ALARMED AGRICULTURALISTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 852, 14 June 1910, Page 4

ALARMED AGRICULTURALISTS.

The annual meeting of the Ellesmere branch of the Farmers’ Union was held on 6th May, Mr E. G. Hubbard (president) presiding. The annual report stated that the Union could not be congratulated upon the year’s working. A large number of members had not paid their subscriptions, and this had placed the Union in an unsatisfactory financial position. Three meetings had been held during the year, but these had not been well attended- The committee deplored the apathy of farmers, especially in view of the fact that the labour unions were preparing to bring their case forward again. The Dunsandel branch wrote, inviting the Union to subscribe towards a presentation to be made to Mr George Sheat in recognition of services rendered when the farm labourers’ dispute was before the Court. It was decided to support the project. It was decided to urge as many farmers to attend the Arbitration Court as possible on the I2th instant, when the threshing mill dispute will be heard. This would appear to be a case in which “ fully 75 per cent, (to quote our own particular Employers’ Association !) of the members did not believe either in the principles of their Union or in cashing in! What state of mind can a man be in when he believes neither in uniting nor in “parting”? The twelve-and-six-a-week brigade seem to have fallen on evil days just now. At Auckland, one of their members said that they appeared to have neither politics nor sense, and the president of another branch adventured into the classics and compared the New Zealand Government to Nero, who (so he says) fiddled whilst Rome burned!

This must be much the feeling which made Belshazzar of old send for Daniel to interpret the writing on the wall. The script on the plaster of the Farmers’ Union needs no prophet to interpret it! It consists of three words, “ Arbitration Court award,” and we venture to assert that there is no industry in New Zealand that needs it more. As far as the workers are concerned, we may say to the Farmers’ Union, in Biblical phraseology, “ We will mock at your calamity, we will laugh when your fear cometh.” — Press Hank.