POLITICAL ACTION

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20744, 2 March 1939, Page 11

POLITICAL ACTION

PARTY FOR FARMERS MR H. M. RUSHWORTHS VIEWS “ INDUSTRY IN SHOCKING STATE ” The need for political action by farmers was the personal view expressed by Mr H. M. Rushworth, a former member of Parliament for Bay of Islands, and at pre.sentVf.he Auckland provincial president of the New Zealand Fanners’ Union, in addressing meetings in the Waikato area. “'Because the shoe does not pinch as much as it did in the depression years, farmers think that they are prosperous,” stated Mr Rushworth at Cambridge. He considered, however, that the industry was In a shocking state, with almost a position of sweated labour. It was necessary to reach a standard whereby farmers could pay the same wages as in other walks of life. While men could get jobs at £4 10s a as bowser attendants, there was little chance of getting them on the land. For 34 years farmers had been struggling to get down costs, but without success. The rush may have been stemmed, but costs had gone up. The position was not due entirely to the present Government, he acfded. “Shall we go on struggling vainly to get costs down, which would evolve a reduction in wages all round?” Mr Rushworth asked. He stated that in theory it did not matter how much a man earned, compared with what he could buy, hut national and local body debt charges made it impossible to get costs down. The alternative was to provide the farmers with a reward equal to that of people in other walks of life. This was contained in the principle of the Labour Government, said the speaker, but it had not been put into practice, and he did not think it would. Big Political Force It was only by the union acting together as a big political force that any results could be achieved. It was necessary for members to get rid of all prejudices and abide by a majority decision. If that happened, there was hope for the future, he contended. While stressing the fact that he was giving his personal views, Mr Rushworth stated that there were only two courses open for the future to save the industry from complete destruction. The farmers could either strike, or stand on their feet politically. The first course was impracticable and had never proved successful, and he favoured a bid for representation in Parliament. “At present the farmers are instructed to choose between two city interests. If they do otherwise they are called vote-splitters and are told that they are not playing the game. Farmers must learn t/h"stand alone—they are quite and they will gain the respect of both sides. At present they are nothing but a catspaw. Country Party Favoured “A poverty-stricken peasantry will be the inevitable end of the farmers if they sit back.” Mr Rushworth answered a number of questions, one of which suggested that it would be difficult for the 80,000 farmers in the Dominion to elect representatives in Parliament. It was explained by the speaker that while the cities were divided as at present, there was always the chance of farmers gaining ten or twelve seats by which they could hold tlie balance. • This was power without responsibility, which the speaker said was not desirable unless necessary.

To another enquiry Mr Rushworth stated that any political organisation would be called the Country Party. Votes of thanks were accorded to the speaker for his interesting address, and also to Mr G. T. Crawley and the chairman, Mr Griffin. During the evening Mr Crawley had given a brief address, during which he congratulated the Cambridge branch on its large membership.