THAT DEPUTATION OF FARMERS

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 54, 26 November 1921, Page 10

THAT DEPUTATION OF FARMERS

I 0 EXPLANATION ANO REPUDIATION LETTER FROM THE SHEEPOWNERS. When Mr. Massey was speaking in .the House of Representatives at the close of the Financial debate, he stated that he had received a communication from men who had been present at the Farmers’ Union deputation some time ago repudiating the sentiments expressed, and saying that they had been induced to attend the deputation under a misapprehension. The Dominion president of the Farmers’ Union (Mr. W. J. Polson) has since expressed astonishment at this statement, and added: "I am satisfied that whoever the individuals were who tried to curry favour with Mr. Massey afterwards, they were not members of the Farmers’ Union deputation, whom I know to be loyal men with no backstairs proclivities.” In view of the statement made by Mr. Polson, the Prime Minister has macle available for publication the following letter received by him from the secretary of the New Zealand Sheepowners and Farmers’ Federation, Christchurch, dated October 21: — “Blear Sir,—May I trespass upon your time to the extent of making a personal explanation of my own and the other delegates’ inclusion as members of the unfortunate deputation- from the Farmci's’ Union which waited upon you on the 11th instant? “My federation wish to dissociate themselves entirely from the expressions of opinion given by the speakers at that deputation, and to state that wo were invited to join with the other bodies represented for the express purpose of giving you our hearty good wishes and congratulations on your safe return to New Zealand, and incidentally to formally urge the necessity for the abolition of preference to unionists under the Conciliation and Arbitration Act. “The whole and sentiments expressed by the speakers were a surprise to us, and we felt that we had been induced to accompany Hie deputation under a misapprehension.—Yours faithfully, (Sgd.) Wm. H. Nicholson, Secretary.”