READERS CONSIDER

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 16, Issue 18, 10 November 1950, Page 4

READERS CONSIDER

FEDERATED FARMERS Sir, —Your leading article of October 13 re Federated Farmers differences was to the point. I agree it is .almost inconceivable that the present state of dissent should continue. It has been and always will be my earnest endeavour to draw farmers together in one united body working for their mutual interests and if anyone can assist to this end it would be eminently satisfactory. I will agree with Mr Dunning in his remark that my letter was incomplete and I will be obliged if you will grant me -the space to put the facts before your readers. If you go back to the inauguration of Federated Farmers and look in the book of Rules of 1945 page 12 we read “the Federation shall be divided into 14 groups, with Wellington Province being divided into two groups and Auckland into five i.e. King Country, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Auckland Central and North Auckland. All parts of New Zealand were happy to be divided into these workably sized groups. These have since been further divided until they now number 24 and are known as Provinces each having a Provincial President, Secretary and Executive. Auckland however objected to the proposed division with King Country, Auckland Central and North Auckland wishing to remain as one which they do to this day. Waikato and Bay of Plenty' expressing a strong desire to be separate Provinces, the matter was brought before Dominion annual conference in 1946. It was decided by conference that a vote be taken within the boundaries of the Opotiki, Whakatane and Tauranga counties.

Messrs Blackmore and Dunning, representing Auckland, in conjunction with Messrs Ross and another representing Bay of Plenty, drew up an agreement for the taking of a plebiscite which was certified by Dominion conference.

As it has been freely stated that Auckland Federation did not agree to the taking of this vote I will quote from the official files. “The agreement of Auckland Province of Federated Farmers of N.Z. (Inc.) to the plebiscite was expressed as follows. In a letter dated 18/10/46 which states (the terms of proposed agreement in regard to the conducting of the plebiscite was placed before my Council yesterday and after discussion the following motion was carried): — “That the Council ratifies the proposed agreement subject (re Clause 4) to the appointment of the advertising agency selected and that the scrutinising extending over the (sending out of voting papers as well as to the counting of votes.” (Signed) G. M. ROGERS, Provincial Secretary.

On receipt of the letter we asked Auckland Province to select the advertising agency which they did and Mr A. E. Robinson, Auckland Federation secretary acted as scrutineer. Mr Robinson subsequently signed the following statement with me (I acting on behalf of Federated Farmers of N.Z. (Inc.): — “We the undersigned have witnessed and recorded voting papers concerning the plebiscite in the Bay of Plenty areas and state that the voting was carried out to the satisfaction of both parties.”

The result being:— For Bay of. Plenty 516 For Auckland Province '• 418 As Clause 5 of the agrement approved by Dominion conference and ratified by Auckland Provincial Executive states: — “A bare majority of votes cast shall decide the question.” The issue was consequently settled. The Dominion Conference at its next meeting carried the following resolution: — “That the Provinces do not enrol members from or maintain branches any where within other Provinces that have been granted Provincial status by Federated Farmers of N.Z. (Inc.) The Dominion Conference has subsequently confirmed that the Bay of Plenty Province of Federated Farmers of N.Z. (Inc.) is the recognised body in the area covered by the plebiscite i.e. Tauranga, Whakatane, Opotiki Counties.

The Auckland Federation is a separate body but registered under the Rules of Federated Farmers of N.Z. (Inc.). Consequently it is quite out of order for it to continue to function in the Bay of Plenty and its activities can have no recognition at Dominion level. Since the plebiscite was taken the Bay of Plenty has steadily progressed and its membership today approximately 1500 is rather more than equal to the average of all the Provinces in New Zealand. I would ask your readers to consider not who is right but rather what is right. Accept a democratic view and come together with one object in view i.e. the welfare of

the farmers and incidentally the whole community. Yours etc., S. A. WELLS, Provincial President Bay of Plenty Province Federated Farmers of N.Z. November 2, 1950.