MR. POLSON’S POSITION.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 308, 3 October 1929, Page 5

MR. POLSON’S POSITION.

A VIGOROUS DEFENCE. Political Propaganda. “ Three Dogs and a Man.” A vigorous defence of Mr. Poison, president of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, and attack on those farmers who object to him being in Parliament, was made by farmers of the Rotorua electorate at the subprovincial meeting held in Matamata on Tuesday. Mr. P. Melrose, of Walton, introduced the subject, and urged that a resolution be passed protesting against the treatment being meted out to Mr. Poison by a few farmers, j Speaking for his own branch of the Farmers’ Union, Mr. Melrose said

that members believed they could only get ahead by political action. Some members of the Farmers’ Union thought they should leave politics out of their discussions, but if they cast their minds back they would realise that some of the resolutions passed that day had first been passed twenty years ago, and they were no further ahead in regard to them. This showed plainly that political action was necessary. A lot of members had joined the , Walton branch on condition that j something on these lines would be done. Because nothing was done they were losing members, and they now wanted the road opened so that they could get their resolutions acted upon in Parliament. He did not know what members of the provin- I cial council thought on the matter, but he felt they should ask their delegates to the annual conference to strongly oppose any remit on Mr. Poison’s presence in Parliament which came up for debate. If farmers did not take political action they were going to lose members.

Mr. Robinson: It is purely political propaganda. The resolution against Mr. Poison was passed by wealthy men who have resigned from farming but are farmers still. Mr. Nicklin: They have no right to haul their president over the coals in public.’ Such discussions should be taken in committee. A man has a perfect right to stand for Parliament if he wishes to. His private actions are no concern of the union. Mr. Robinson: There never has been a resolution of that Sort passed at a dinkum meeting—they are generally composed. Ojf three men a ! ' _ fit M r - Gubb: Three, dogs and a man. (Loud Jaughter and applause). , ... o Mr, Roljinsbii; "VVe hav4, looked up the i meeting which was , stated to have been attended by just over a quorum. We have also looked that up and found the quorum was four. (Laughter). It is ridiculous that such a resolution should be wired throughout the Dominion. (Applause).

On the motion of Messrs. Melrose and Gubb, the following resolution was then passed unanimously: “ That this meeting of the Rotorua sub-pro-vincial branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union resents the action of certain branches of the Farmers’ Union in passing resolutions which would deny the president of the union undoubted liberty to occupy a seat in Parliament as a private member.”

In commenting on the value of the resolution, Mr. Robinson drew the meeting’s attention to the fact that any sub-provincial branch of the Farmers’ Union in the Auckland province, would, from a membership point of view, be in the top half of a list of the full provincial branches for the whole of the Dominion.