TIME FOR ACTION

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22340, 27 May 1947, Page 5

TIME FOR ACTION

WORLD FARMERS’ BODY ABUSE OF SERVICE WILL NOT BE PAWNS SCHEVENINGEN, May 24. “The talking is over and deeds must follow immediately,” said the president. Mr. James Turner, Britain, in closing the first annual conference of the International Federation of Agricultural Producers. “You all realise that from this moment members are individually committed to definite courses of. action within their own countries. "It is tlie general desire of the delegations that I should now announce to all Governments that we mean business. We have no room for lipservice. Farmers and farm workers do not intend to be made pawns in the game of high politics and big business. Unanimity Achieved “The greater part of tlie world is hungry. Agriculture provides the people’s food. Farmers are serving the world’s first need but their service has been far too long abused.” Mr. Turner claimed that the unanimity achieved at .the conference had dissipated the notion that in international politics “mesmeric platitudes” could be substituted for actual responsibilities. The federation had undertaken certain responsibilities and it could abundantly justify them to its own farm peoples. If Governments wouid get down to fundamentals, and if the United Nations would turn its Food and Agriculture Organisation into a powerful weapon against hunger and want, they would find the federation resourceful enough to expedite these aims. Next Meeting in France They had created a firmly-con-stituted organisation with a positive policy, but it would obviously depend upon the loyalty and service given by members whether they could achieve their objects The executive committee the coming year will comprise the president. Mr. Louwes (Holland), M. Martin (France), Mr. H. H. Hannam (Canada) Mr. A. S. Goss (United States). Mr. P. •Newcomen (Australia), M. Hogsbro Holm (Denmark), and Professor N. G. Ranga (India). The next conference will be held in France not later than June 3, 1948. The contribution of the New Zealand Federated Farmers for the coming year will be £3OO, the same as the previous year. Britain and the United States will jointly share half the burden of the federation’s Budget of £20,000. the next largest contributors being France, £2250, and Canada, £2200.