FARMING INTERESTS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 45, 19 February 1946, Page 4

FARMING INTERESTS

Sir—The. movement inaugurated some twelve months ago to bring, about the unification of farming organisations is developing rapidly in the Auckland Province. Although, the Auckland Provincial Executive of the. Farmers' Union. has not offi-' cially given support to the Federation a great many of its members have joined and are actively assisting the Dominion organisation. In the Waikato and adjacent counties there are just under 4000 members fully organised as a separate province. A campaign is proceeding at present for the enlightenment of farmers on the purpose and constitution of the Federation. Messrs B. C. Cooksley (Provisional President) t G. A. Walsh (Cambridge) and W. N. Perry (Chairman South Auckland Dairy Association) and Mr GA. Dawson (Dominion Organiser) arc visiting the B:iy of Plenty. They are. due to address meetings at Tan-

eatua on Friday afternoon and Edgecumbe in the evening. If the Federation is strongly supported in the Bay it is quite possible that a separate province will be so that direct contact may be* had with the Dominion Headquarters. One of the weaknesses in the past of the 'Farmers' Union has been the loss of time and interest caused by the submission of Executive, matters through Auckland. The growing importance of ,the Bay of Plentyarea and its potential development encourage the belief that the farmers generally would welcome the formation of a provincial organisation with dire-t approach to Wellington.

There has already been an enrolment of several hundred members in the Tauranga Katikati and Te Puke districts. The. visiting leaders are all men with mature experience and wide knowledge of farming interests, and they will present information of value to every thoughtful man on the land. f ,

Yours etc. J. B. 'McKINNEY. Sir^ —Another agreement broken! I As, I suspected and warned my fehlriw farmers in my last letter the leaders of 'Federated: Farmers' have not seen lit? to keep 'to ah arrangement made Avith the directors of the Rangitaiki Plains Dairy Co.; that.affair meeting should be in the Rangitaiki area at which both sides could be placed before the farmers. Two speakers were to address the meeting with equal periods' the, 'Federated Farmers' having the right to speak first if they so desired., This is not the first time an agreement has been broken by these

people. Mr Mulholland and Mr Cooksley have requested the Farmers' Auckland to arrange meetings up north; and by leading the Auckland *

executive away from the Bay f»f Plenty have given themselves they think a clear field. , They have decided to split fm-ees coming through the Bay of Plenty to quietly arranged meetings called at the last moment to be held throughout tbe Bay in-order to inconvenience any chance of the true story being, known. They are well_ aware that when the truth does come. out f they cannot put their scheme over.. I appeal to all co-operators and all

farmers who believe in honest fair dealing to insist at these meetings that I and another have the right to address the meetings in answer to these men. Freedom entails eternal vigilance. This Federation is Fascism and can evidently not bear the right of investigation. I repeat that the Farmers' Union Auckland Province stands for a Union democratically based on branches with one voice pledged, to uphold farmers Dominion co-operatives and non party political bringing the leaders of farming interests closer to the mem-t bers of the farming community. Our leaders should look upon themselves as our servants not as dictators. The Federation stands for Fascist Dictatorship and the oposite t» what the Farmers' Union, stands for.

Yours etc.j R. W. DUNNING, (Vice-President Bay of Plenty and Member of Auckland Executive Farmers' Union)