WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 January 1921, Page 6

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE FARMERS’ RETORT. IN SELF-DEFENCE. (Special Correspondent.) Wellington, Jan. 24. After a somewhat lengthy incubation the Farmers’ Union has hatched out its scheme of educating public opinion on matters intimately concerning the primary producers. For the purpose of counteracting "the nernicious and erroneous statements published in the daily papers from time to time,” it is going to launch a publicity campaign, by which these statements will be “answered and contradicted” and the truth made known to the world at large. It is intended to engage a “trained writer” who will prepare “suitable articles for distribution to the daily Press, dealing with the farmer’s work, his losses, his disabilities, and his hardships.” The public, it appears, is to be shown the seamy side of the rural life and the young men who are being urged to get on the land are to be warned against such a hazardous proceeding. THE CITY VIEW, Business men seen here to-day had not noticed that any of the important papers had been disseminating the idea that the farmer was the chief of the profiteers and exploiters. If any such allegation had been made, they said, it was so far and so notoriously wide of the truth that no sane and observant person was likely to be misled by its iteration. One or two of these business men, however, thought the Fanners’ Union was making a mistake in con stantly appealing to the Government for assistance of one sort and another to its members. A feeling had got abroad that the union meddled too much with politics, not necessarily party politics, and its publicity campaign was not likely to mend matters in this direction. FIREMEN’S DISPUTE.

The dispute between the locomotive firemen and the Railway Department, as was generally expected, has been patched up temporarily, and negotiations for a settlement are now in progress. It seems - that the men had issued their strike notice without the authority of their national executive, and that * this facilitated the tentative arrangement under which they are now working. There is little doubt, however, that further trouble will bo averted. The authorities have recognised that the men are entitled to some consideration, and the consideration can be scarcely less than the men have demanded. Apparently the handling of poor coal must be their lot for some time to come, and the additional labor this fuel entails would not Ijo extravagantly remunerated at 2s a dav.

THE COAL DISPUTE. The coal dispute remains in a less promising position. The miners have accepted the suggestion of the Prime Minister for the appointment of a Disputes Committee consisting of two representatives from each side, but they retain the right of approving or disapproving of the chairman. This may or may not moan that substantial progress has been made towards a settlement. The miners still may determine wh ther the negotiations shall proceed or not. A statement made by one of their leaders to-day encourages the hope that the men will be reasonable, but they are a difficult body of workers to deal with, and no one can say what will happen next. Meanwhile a serious coal shortage is being created by the men’s persistence in the go-slow policy.