FARMERS IN POLITICS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4405, 24 April 1922, Page 3

FARMERS IN POLITICS.

THAMES TO BE CONTESTED. MR. A. A. ROSS, CANDIDATE. A meeting of delegates of the neighbouring branches o>f. the Farmers’ Union in the Thames electorate was held in the Public Hall at Ngatea on Saturday. Only three branches were represented, Kai here (Mr T. McLoughlin), Ngatea (Mr W. G. Hayward), and Matatoki (Mr A. K. Maxwell). There were also present Colonel Allen, Captain Colbeck, Messrs A. A- R os s (leader, of the propose! party), and L, H. McAlpine (sub-pro-vincial secretary). Mr W. G, Hayward was elected chairman of the meeting.

Mr Hayward explained the reason for the meeting and mentioned the circular,' which set forth the following questions :■ "(1.) Do you wish the p\rty to contest the Thames electorate. (2.) If so, will you support the candidate suggested by your executive. (3.) If not, who do you select as your candidate.” Mr Ross, leader of the proposed party, said there were two questions asked of the branches, whether, or not they would contest the Thames electorate, and if so, , who was the candidate to be. The matter had been undep discussion for a long time, and the movement was to help the Farmers’ Union. One way of getting the settlers to take, an interest in the Union was to have the farmers enter politics. The Farmers’ Union was the only body which attempted io combine the farmers in the Dominion. An advantage ofj having a farmers’ party was explained by Mr Ross, who said that if the Farmers’ Union sent a recommendation to the Government it Wdnt to the waste-paper basket; while other, organisations..represented in Parliament had requests ini mediately attended to.

Two years ago, continued’ Mr Ross, the matter of a. farmers’ party came up for discussion a.t the provincial conference, and it had been almost unanimously decided to form a party, but was turned down by the Dominion executive. The proposal was again carried bythe provincial executive, and this time the. Auckland province was allowed to have its own way. As a Dominion organisation the Union did not intend to take part* in the movement, but the provincial unions Were not prevented fropa doing so. The speaker said- he had been elected leader of the party, an I he. bold that position till the. electino, after which those elected would elect a leader. The speaker offered his services for. the Thames -electorate, as he was a Resident of sanie. If the meeting decided to be reprerented at the elections he urged that they go into committee to select their representative. APPOINTMENT OF CANDIDATE. Mr. Maxwell said he was in accord with the movement, and moved that they appoint a representative to contest the Thames electorate. Mr McLoughlin seconded, and sai l it was only right that there, should be somebody in Parliament to attend to ’he farmers’ interests. The motion was carried unanimously. Mr McLoughlin asked whether the farmers in Parliament would support any party, . ’ ••. \Mr Ross said .that the members would get together and support which ever side they thought fit on any subject. . Mr McLoughlin said that as there were only three dekfifttes i-r-sent it would be a farce to go into committee to select the candidate. He proposed Mr Ross as the Thames candidate. Mr Maxwell, seconding, paid a glowing tribute to the abilities of Mr Ross. That motion was also carried without dissent. . „ Mr Ross, thinking the meeting for selecting him to contest the Thames seat, promised to put up a good fight and do his best for the constituency and Country as a whole. If defeated he would take his beating like a man. Mr Hayward said the Ngatea branch of the Farmers’ Union met the following Saturday, and invited Mr Ross-to attend that meetipg. - Mr Ross said he had already arranged. to address a meeting the night before. He offered to attend a meeting on any ’other suitable date. 11 was decided that a meeting would be held on May 13, and to invite other branches to be represented.