FARMERS HOPEFUL

Chronicle (Levin), 1 October 1946, Page 4

FARMERS HOPEFUL

-Press Association

New Organisation Must Be FightingOne

By Telegraph-

WELLINGTON, Sept. 30. "We want to make the'rural industfies the most attractive in New Zealand," sald Mr. W. W. Mulholland in an informal address as president of the New Zealand Farmers' Union at theopening of the union's annual conference today. They were hoping for great things from the new Federated Farmers ' organisation. The form of organisation might be perfect, the seheme might be as well laid as the best arehitects eould make it, but unless the human element functioned as it should, it would not be very useful. "How much are we prepared to saerifi.ee for the general good, how niueh are we prepared to stand up for those principles which we believe to be right?" continued Mr. Mulholland. "Are we prepared to put up a truly fighting front? If we are not, we'll not be able to stand up to the attacks of certain sections of the conimunity who appear to be developing a sense of power without a sense of responsibility. ' 1 They are fighting men who are willing to fight even for a cause which is a poor one. We sliall not serve our day and generation unless we are prepared to fight at least as hard for a cause which we know to be a souud and a good one." Mr. Mulholland said that as a result of the eontraet between the union and Federated Farmers, this would be the last conference address by a Farmers' Union president as sucli. He paid tribute to the loyalty of the men who were associated with the Union and its founders and denied the statemenr often lieard outside and even among members, that the Farmers' Union hal been impotent. The country districts had amenities which few countries could equal and'these were direetly due to the work of local Union branches. Tremendous expenditures formerlv paid out of rates were now met from outside eharges. Federated Farmers would have to go far to better the (Jmon's acliievements. The conference re-elected those new liolding executive ofiice to serve the remaining period. The treasurer, Arr. W. Horrobin, reported that the aecumulated funds of the Union were £19,000. An overdraft of £4105 was offset by amounts owing from Federated Farmers, a £10,000 .mortgage on a building, and n early £0000 on eurrent account. He snggested that trustees should be appointed so that when the Union went out of existence, a staff retirement fund could be administered for the Union's employees.