TOWN & COUNTRY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 May 1939, Page 4

TOWN & COUNTRY

POSITION OF HIE FARMER UNDERSTANDING NEEDED. IN INTERESTS OF THE WHOLE COMMUNITY. The need for bringing before the general public the true position in which the farmers of, New Zealand were at present placed, was stressed yesterday at the Inter-Provincial Conference of the Farmers’ Union. It was decided that the Dominion President (Mr W. W. Mulholland) and other prominent members of the Union should address meetings in the main centres and, if possible, make arrangements for Mr Mulholland’s address to be broadcast. Mr J. C. Bolton said that town and country interests were inevitably bound'up and if they could work together so much the better. “If the people in the cities understood the economic position we are in we would get a tremendous amount.of support,” observed Mr Lloyd Hammond. “Our position,” he added, “is economic and not political. That is the mistake that city people are making and it may prove a fatal mistake. The trouble has been brought about largely by political interference with the economic position. People must be made to realise that the improved economic position of the farmer may prove their salvation.” Mr R. O. Montgomerie said the position of the farmer was far removed from party politics and the sooner it was realised that the farmers had a story apart from party politics the better it would be for the whole community. Mr J. H. Bremner said it was essential that something should be done to bring the case of the farmer clearly before the public. The following remit was adopted: “That it is in the interests of the Farmers’ Union to bring about closer co-operation between farmers and business people, so that both parties may better understand each others difficulties and thus work together in a united effort to restore confidence and endeavour to remedy the evil of rising costs which are seriously handicapping the farming industry and business concerns.”