THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1910 FARMERS' UNION AND POLITICS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10101, 24 September 1910, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1910 FARMERS' UNION AND POLITICS.

The Farmers' Union in New Zealand is a negative quantity. It started out, some years back, to organise the -farmers for their mutual advantage. That organisation was partially effected, and a platform was • adopted which, it was thought, would appeal to the great bulk of those who earn their living from the soil. The fact that the Union to-day is in a state of collapse, and that it does not include in its ranks one-tenth of the farmers of the Dominion, is evidence that the platform has not been sufficiently attractive to quicken the enthusiasm of the farmers. That the Union, since its inception, has done good work in representing to Parliament the disabilities of the man upon the land, few can deny. It has fought with vigour and determination any attempt to impose further taxes and hardships upon the "big" man, and has even devoted some attention to the dairy farmer. There' has been a suspicion, however, that the chief objective of the Union is to conserve the interests of the large holder and-to neglect those of the small. It is this suspicion which has caused hundreds bf farmers to stand aloof from the organisation. More than that, the determination to have nothing to do with party, politics as a body, whilst seeking the support of certain candidates by individual action, Jias ostracised a considerable section of the rural community. The Farmers' Union has now only one course open to it, if it intends to survive. It must be re-organised upon liberal lines, and upon lines which will appeal to the great bulk of the farmers. It must also become a direct and active political agency. What is happening to. the Jrades Unioas o£ tihis gomiuiou,

aust also happen with the Farmers' Union. It must formulate a j listinct political platform, and fight j : or that platform for all it is Yorth. It cannot afford to remain passive when the city element is so iggressive. If it wishes to avert the disaster which will follow the domination* of the politics of the country by a body of Socialists, it j will require to organise at once as a ' political body, and organise in earnest.