TTHE FARMERS' PARTY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1136, 25 May 1911, Page 6

TTHE FARMERS' PARTY.

REMARKS BY M.l'.'s. , (By TeUirraph.—Special.Correspondent.!' Auckland, May 24. The subject of the Farmers' party was referred to several times at the annual dinner of the Auckland Farmers' Union Conference last evening. Mr. F. W. Lang, M.P., responding to the toast of the Houses of Parliament, said tho Farmers' Union had,- in his opinion, been wrong when it had tried to escape politics, as it thus did away with its most useful opportunity for work. Ho did not refer to party politics, but to farmers' politics. The most effective way in which the farmers could work in political matters would bo to make Miro of the attitude.of candidates for Parliamentary honours to' tho farming community. ■ ' Mr. F. Lawry, M.P., although on tho opposite side o'f tho political fence,, expressed entire agreement with the views set forth by Mr. Lang. The Farmers' Union as an organisation could not remain politically neutral. Major Lusk, president of the conference, said the name of tho party was not a verv suitable one, because the body was not intended to be "a party" in tho Parliamentary sense, but a body of ind«pendent men, not bound upon party lines but men who would look after tho interests of the greatest,community. a:od the greatest business in the Dominion. Tho farmers needed representation by men who would not bo "touched up by the party whip."