FARMERS AND POLITICS

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 59, Issue 229, 30 October 1930, Page 6

FARMERS AND POLITICS

Per Press Association.

HIGH COST OF L1VING DISCUSSED WIPING OUT THE ARBITR ATION \ COURT.

WELLINGTON, Last night. ^ A liint that the executive of ihe New Zealand Farmers' Union may be asked to consider propoaals of a pohtical nature was given by Mr W. J. Polson, 31. P., at to-day'g meeting of the executive. The meeting was discussing whether or not it should advocate a reduction in civil servants' wages, when 31r Polson remarked tbat what was necessary was a reduction of all costs :n wliich the business man and tbe worker would have to participate. Tliat could only be done by special legislation carefully tbought out. How could the present Government, a mmority Government, do anything of tbe kind ? 3Ir Polson urged tliat there ivas no equality of opportunity for the primary producer jn New Zealand just now. The fall in priees was affecting the whole world, and was not pec-uliar to New Zealand. New Zealanders were trying to mahitahi tlieir standard in the world to-day equal to or better tlian the standard before tbe war. The vesult was_ that the falting values were creatTng unrest everywhere. The farmers were not out to attack other sections of the conimunity, but to endeavour to find a remedy. The financial expert of the Banlr of England told tliem that in his opinion the fall in priees was going to continue. Mr Polson added that he could not say what would be tlieir position in 18 months, unless they could protect themselves and fomrulate some scheme for the partial alleviation of the difficulties. The farmers conld do nothing at all unless they siiowed a united front. That was their only hope if they were not going to be driven into tlie position of the peasantry of Europe. Mr A. Hamilton, M.P. ( Wallacel said that the farmers of New Zealand were looking to the Farmers' Union for a lead and to see that tlieir mterests were looked after and see that they received their due reward for tlieir labours. Farmers sometimes made a noise when there was nothing particularly wrong. They mnst be able to st&te a case wliich woukl be convincing to the community, but there was now somethina seriously wrong, seriously

and adversely affecting the farmers. Tlie land boom in New Zealand was hrought about by the big increase in pnces received by farmers in 1921. Had the Government said to tlie farmers that they would receive a 25 per cent. increase and applied the remainder to war debts, the Dominion would liave paid their Avar dehts as tliey went along, and New Zealand would have been much better off. Wages were only a little higher tlian the cost of living to-day, ivhich Avas not falling very much. Farming costs were 60 per cent._ higher to-day and farmers were selling at 15 per cent. higher. 1'Jie probleni ivas to bring those figures closer together. A member of the executive tbought tbat they should abolish the Arbitration Court. which would bring about an improvement. Mr Hamilton said that migbt be discussed, but it was a question of whetber it was politic to do so, The farmers would have to make tlieir voices felt as a power 111 the land if they were going to do any good. They had tlie majority of votes in New Zealand to-day and liad some support in the cities, but they had to organise themselves and see tbat tlieir power was made eft'eetive. At this stane tbe chairman moved tbat further discussion be taken in committee, and tbis was agreed to. After a two hours' discussion a committee was appointed to draw up a plan for an iiumodiate campaign.