WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 6 February 1928, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

FARMERS AND POLITICS. .MATTERS FOR DISCUSSION. (Special to 11 Guardian.”) WELLINGTON, Feb. 2. It was expected that at tlie meeting of the executive of the Farmers’ Union yesterday 57r AY. J. Poison, the President of the Union, would have something to say concerning the progress being made by the committee set up a little while ago to consider the propriety of the Union entering the field of politics. Rut though he mentioned the subject in his customary address to the members of the executive, he was not particularly communicative as to the progress of the movement. “Lately,” he said, “I have lieeu pressed for information as to what has been done by the Committee. Just at the present I am not going to make any statement; but I am going to ask you to bear with the Committee just a little while longer. There are certain- matters which I desire to discuss with the committee.” The nature of the “certain matters” Mr Poison has in mind has not been disclosed, but gossip has it that his personal interest in politics has pal-

pably quickened during the last few weeks and that his ambitions now reach beyond the consolidation of the farmers vote. It has been hinted, indeed. that a constituency along the West Coast of the North Island is all’ondv at his disposal. MINI ST KR C H ALLEN OK D. It would seem from a further statement made by Mr Poison yesterday that in the event of his entering the House of Representatives lie would not lie found among the suliservient followers of the Government. He was

dismissing the rural credits legislation and quoted a statement- made l)v the Minister of Finance which implied that Mr Thomson, the president of one of the American Farm Tamil Ranks, had decried the co-operative groups recommended by the New Zealand Commission. "ft so happens,” Air poison told the executive of the Farmers’ Union, “that Air Thomson is a personal friend of mine, and I spent considerable time with him when in America as a member of the Commission. Air Thomson wrote out a statement for me. which is in my possession now, dealing with the whole question. .Mr Thomson never made such a statement as attributed to him by Air Stewart. AVlmt he did say was that long-term advances were not functioning as they should, and, on Air Thomson’s advice, the Commission had cut out the long-term proposals for groups lor their report, hut the short-term groups, were, of course, essential, and .Mr Thomson had emphasised the fact.” Air Poison did not wish to imnugn the A'mister’s integrity but he frankly challenged the accuracy of his statement. THE LIBERAL STALWARTS.

The return of Sir Joseph AYard to "Wellington this morning, to take the chair at the meeting to he held tonight to protest against the erection of a railway pillar on the Mutt road, has renewed inquiries as to the progress li-eing made by the revived Liberal Party. Sir Joseph had been absent in Christchurch for a month or more receiving treatment for a tiresome ankle, and the “conversations between him and a section of the old Liberal stalwarts necessarily had been suspended during that period. He declares himself to he much improved in health by his rest, and his appearance certainly gives colour to his words; hut he has not yet had time to get into communieation with his political friends or to review the party position in all its changing aspects. He is satisfied, however, that, the country is ready for a change in the administration of its affairs, and that a sane policy espoused by ali the progressive parties would bring this about at the next general election. For himself ho had no vaunting ambitions. He would be glad to assist in restoring sound constittitioninl governnienit

and effective administration, but for the time being lie would set the personal equation aside. ' OTHER PARTIES

Of the other political parties the only one that yet seems to have returned from the Christinas holidays is La hour, which of course remains on the alert the whole year around. While Ministers of the Crown have been enjoying their usual after-session rest, and Parliament Buildings have been wearing the appearance of a deserted village. Air Holland and his colleague:, have been keeping their constant activities no to date. "I he represent a tives of the other branches of the Opposition have even allowed their names and their aspirations to slip out of the newspapers and so Inr there is no indication of their early return to active service. Now that: the opening of the “searching investigation into Fbn Dominion’s industrial uvsteni” has been fixed for .March 2i. nearly two months hence, controversial polities probably will lie on the shelf until Parliament meets in June and then there will be no time lor the minor parties to heal their difierences before the general election. All this must tend to strengthen Hie position of tile Government which again will be able to proclaim itself as the only alternative to red Socialism and national disaster, an appeal which easily may he given the similitude of fact if the present state of affairs is allowed to continue.