A NON-POLITICAL UNION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3089, 11 January 1909, Page 4

A NON-POLITICAL UNION.

The New Zealand Farmers' Union has always contended, or at a:iy rate, the leaders of the Union have, that it is not a political body. Time was when an allegation to the effect that the Union was limply a political machine in opposition to the Government would have been indignantly denied, and the uttercr thereof held up to scorn and shame as a person who deliberately blinked his eyes at the obvious truth. Not political in the sense of being opposed to any party —how often that declaration has been made on the public platform and through the Press! The foregoing remarks have been called forth through reading the "New Year message" of Mr J. G. Wilson, President to the New Zealand Farmers' Union. Intar alia. Mr Wilson says: —"Even the Union's most captious critic has been free to admit that the organisation has had a distinct effect upon the elections which have recently taken place. Quite a number of prominent workers in the Union have been returned, and others, although not successful this time, will no doubt have an excellent chance next election." It is unnecessary to remark that the Union workers assisted to Parliament by the Union are not to be found on the Government side of the Huu.se. The Farmers' Union has done splendid work in the interests of the country; in fact by protecting the interests of the former it could not do otherwise, and we cannot see why it should not declare straight out that it is opposed to the Government. If the Union were to do this, in view of existing political conditions, we believe it would strengthen its organisation and weld the opposition forces more closely together. Almost daily it must become clearer to the people of New Zealand that a most drastic alteration in the administration of the country's affairs is urgently needed.