THE FARMERS AND THE NAVY.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 187, 30 June 1916, Page 2

THE FARMERS AND THE NAVY.

I'he attitude of the Provincial Executive of tlis Farmers' Union towards the move for collecting tunds for the relief ot ths dependents of naval men who have fallen in the war, as shown hy the tone of the diEcusßion at their last meeting, must have cutne as a shock and a painful surprise to farmers generally. We should bave been glad not to have to allude to it, preferring rathar to treat it as one of those unaccountable lapses from unreassnableness which ocasionally overtake such bodies, had not the further actions of the Executive proved them to be not only unrepenting of their extraordinary utterances on the occasion in question, but to be determined to try and induce the members of the Union generally to fallow them along the same road of ungraceful ingratitude. We cannot conceive that any explanation that may be essayed by the Executive will suffice to satisfy our farmers that there is no necessity to subscribe for the widows and orphans of the men who gave up their lives in the North Sea and elsewhere in order that the Empire might survive. They have recognised with the utmost clearness of perception that their commerce, their liberties, nay, their very lives have been preserved to them by the navy and the Navy alone, and nothing in this war has touched their hearts and fired their imaginations like the magnificent performances the Silent Service, that has been the one agent, under Heaven, ot preserving us from the hatfful domination of the Hun. The spuriouß plea that* tha Government ought to provida 8s a rijht should nut and will not deter our people from expressing in voluntary donations their thankfulness and gratitude.

With tne dictum of the Farmers' Union that ail voluntary subscriptions should cease we no sympathy. We (irmly believe that the art of giving not only benefits the recuver materially, but th2 giver also, both mentally and morally. The man whom the war bas not made more sympathetic and tolerant towards his fellow is but a poor citizen and a sorry patriot, and his generous impulses should be fostered, not checked. U&ly a. fen weeks ago the Farmers' Union wae collecting from house to house for the Russian prisoners, and not long before that for the Belgians, and for other patriotic funds. Whv they should endeavour to turn off the tap of public ilbsrality upon this occision passes all comprehension, but we trust and believe that in this matter they are hopelessly out of touch with the farming community generally but even with the members of their Union.