A FARMERS' POLITICAL PARTY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 309, 24 May 1911, Page 5

A FARMERS' POLITICAL PARTY

DISCUSSION IX AUCKLAND. By Telegraph.—Press Association. '» Auckland, Last Night. At the provincial conference of the r Farmers' Union this morning, remits - from the Matatoke and Kiokio branches •* recommending the formation of a farm* ers' political party in the Dominion Bu* liamcnt, to safeguard the interests of j farmers, were considered. The presid" ent, in introducing the remits, reminded the conference, that the decision to form '?* a farmers' party was made at the last . i conference. Taranaki, they knew, was j with them. Canterbury was very ener« -j getieall.v pursuing a policy in that direc- j? tion, but they did not quite come ouf if into the open. It was not desired of j proposed that the farmers of New Zea» fj land should attempt to elect and send 'sj to Parliament members on the same foot* 4 ing as" the present recognised parties, Go« vernment, Opposition or Labor, whose 7 if objective was to obtain such a majority *1 that they could form an executive who' >vou!d carry 011 the whole public busi- ~!? uess of the Dominion in accordance wltk'il tJieir political views. The farmers' party, j it was now desired to form was a com* % bination which had for its object the re« y turn to Parliament of members for coun* ■ , try constituencies who would engapf * themselves to watch all legislation #f»/ feMing.the man on the land, and bind themselves to vote unitedly for against such legislation, in entire disre* i gard of how it affected the status of the 'j recognised political party at present in' Parliament or the fate of any Ministry, i 'Mr. Maxwell (Matakoke), who moved ] the remit, said agriculturalists were two*'l thirds of the population, and they should I be fully represented in Parliament. A Mr. ,Fiuld (Kiokio) seconded the adop. -j tion of the remit. The idea of his 1 branch was that all branches should be Jj consulted in the selection of that it should not be left solely to the provincial executives. 51 Mr. McOill (Waiuku) said he thougHf ' they were not rendv for a farmers' party' ; yet. He believed heartily in the move* ■ ment, but to fail would discredit the -j Union and throw it back. The remedy was to exert themselves in organisation ( and in discussing farmers' politics. , Mr. Duckworth moved as an amend" ment to the remit, "That though it eon» > siders the formation of a farmers' party desirable, this conference considers the '• time not mature to put it into opera- t| tion, biit farmer* be urged to support I only candidates giving a pledge that - they will support the Union's platform." ) There was a considerable amount of;] discussion when the question was put.*; The amendment was lost. The remit (that a party be formed) was carried amid applause. ,