The Farmers’ View Point

Hokitika Guardian, 16 December 1922, Page 1

The Farmers’ View Point

STATEMENT BY MR W. J. POLSON. WANGANUI, Dec. 13 Interviewed to-night regarding the political situation, Mr W. J. Poison, Dominion President ol tho kamieis Union,-said: —The elections have created a situation which, failing another general election, must bo regarded bj all producers with grave concern. When Parliament meets, one of three things will probably occur:— (1) A working arrangement l>etween the Liberal Party and the Reform Party, or between certain members of the Liberal Party and the Reform Party. . (2) A three-party House, with labour bolding the balance of power. (3) A Government without an actual majority of its own, but kept rn power by the support of one or two from the Independents or the Liberal Party, or both. The effect of the first of these alternatives would indubitably be to make Labour the official Opposition, with the consequence that the Liberal Party, which is the proper alternative from the point of view of the producers to the Reform Party, would soon cease to he a political factor, and so disappear. Labour would then, sooner or later, obtain the opportunity to apply Socialism and Sovietism to this country. In the second alternative Labour would lie able to drive the Government into legislation along Labour lines, much to the disadvantage of the farming community. When we consider the pledges made by the leaders and supporters of both the other parties, wo must refuse to contemplate such an alternative, and this brings us to No. 3, viz.., that some ol the Independents and one or two Liberals will keep the Government in power in order to avoid another election.

It must be at once apparent that none of these alternative can be contemplated with any satisfaction by the producers generally, and the Farmers’ Union in particular. We have a very definite -programme, which we consider in the interests of the whole of the community and essential for tho future prosperity, not only of the producers. but also of the Dominion. Wc will have little chance of getting legislation along such linos, or. indeed, along any lines if the third of the above alternatives is the expedient adopted for governing the country, and the objections to Nos. 1 and 2 arc self-apparent. It seems probable that under these circumstances our organisation will be compelled to take a more active interest in party politics than it has hitherto done if we arc not going to alloiv ourselves to be overlooked in the political card-shuffling of the next few months. The Farmers’ Union represents a very large and rapidly-growing section of cloclois. Hitherto and latterly, possibly to our detriment, because 1 am not going to pretend that the Massey Government has given us what we want, we have carefully avoided anything that would provide tho colour of suspicion that we were taking any part in party polities, ft may he necessary, and I wish to point out the possibility, to seriously consider the question during the next few weeks and make it clear that we are a united body, with very decided views. There is. of course, still the further alternative of another election. Such a contest would he under a different sot of conditions, and might necessitate very definite action if our interests are not to he still further sacrificed.