NEED FOR FARMERS TO ORGANISE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 122, 9 June 1937, Page 6

NEED FOR FARMERS TO ORGANISE

i Our Own Correspondent)

Means of Representing Views to Government THE UNION'S SPHERE

(From

WAIPUKURAU, Tnls uay. Better representation in the Domlnion has been the main purpose of the formation of the recently-inaugurated Waipukurau branch of the New# Zealand Farmers' Union. A a meeting held yesterday afternoon, the new chairman, Mr J. D. Ormond, jnr., stressed the need of organisation in the farming industry, pointing out that the policy of the present Government was to take the most notice of organised bodies. "Two years ago I was against semipublic bodies endeavouring to mterfere with or unduly * influencing Governments," he said, "but I think to-day Governments have adopted a policy of dealing with organised bodies only, through their representatives; there' fore, farmers must organise for their own' protection. _ "In the absence of organised opinion, their conditions will be taken by the Government as being satisfactory Also, experience teaches that Governments take the least line of resistance, and, if organised, farmers can represent their case to the Government." Mr Ormond added that in New Zealand there w'ere many unions, all wellorganised, and that they deiranded privileges from the Government. "They are, to an extent, a control of the present Government," he went on. "No such "privilege should be the monopoly of any one section of the community. We, as a union, should see that our union. in particular — and all in general — should be kept clear of political interferences and string-pull-ing." -The main jobs of the local branch, he concluded, were * to organise and state the farmers' case to the Government, " and to educsite membeTs to be skilful in their own- particular industry. Mr Merriken expressed the hope that the newly-formed body would become a strong one. Much:support was needed, and it behoved ; the farming people of the district to becpme members. Mr A. W. Elliott,. one of the Dominion organisers ,of • the movement, present in Waipukurau to. give advice and help, said that membership was increasing at a most satisfactory rate throughout the province. He thought that the tendency these days 'was for everyone to pull togther, and he personally did not mind to which branch a f armer belonged, provided he belonged to the union. Mr J. D. Ormond, jnr., was elected chairman, replacing Mr L. M. Monckton, who -was forced to resign office because of an indisposition. Other officers elected were: Vicechairhian, Messrs L. M. Monckton and A. W. Elliott; committee, Messrs A M. Johnstone, M. Tansey and Morrah (with power to add); delegate to provincial executive, Mr J, D. Ormond, jnr. A secretary-terasurer is yet to be appointed.