Farmers’ Union Keeps Free from Politics

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 415, 25 July 1928, Page 2

Farmers’ Union Keeps Free from Politics

PRESIDENT’S DECLARATION OUTLINE OF PLATFORM (From Our Resident Reporter.) WELLINGTON, To-day. In declaring that the Farmers’ Union should not identify itself with any political organisation, Mr. W. J. Poison pointed out to the co nf ere nee of union delegates that the interests of the country and the provinces could best be served by stating their needs and views free from party adherence. The unanimous decision of the political committee set up by the last Dominion conference to report on the advisability of the union entering the political arena, said Mr. Poison, was contrary to the apparent wishes of a large number of delegates, at least to the extent that it had decided it was not desirable the Farmers’ Union, as an organisation, should engage in party politics. There were all shades of political opinion within the ranks of the Farmers’ Union. It would be impossible to reconcile interests so widely opposed in any party political organisation created by the union. EVERY CLASS "It is desirable that every class shall be represented in Parliament and that in a country like New Zealand, so largely dependent on primary production, the farmer should be largely represented if his interests are not to be neglected,” continued Mr. Poison, "but that is quite a different thing from government by one class in the interests of that class. It seems to me that instead of attempting to carry on an independent political campaign of our own, we should continue to keep the interests of the country as a whole in the forefront, while at the same time bringing all the pressure we are capable of to bear upon Parliament and upon parties in Parliament to obtain sound legislation Tor the benefit of our industry and the country at large. This can be better done by cooperating with whichever of the existing parties is prepared and best able to serve our needs and support our platform. The union’s political committee had thought it advisable to set out plainly the main planks of the union’s political platform. The plank dealing with the arbitration law was precisely what the united body of employers recommended. The financial proposals, said the president, w'ere: Closer attention to internal finance, and particularly the effect of the banking monopoly on the country; proper co-ordination of the lending and land settlement departments. TAXATION RELIEF Relief from taxation it was proposed should be obtained by drastic economy by the State and local bodies; by the mor 9 equitable distribution of the cost of maintaining roads; by recasting hospital rating; by rearranging taxation along the lines suggested by the Taxation Commission so as to redirect finance to rural securities. Protection tended to increase the cost of living and production, and to remove this burdefi the fullest inquiry should be made to determine the natural and essential industries of the Dominion, the order in which they should be developed. Another plank was a more enlightened land settlement policy, providing for closer settlement on more liberal conditions, and the prevention of land aggregation, and more frequent valuations on a productive basis. The platform included national insurance on a universal contributory basis, a properly balanced immigration policy and unemployment relief on sound, economic lines. "We do not require a State Bank in this country if the existing banks will continue their useful service to the State at not too great a cost,” said Mr. Poison, dealing with finance. "But it is the duty of the State, which controls the most important of them, to exercise a w r atchful supervision and not merely maintain an attitude of benignant acquiescence under all circumstances.” In conclusion Mr. Poison said: “We believe that what New Zealand needs is economy, a tapering down of our borrowing policy, in a word, greater self-reliance, more appreciation of the fact that good government is a matter of business, not politics." VOTE OF CONFIDENCE I'ress Association. WELLINGTON, To-day. The Farmers’ Union Conference this morning passed a vote of confidence in Mr. Poison.