FARMERS AND POLITICS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 225, 17 June 1919, Page 6

FARMERS AND POLITICS

NECESSITY FOR COMBINATION URGED. (Special Correspondent,) Palmerston North, June 16. The necessity for united action on the part of the farming community in order to combat the inroads of Bolshevik ideas was stressed by several speakers at a* meeting of farmers under the auspices or the' New Zealand Farmers' Union which was held at' l'almerston on Saturday afternoon. Mr. Ci. Marshall, president of the Wei-, littgton provincial district of the union, said that no class of men -were more-in-terested in the coining general election than the landholders, and his advice to them was to vote en bloc for political aspirants who wore- in sympathy with their claims for justice. He hoped that the various factions which had grown up would sink their differences-and prevent vote-splitting. They were faced by it move on the part of the Socialistic Party to confiscate their hard-earned capital, and that party would not rest satisfied till they had burst up every, thing. The members of the Farmers' Union were out for increased production, while the extremists were using every endeavour to limit it. The union should frame a policy which should be put to all candidates for endorsation, and it they were not prepared to endorse it they should be turned down. The actions of the extremists were not endorsed by, the majority of the community, but they were making, headway amongst the unthinking section of the public. They should refuse to meet the esfxeme section in conference and only deal with the real workers. They had come to the parting of the ways and ,must accept the challenge thrown down and fight the matter out.

Mr. J.'" A. Nash, M.P., followed, and emphasised, that they were all in sympathy with improving the conditions of sane Labour, but all efforts to meet the demands of the extremists were in vain. During the war the cost of labour had risen to unwarrantable heights—to as much as 50 to 100 per cent, in the Old Country. Now Labour wanted .ill, and that could not be allowed. The farmer must be allowed a fair profit on his outlay. However, there was no chance of wages ever going back to anything like pre-war rates. Tho-high cost of living would be a great factor in causing high wages to rule. What was really wanted was a better understanding between Capital and Labour, and to obtain that tho farmers must combine to protect themselves.

Mr. W. H. Field, M.P., urged that the farmers must combine and make their votes felt. As. a body they had never been adequately represented in Parliament. He was glad to see that the.union had started upon a new era, and was allowing some life, and with energetic organisation it should make its power felt. The membership might be extended to include farm workers, ns all interested in farming pursuits should join and support their interests generally. cated the union taking up the questions of public health, the care of children's teeth, and other matters thai were of vital interest. They must, however, find means of effectually dealing with Bolshevists, Red Feds, and Spartacusiaus, who were really all one and tho same, all being disloyal to the Governmont and the Empire. The Meat Trust and shipping combine must also be-dealt with. Immigration of the right class was wanted, but a careful selection should be made, as too many undesirables had already been admitted to the Dominion. Mr. E. Newman, M.P.. also spoke in amplification of the points touched on by the previous speakers, and further emphasised the.importance of the farmers giving the union all the assistance _in their power in order that the organisation might be a strong and far-reaching one.