THE OPPOSITION AND THE FARMERS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1914, 24 November 1913, Page 4

THE OPPOSITION AND THE FARMERS.

Ist the wild waste of words which have been used for the purpose of obstructing the Legislature Amendment Hill there t have been a few expressions of opinion that ought not to be allowed to pass without comment. This applies particularly to a remark which was dropped by Me. W. Russell early on Saturday morrjing, and as Mr. Russell is an ex-Minister, and one of Sir Joseph Ward's ,principal supporters, it is only reasonable to accept his views as ail indication of what the AntiIteform Party would do if tfeey had the power. _ In one of his speeches ho gave a list of measures which he thought might with advantage be introduced, and amoud the number "was one for the abolition of the country quota. This may be taken as another proof of the fact that the Opposition are quite out of sympathy with and even antagonistic to the country (settler. They appear to have found it necessary ,to chooso between the Labour-Socialists and the farming community, and recent events go to show that they have decided to throw in their lot with thG Labour-Socialists. _ This, no doubt, explains their action in obstructing the passage of the Agriculture Bill, and their significant silence when Government members vigorously protested against certain insulting public references which had been made to the settlers and their sons who haw come to Wellington to do duty as special constables, Mr, Russell has now further widened the breach between the Opposition and the far- i mors by threatening, to take away the country quota—that is, the ar-; rangeraent by which, for electoral purposes, ail addition of 28 per cent, is made to tho couatrv population. This concession is considered necessary owing to the aparseness of the! population, the difficulty of making proper provision for community of interest, and other reasons, Tho country settlers would of course stoutly resist any attempt to abolish tho quota, and it is-just as well that thoy should know from whs'.t quarter an attack on it is likely to come..