THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, MAY 16, 1912. THE FARMERS' UNION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10637, 16 May 1912, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, MAY 16, 1912. THE FARMERS' UNION.

It is significant of the declining interest in ifie work of the Farmers' uii*<ibn in, i\ew Zealand -that,,at the Provincial Conference (to be held in Pal--Imerston North this imonolh, remits will he considered from, only about' a' Uoaea branches. The apathy of the farmers alt the present time is simply Efi-tound'ifn-g. Irl the Wairarapa, outside the A. aiid "P. insolations, tfrert is .absolutely no combination.. A'proposal for discussion at the coming conference is that a paid orgairiieer be 'employed. This is goou' enough in ife way. It is doubtful, however, whether the most skilful oi'ganiser could galvanise farmers irilfco activity in their own hehalf during the present period of unexampled prosperity. The time will ,come, artel it iV not far distant, \then the self-satisfaction which exists 'will be followed by regrets. The victory won at tihe recent elections in/ the (North. Island was more the result .of accident thaw of good .mtuiagenwrit. If the 'rural interests are to be represented in. the Legislature of the country as they should be, the farmers must combine. This brings us to a point of vital importance to the Farmers' Union itself. Rightly or wron'g•ly, .t'he impression has got abroad that the Union represents .the' interests of the iforge landowner rather than those of the small' .farmer. And the composition of the Exooutive and of the platform of tile Union' tends to support rather than to dispel this belief. To be effective, the Union must be representative of the interests of alii classes. It must display just as •keeil an anxiety for the welfare of the agriculturist as for that of .the pastoraJist. It must bo ever on the alert to protect the man. upon the land, he he large or small. In view of the attempt which as at present be>-'

ingmado by .the Labour Party to capture .the sympathies of the small formers, it Shoves those who are managing the affairs' of the Farmers' Untafr to' consider their position. Is tiheiir platform sufficten'.tly Liberal to meet the demands of the present-day landholders ? Are they demohstraiting tliiat interest in VhG welfare of small farmers that they sliouM do? Is their system of organisation based upon, the right lirJes? 'These., and; other questions, might well come under the review of the Executive. The prosperous seascr.fi may in-, a measure be • responsible (for the apathy of farmers in the m.a'£iei J cf banding themselves together for their manual advantage. -We l aire convinced li/hat- eft is not atone irespons-iMe. There ark other reasons whit'h the E'xieoutive might easily detect. Xow that the La'bour Party is mi yoking the a ssi.Palace of the small farmers, why dioul'd not the Farm'ers' Unioni widen r3ts platform, arid promote a social and po3titichil intercourse betweem town and country? Why ehonld tiowinsmen not' be members of ttShe' Farmers' Union ? > This Ss an, aspect cf the question which is worthy [of serious .ccaKldera'bion. It is) siu- < cerely to be hoped, for the sake of the I'great primary 'iniduistry upon which ! the destiiify of this fertile l country de- [ pends, thaJt come effective method will j be devised for the conservation, of the interests cf those who are endeavouri irig to become what the philosopher termed "the greatest public, benefactors," by making two blades of grass gfMo-w where one at present exists.