254 WHEAT PRODUCTION IN NEW ZEALAND 



For instance, it assisted in successfully fighting an 

 attempt to establish Unionism among the agricultural 

 labourers. Farm labourers "who are not members of 

 or contribute to, any society whose aims and objects 

 are inimical to the farming community" may become 

 members of the Union. The principle involved here is 

 obvious. Then, again, one of the planks of its platform 



is that "no interference with contracts 



should be enacted." Does this signify that our present 

 system of contract is the best possible? 



In the revised statement of the objects and platform 

 of the Union there is no mention of education or scien- 

 tific farming. Members of the Union are proud of their 

 activities in this direction in the past. In presidential 

 addresses and in other ways it has been the policy of the 

 Union to encourage both agricultural education from 

 an early age, and scientific farming as expounded at 

 the experimental farms and agricultural colleges. At 

 present it is more than ever necessary that the Union 

 should continue its labours in this way. The War has 

 demonstrated to New Zealand the importance of her 

 rural industries, and it is probably no exaggeration to 

 say that, pro rata, her wealth has increased more and 

 her prosperity has been greater during the past three 

 years than those of any other belligerent. The dissemin- 

 ation of knowledge on the science and art of agriculture, 

 on rural economics, (hitherto almost untouched), and 

 the general enlightenment of the public in matters 

 relating to the rural industries, should form a cardinal 

 feature of the activities of the Union. Greater oppor- 

 tunity should be taken of the meetings and conferences 

 of the Union to the reading and discussion of papers 

 by experts. This is the proper sphere of the expert. 

 His investigations should be laid before those who have 

 had practical experience in the matter. He can give 

 information much less on the art than on the science 



