer is having. People in the cities are having a wonderful time and they think that everybody else should be having a good time, too.

“The conference next July will be the most important held in the history 1 of the union.” The meeting accepted Mr. Hammond’s warning by adopting a resolution urging the establishment of a National Farmers’ Union, embracing every farming activity. It was argued that, instead of having a Sheepowners’ Federation, it should be merged in the one camp, and that special committees deal with the various phases of farming as is done by the National Farmers’ Union in Great Britaindairying, sheep, fruit production and other branches. Mr. R. O. Montgomerie (Kakatahi), said that it was a matter of urgency, of days and not weeks. He wanted to know what could be done to unite the farmers’ organisations before the conference in July. Mr. Hammond replied that these thiings took time. “Times are changing and old ideas are going," Mr. Hammond said. “What is the use of hanging to the old ideas when the farmer is being left in the gutter and everybody else is benefiting by a distribution of wealth? We may know that it is all uneconomic, but we Lave hundreds of farmers asking us today to get them assistance, never mind where it comes from. We admire those men who still cling to the old ideas, admire them for their faith in them, but if those ideas are out of date what are we to do?” PUBLIC OPINION MUST BE ENLIGHTENED CONFERENCE WITH TOWNS- j PEOPLE. “I would like to see thi smeeting place its case before bodies representing the towns and cities,” said Mr. R. O. Montgomerie (Kakatahi) at a meeting of the Wanganui Provincial Executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union yesterday, when the statement was made that townspeople had no sympathy for the farmer. “We cannot convince the Government,” Mr. Montgomerie added, “but we can do something if we set about convincing the electors in the city and we can only obtain justice if we convince the electors as to the justice of our case.” He suggested calling a conference with the Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club and Development League. “I would like to even go a step further than that," Mr. Montgomerie added, “and have a go at public meetings. There is a great deal of ignorance in the towns as to the farmers’ economic position." The suggested conference with the Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club and Development League was ap- ’ proved unanimously and the secretary was instructed to write those bodies.