Geelong Advertiser (Vic. : 1859 - 1929), Thursday 27 September 1917, page 4


FARMERS 'JUMP' A NAME.

THEY ARE TO BE A TRUE COUNTRY

PARTY.

The second annual conference of the Victorian Farmers' Union was continu-ed yesterday.

Mr. Oman, M.L.A., moved that the provision requiring an undertaking by a candidate for Parliament to retire from the contest if not selected by the

Union be eliminated, but after a long discussion the motion was negatived.

Approval was given to a ruling given by the President at a meeting of the Central Council in July, that the pledge signed by a candidate was for the life of the Parliament immediately following his election. The President, Mr. Hill, explained that the ruling was given to remove any ground for oppon-ents of the Union saying that the can-didate put himself in the hands of a junta, that he signed an undated re-

sigantion, or that he could be jockeyed by the Central Council, and made to break his pledge to the electors as con-

tained in the platform he had signed, and presented to them.

A motion was submitted by the Col- binabbin branch that the name of the Parliamentary Party, be altered, from "Victorian Farmers' Union Party" to "Country Party." 'There was a long dis-cussion during which considerable op-position to this proposal was evinced. One delegate, amid applause, said that the Premier had, for political reasons, declared that his party was the true Country party, bat the Farmers' Union ought not to be identified with a coun-try party of that kind. They had no-thing to be proud of so far as that party was concerned. It had done

nothing for the producers and it pro-missd nothing.

Mr. J. Allan (Wyuna) said that as a prospective candidate he would like to have as much latitude as possible. The

narrower the policy was made the less would be their chance of success. He

recommended the name of the Country

Party.

Mr. J. Hall (general secretary) said this was the truest Country Party that ever had been evolved. They should not be influenced by past failures of the so-called Country Party in Parliament.

Mr. Hill (President) said the party had to show that they were out for all the country interests, those of the country towns included. They could not do that if they adopted the narrow

title of the Farmers' Union Party.

(Hear, hear.)

The motieni was then submitted. and the title, Country Party, was agreed

to by a large majority.

SIXPFlVCK: A inr -

.Mr. Giles, rcpivsentative of the growts on -;ho Wheat- Board, in

tho conft-rency last ni^lit. .01 d that, had I; uot. bwn for \ho Pool '»J:e farmers svouid nevor have receivwi tho monej rh<-y had for their crow. The money recvivt-u for wool ar.d 'vVtf.a; hud carried Australia on. a:,.; oncouragcmont was ;*;vcu t<j Yho*o industries i«would d bad thiro; ;Vr Au-tniii:'ill-; v.ay thov \rore oneouraging tliom. Hov. t*v»»r, by constantly im-rc-asing

'ind raising wage* to such an rx:- ul Tr.it it wa.N ihi- present thso .'■('i profitable to \. hor.t. The pi'Mplo in the cuio.v wniu«l cheaper bro-id. and they would sot it a? soon as •.h'-y minced wngo>. (Applause.) ?«5js

had boon "nodo in cYip.ection w.tJi the Pool by limiting tho chartering ct ships To two firms and selling agent* to thrc-s>. Soiling -d.ois'd have been ieir. to those wh.o accustomed to dr< rhat work. It was an absolute necessity to hr.vo' tho Australian rif-nBonrd. but tho farmers should have fca4 a voice in tho management of it. Ho was satisfied that the sale wheat at -Z-.9 per lui^hf! f.o.b. w::f. good or.o. notwithstanding that it »vas much below tii." Kncdish price. 'Hi.-. Pv,-;-i. r.^

vornmont was th<• only huvpr. '-n-3. th-\v did not ivai',; ;o rako that Gr.wmnienr in. but uantod thorn to conic her*! a.^nir.. A fail- commission. for banc":.'!V ! would !v Od. po;- hac. arkl he would not a»rc<i- to hi'.'ln*:- chares iban rhiit. Ho ■-stcd that r.ftor tfc*% war tho inrmor* should pi:r.-h;:-p trcir own ships fr.>«> Gri'NBritain. Ttcforrinp: to. hi.* feo^. Mr. Gil. - .• r»*sr h<* was allowed CS'2,«. n.-.r dav r »i-\ ex'H-nscs. hut .is he would onlv h:ive about two mtv>tin.ns por month "it, unnl'l ho inmnf<-iblo for him to keen his; familv ill Mo'bonrno. TTo con^i'dorrd that ''o shonld i ho constantly on the spot loo'-j^rr 'jrtrr • iho intorovt <i{' f'irni>'!"s. ;>"d Y>o had

a^lc-d th -r. >.,» v!.p..|{t iH. nUv'-d

• per vciir, o:11 the G'ovcrnmont. line! ro

f'.i-t-ff it. Tic wiit con tent to loave tho inn nor in tho hand-. of the farmers'1 or

panisation-;.

Tho Chairman niovt>d—"Time tfus 1 eonforonco of the Victorian Fnrmois

T~r.ion insist that !\[r. Giles, representing tin- .MiiBM's on tho Australian Whorn f!oavd. should ho appointed on i'>.» f'Xo"!itivo, that h" can be in cott

ton<-h with the r>Dorations of tbf> Pool, and that his time pnd sornwbo rwid for from tho Pool." A"Rnhortson -oconded tho resolntioBa

which u\\« carried.