UNITY OF FARMERS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 21, 3 November 1944, Page 4

UNITY OF FARMERS

Sir ? —Mr McCracken's letter in your ! issue of October 27th was a surprise 1 even to me. He seems to consider " the local branch of the D.P.A. too insignificant to be dealt with except through their Central Executive. Mr McCracken's claim that, the resolution passed] by the |exe.ciutive of the East Coast Dairy Association was not in support of the D.P.A. 1 is just another red herring. Before that resolution was the meeting was. addressed by members of 1 the D.P.A. Executive. Also the D.P.A. is the only dairy farmers/ 1 organisation whose constitution m--1 bodies' the principles mentioned in the resolution. In the lace of these two facts, perhaps Mr McCracken will tell us what organisation the Executive of the Dairy Association • intended to support by that resolution . Are we expected to believe that I our Chairman of Directors is en- [ tirely ignorant of the following . facts: First—The federation agree- . ment. signed in* Wellington last July ( meant the dissolution of the New , Zealand Farmers' Union as it was . then formed. Second—Nothing can [ prevent the United Farmers' FederaL tion from functioning. Third—No amount of prevarication can> prevent the D.P.A. being included in the Federation as the representative bbdy of the dairy industry. A great deal of work has been done by the Dominion Executive of the Farmers' Union in this reorganisation and they have.set a great, example by their action, and foresight. It is a great pity that lesser men can-, not follow their leaders-. The sterile conference between the Board of the. Farmers' Union and the D.P.A S took place in July before the federation agreement was signed in Wellington. As so much reorganisation has taken, place since then that failure is ancient history and has no.bear--1 ing on the present discussion. The request to Mr McCracken to call a meeting was made in the belief that he 5 as leader of the, Rangitaiki dairy farmers was fully cognisant of all the facts of the and by placing that, knowledge before the meeting himself would overcome, a lot of stupid blindness which is retarding and silence, senseless criticism. Once the local dairy producers realise that the statements of the D.P.A. are nothing but the truth, the growth of this association will be only a matter of course. The processes of Evolution will continue despite all the hindrance, but the building up of a really strong democratic organisation of. the dairying interests on the Plains would, have progressed much more easily and speedily with the help of Mr McCracken and his Board of Directors. In conclusion I will state plainly the point Mr McCracken seems to have missed entirely. While I a nonentity of Mr A. E. Robinson once dubbed me f do my best in the interests of the industry which provides me with a the recognised leaders of that industry take little interest, in what should be their apparently secure in the knowledge that when the battle ; is over and the new road cleared before them p> I will sink again into the oblivion whence I came leaving them j without effort on their part, still the leaders ? but of an organisation which will no longer be igrifored. Yours etc. > Wm. I. WALLACE.