FARMING MATTERS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 86, Issue 7, 30 June 1944, Page 4

FARMING MATTERS

Sir,—The letter from Mr A. E. Robinson in your issue of June 20 does not really make sense. Without a doubt the Farmers' Union has done a lot of good but. as your correspondent points out himself, it is a conglomerate body, representing only some branches of the farming industry. As I pointed out before, it can make recommendations but has not. the strength to ha,ve them heeded. There was never any idea of actual-* ly fighting the Farmers' Union, in the minds of. the founders of the D.P.A. which recognises weak points in the Farmers' Union and wishes to have those points strengthened % The reasons given by Mr Robinson for the state of this industry«at present are contributary reasons only. The real reason is lack of proper organisation. It appears that the farmers and workers are quite content to allow outsiders,, even vested concerns, which pay good dividends by farming the farmer, to settle their problems. We often hear that the. Farmers' Union has done a lot for the farmer, or the Labour Government, may have done something. We are told of the great thing the National Party will do when it gains, the majority of parliamentary Seats. This is all eye-wash. The only persons who can do anything for this industry, are those engaged in farming. The present, state of affairs is a direct" challenge to all who work on the land, to organise and set their own affairs in order, to regain de-» mocratic control of their industry before it is too late. Surely this is not. too much responsibility for those concerned. No power outside the industry will ever do more-than exploit us. How long can we afford to take it lying down? Mr Robinson suggests that the D.P.A., are looking for a scapegoat. We would not have far to look. The guilty parties are every worker on the land who has so steadfastly preferred to shut his eyes to plain facts,, who prefers his fire, his pipe and his paper to the meeting room of farmers' organisations; who prefers to let people who know little of his way of life, his work or h,is problems tell him what he must do, who prefers to have all .power centralised in Wellington instead of the power of democracy situated in Wha'katane, Edgecumbe, Te Teko, Matata and in every other place where men may meet to have their share in the management "of their coutry. Surely if. 'Democracy' is worth the sacrifice our men are making overseas the. least, we at home can do, is make our best effort to ensure that we keep democracy safe here against their return. I suggest that all who earn a living on tfae land should forget all sectional or party rivalry and take a real live interest in affairs. If the spirit, ot unity is present all differences will be overcome and we will come through these difficult years with the prize the D.P.A. strives for, i.e., Democratic control of. the farming industry by farmers in the interests of a better New Zealand. Yours etc., Wm. I. , WALLACE, Sec, Rangitaiki Branch D.P.A.