“TOO MEEK AND MILD”

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 270, 15 November 1945, Page 6

“TOO MEEK AND MILD”

FARMERS’ UNION PROPOSALS Palmerston North, Nov. 13 Proposals by the heads of the Farmers’ Union to counter the Government’s country quota abolition by no means met with the full approval of the Manawatu provincial executive which discussed the matter yesterday. They were described as too meek and mild, dspite an explanation by the chairman (Mr. H. J. McLeavey) that they were only preliminary steps io give the Government a headache and that direct action had by no means been thrown aside.

After several members had expressed disappointment al the Wellington decisions, Mr. G. J. Wilde (Opiki) slated that there was only one way to end the relentless encroachment on the farmers’ freedom and that was by direct action. “We must organise from to-day,” he said. Mr. W. 11. Gimblett (Rangiotu): Actions speak louder than words. Thcie is little that emphatic in the Wollington proposa'.s. Mr. Wiide: It is no use waiting until another crisis occurs and then having to go through alj this again. Plans for direct action must be drawn up so that they can be taken within a week if need be. Mr. McLeavey said that what was proposed was just a preliminary skirmish and would be a test, io see whether the farmers were unanimous. There were st HI members of the Dominion executive in favour of direct action and it might yet be taken. From the response by farmers to the present proposals ' the Dominion executive would be able to judge whether anything else should be done. The Wellington proposals were not released for publication, but it was decided to send them on to branches for urgent consideration and import. Meanwhile the provincial executive set up an action commit ice and also decided to withdraw its account from Lhe Bank of New Zealand,