Address by Mr. Newman.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 485, 19 April 1909, Page 5

Address by Mr. Newman.

■: .Mr. tldtrarii.Newman,\M.P.,,who came put (vnn. was successful, w, a Farmers' XJnio'n can-, ilidate'.at : last' election, also 'addressed the ■meeting. vße.said he did;not believe that ii'anners'.phion had lost its influence; on the po'ntraryj.it, had a 'stronger".hold than ever:': liSolc at last election;,- Right" down the "West' Coast they .had Farmers'. Union'men returned. It '\roHlld'-/b«' , dis^trous'.tp ! 'thq'.cou'ntry-if the Farmers! : .TJnion failed- to ; exist./ They were iibt working in favour of large .land-owners as had been stated: The union was an' organisation'; for{ the/benefit- 1 of,-.". small:. '; f armors.Persbnally,' hb. did libt 'bare which party they , got 'the' freehold from; ■' but hoi was, going to support ■ the party that' adopted a ■ freehold ■policy. , It was -his; great ambition to givo the option'of the free-hold. He thought 'Tiey had;, got. men; in ; the: House now who would not talkorie.way:-and vote-the other: :-■■'■'."'".•' V.';.-; .■;.'.■"•■■■'■■:.•■■■-'\. ■-../■ ■" ':';:■■' ■■ :.■■'/ ;'.'■■ ;',■';';> United for the , Fj-oohbld. \ .'".";■; I,.He. anticipated ,a [. desperate .fight, for the freehold 'when .the, Question ;!was- ventilated, ui favqur-iof thb fiechbld .with [ small, areas {.would bo' the accepted, ! policy of ..'the.''Government.of the-day. ...To achieve this 'it-was almost necessary to'havo a freehold party-'-in '.the, Hdiise. ■ They 'had a largo; number : of; farmers in ' Parliament, but what was'the gbod 'if on-such 'an important buostionjthey did not.'vbtb together? : They should 'sink.party differences when ,'tho freehold, qnestfoh came before tho House;-, These Wore his views, and ho wa : s going , to be faithful to them. Ho had already seen a number of members-nnd' there : .was'unanimity among them with regard tbi tho freehold ami other r-.ain plank's;:oft-k6 Farmers'' Union platform. They had 'experienced a period of depression, brought about: to a"■ large extent ■bv causes outside of New Zealand. The; depression had affected them mostly by raising the price of money and reducing the market for some of their exports... Tbo.whole country was looking to the farmers 'of New .Zealand to lift them out of tho present' difficulty. - They .should double, their exports, but to do this bush/and; Native lands. should '. be speedily developed and every facility should be offered to, settlers; Parliament should devote its energies to bringing ;into profit 'the waste lands/of, the Dominion. They had had enough of. nxperimental and Socialistic legislation. In fighting for tho'Union platform ho felt surb they wero doing good service to' town and country .alike,. as their interests were identical.