THE PARTY TANGLE.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 December 1922, Page 5

THE PARTY TANGLE.

POSITION OF THE FARMER. RIGHTS ENDANGERED. PLAN OF ACTION WANTED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wanganui, Last Night. Interviewed to-night regarding the political situation Mr # W. J. Polson (Dominion president of the Farmers’ Union) said the elections had created a situation which, failing another general election, must be regarded by all producers with grave concern. When Parliament meets one of three things will probably occur: (1) A working arrangement between the Liberal Party and the Reform Party, or between certain members of the Liberal Party and the Reform Party; (2) or a three party House, with Labor holding the balance of power; (3) a Government without an actual majority of ite own, but kept in power by the support of one or two from the independents or the Liberal Party or .both. The effect of the first of these alternatives would indubitably be to make Labor the official Opposition, with the consequence that the Liberal Party, which is the proper alternative from the point of view of the producers to the Reform Party, would soon <*ease to be a political factor and so disappear. Ijabor would then sooner or later obtain the opportunity to apply Socialism and Sovietism to this country. In the second alternative would be able to drive the Government into legislation along Labor lines, much to the disadvantage of the farming community. When they considered the pledges made by leaders and supporters of both the other parties they must refuse to contemplate such an alternative. ‘•lt must be at once apparentadded Mr. Polson, “that none of these alternatives can be contemplated with any satisfaction by producers generally and the Farmers’ Union in particular. We have a very definite programme which we consider essential for the future prosperity not only of the producers, but of the Dominion, but we will have little chance of getting legislation along such lines, or indeed along any lines, if the third of the above alternatives is the expedient adopted for governing the country. “It seems probable that under these circumstanees our organisation will be compelled to take a more active interest in party politics than it has hitherto done if' we are not going to allow ourselves to be overlooked in the political card shuffling of the next few months. The Farmers’ Union represents a very large and rapidly growing section of 'the electors. Hitherto and latterly, possibly to nur detriment —because I am not going to pretend that the Massey Government has given us what we ' want—we have carefully avoided anything that would provide the color of suspicion that we were taking any part in party polities. It may be necessary, and I wish to point, out the possibility, to seriously consider the question during the next few weeks and make it clear that we are a united .body with verv definite views. There is, ot course, still the further alternative of another election. Such a contest would be under a very different set of conditions and might necessitate very definite action if our interests are not io be still further sacrificed.”