FARMERS AND STRIKES.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 451, 27 March 1912, Page 6

FARMERS AND STRIKES.

MANIFESTO BY THE FARMERS' UNION. New Zealand Farmers' Union, Auckland Province, March 21st, 1912. To the Editor. Sir, —In compliance with request by members of the Provincial Executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union that I should write a letter clearly stating the attitude of our union in this province will take in the event of strikes. I enclose you a copy asking that you will kindly publish it. —I am, etc., D. H. LUSK, President N.Z. Farmers' Union, Auckland Province. "The Executive of the Farmers' Union at their quarterly meeting, held last week, gave some consideratiorf to the question of strikes generally, and in particular to the current rumour that the officials controlling the Federation of Labour contemplate a general or combined strike of all the unions or workers controlled by them. The views of farmers generally on this important subject and the action decided upon by the Executive of this union having been very shortly and imperfectly reported, it has been deemed advisable that I, as President, should state clearly the position we take in such dispute an the means by which we propose to safeguard our own interests. Before doing so, however, I desire to draw attention to some facts, which should be carefully borne in mind. That any general

strike of workers must necessarily affect every section of the community whether they are concerned in the matter immediately in dispute or not, with the possible consequence of raising a strong opposition to the strikers frum a large section of _the community who otherwise are inclined to be friendly, or at any rate have no wish to be drawn into the quarrel. "The relation that town or trading interests bear to country or farming interests is important in this connection, seeing that the town workers, who propose striking, have no com- : plaint agaist the farmers and the farmers have no quarrel with the town workers, but a general strike of city ■ workers would at onc» disorganise the "whole business of the farming com- : imunity. Perhaps some energetic members of the Labour Council would ■ isay all the better, because it shows : >our power and helps to ensure us vic- \ ;tory in the dispute. Both the trading and labouring classes of the towns are, however, too -apt to exaggerate their own importance in relation to the whole Dominion, and should bear | in mind that nine-tenths of the whole subsistence of the community comes from and is produced by the workers uf the land —that the town and their inhabitants are absolutely dependent upon the country—not the country or its workers upon the town people, for : certainly the farmer could live with- ! out the towns, but the towns cannot possibly live or exist a month if cut ' off from the country and the farmers' ; products. The farmers, however, are not only raising food for them- ! selves and to supply the town dwel- ! lets, but have established a large ex- | port and import trade with other ! countries, which, by the way. is the ; main source of living gained by town ; workers and traders. Now this pro- ; fitable business of the farmers would : at once be jeopardised by a strike, ! and hence the nned of a clear underI standing between them and the j Federation of Labour. "I repeat again the Farmers' Union have at present no quarrel with you ; i and wish none —do us, the farmers, no * injury, and we will do you no wrong; ji but if you endeavour to damage our j trade, hindering the transport of our ; produce and impeding the import of j manures, implements, etc., then in I self-defence we must go dead against | you, and I may as well say straight | out that the farming community will j not allow anybody to interfere with ' 1 or destroy their business and are ! quite prepared to assemble a suffi- • cient number of stalwart young far- \ mers not only to secure the handling il and transport uf their goods, but to I maintain 4aw and order in the city ; while doing so. i "The farmer is a very peace loving ! person if you don't injure his farm, j but if you do, he is strong enough to ji command the situation." —I am, etc., j D. H. LUSK, |j President N.Z. Farmers' Union.