LABOUR AND FARMERS IN POLITICS

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 8, Issue 480, 10 June 1919, Page 2

LABOUR AND FARMERS IN POLITICS

Slß—One can appreciate your desire not to be flooded with correspondence, but you can hardly expect to be spared when such vital questions are opened up in your columns as are treated of in Mr H. G. R. Mason's letter and your comments upon it. T trust you will forgive me if 1 venture to say a word or two upon «ome aspects of Mr Mason's communication that have not received your attention. In the first place, Mr Mason falls into the common mistake of imagining that the shareholders of the public companies he mentions are what he calls capitalists. He need only look up the share registers to see how far this is from being the case, and that the vast majoriy of the names there are those of people who have invested their small savings or inheritances in shares That these companies should endeavour to make the highest possible profits may be regrettable, but it is extremely human, and the average share-holder is no more a shark than Mr Mason and I are. My sympathy for the people who have to buy joints of beef does not lead me to sell my bullocks below the market price, and unless Mr Mason strangely differs from his brethren of the long robe his commiseration for the clients who have to avail themselves oi his legal knowledge does not greatly reduce his bills of costs. It is even often stated that Labour does not allow his pity for the employer to prevent his getting the highest possible payment for his services.

For the last year or so some members of the Auckland Farmers' Executive have been coquetting with Labour in reregard to a possible political union. Tt has only been a very mild flirtation, so far, and let us hope it will not assume the serious entanglement of matrimony, for the attitude of Labour towards the farmer is clearly—"What is yours is mine, my darling, and what's mine's my own." In the printed Constitution of the N;Z. Labour Party, for which I am indebted to Mr. Mason, one objective, and one only, is admitted, and that is "The Socialisation of the means of produc* tion, distribution and exchange.'* Mr Mason says this does not mean the confiscation of the farmers' land. Will he tell us what it does mean ? The average farmer appears to be a little more shrewd than some «f the people he appoints to represent him in the Farmers' Union, and one can scarcely conceive of him joining Labour in a charge upon the Government benches. If he does, his fate will be that of the young lady who went out riding in dangerous company — " They came back from that ride With the lady inside, And a smile on the face of the tiger." HENRY E. R. L. WILY. P.S.—lf Mr Mason imagines that by giving his adherence to the Labour Party he has joined a democratic association he can be quickly disillusioned. For its own sole use and benefit, and to the detriment of the rest of the community, organised labour has succeeded in securing the most undemocratic and reactionary measure, over known, preference to Unionists; and has fought determinedly against the most socialistic and democratic law ever enacted — universal service against the enemies of the Empire. H. E. R. L. W. [We did not want to continue corre. - pondence on this subject, hut, as a number of replies to Mr Mason's letter have come to hanr* we cannot justly refuse to give some of them, at least, publicity. Either side, therefore, are now entitled t<» continue, but it mint he a control yersy between correspondent?, while wo shall confine ourselves to giving all parties fair plfly.—-En. TIMKS I