THE FARMER AND THE TOWN WORKER.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1396, 23 March 1912, Page 6

THE FARMER AND THE TOWN WORKER.

IF A GENERAL STRIKE OCCURS, WHAT THE MAN ON THE LAND WILL DO. (By Telegraph-Press Association.) Auckland, MaTch 22. The president of tho Now Zealand Farmers' Union of tho province of, Auckland writes to tho press in regard to tho attitude- of tho union in connootion with the labour deadlock. Tho letter contains, inter alia, the following:— "Tho executive of tho Farmers' Union at their quarterly meeting held yesterday gave some consideration to the*question of strikes generally, audi in particular to tho current rumour tliat officials controlling tho Federation of Labour contemplate a general or combined'.strike of all unions or workers controlled'by them. Tho views of farmers generally on this important subject, and the action decided upon by the executive of this union having been very shortly and imperfectly re--porle'd, it lias been deemed advisablo'that 1, as president, should stale elearlv the position -we take in such a dispute, and.' tho means by which we propo.-o to safeguard our own interests. Anv general ftrike of workers must necessarily affect every section of I lie community, whether they arc concerned in the, matter immediately in dispute or mil, with the possible consequence of raising strong opposition to the strikers from a large section of the community, whu otherwise are inclined to bo friendly, or at any rate have no wish to bo drawn into tho quarrel. The relation that town or trading interests bear to country or farming interests is important in this connection, seeing that the town workers who propose striking have no complaint against the farmers, and the farmers have no quarrel with the town workers, but a general strike of city workers would at once disorganise the whole business of the forming community. Tot-haps some,energetic mombcrs.of tho Labour Council would say all tho better, beciiusr it shows our "power and helps to ensure us'victory in'the dispute. Both-tile trading and labouring classes of the towns are. however, too apt to exaggerate their own ininortauca in relation to the whole Dominion, and should bear" ill mind that nine-tenths of die .whole subsistence of the community cumes from,' and is produced by, workers on the land, that the towns and their inhabitants, nro 'absolutely ■dependent upon the'country-, not tho country or its workers noon the town people, for certainly farmers could live without I ho towns, but the towns canHot possibly live or exist a month if cut oft' from the country and the fanners' prortur.t-i. Tho farmers, however, are not only'raising rood for themselves, and to supply tho town dwellers, but have established' a large export and iiunort trndo with oilier countries, which, by the wav, IS tho main source of livinor gained by town workers and traders. Now this profitable business of the farmers would at once be jeopardised by a strike, and henco the need of a clear understanding between them and the Federation of Labour. , I repeat again, the Farmers' Union have at present no quarrel with you,, and wish none. Do us, the farmers, no injurv, and ■we will do you no wrong,-lint if vou endeavour to damage our trade, hindering the transport of our produce, and impeding import of manures, , 'implements, etc.. then in self-defence we must go dead against you, and I maV as well say straight out that the farming community will not allow anvbodv to interfere witir or destroy their 'business, and are-quite prepared.to assemble a' sufficient-number of stalwart young farmers, not only to secure the handling and ti-ansnort'of their goods, but to maintain law a"nd order in tho city while doing so., Tho farmer is a •very.peace-loving person if you don't injure his farm, but if vou do he is strori" enough to command the situation—l am" etc., D. H. Omsk, president .New Zealand tamers. Union. . •