NATIONAL REGISTER

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 75, 16 October 1939, Page 5

NATIONAL REGISTER

KEEPING PRODUCERS OUT OF ARMY FARMERS' UNION DISCUSSION A proposal I'or a national register introduced at Thursday's sub-provin-cial conference of the New Zealand Fanners' Union caused a good deal of discussion and revealed many vary ing points of view. The motion was that the national register be introduced and industries classified, those men employed in key industries to be" retained in their employment. This was moved by Mr C. R. Wilson, Rangitaiki. The chairman said lie tnought there should lie conscription so that young fellows who were not called, up could stay and do their job, With a clear conscience. A register should be made and the Government could take the young fellows who were not needed in essential industries. A delegate said that he approved certain industries being declared key industries so that those employed in them should be free of any stigma.. He suggested "national service" be substituted for "national register" and certain industries declared key industries. Mr V. S. Mofl'att (Tauranga) said that the farmer lads would be the first to go. In the national register they were asking for another fonn of regimentation. The Government planned to get boj r s off the farms to destroy production and vhe national register would help them. Mr R. Dunning said the put pose of the remit was to stop Key industry men from being taken away to the Avar. The word "conscription" had been left out of the moi.uii because it clouded the issue. The national register would enable the conserving of men so that if essential men were conscripted or enlisted it would show the Government as unpatriotic. He suggested the words "duration of the war" he added. Purpose of Register. Mr Wilson said the national register was introduced in England Conservatives and opposed in Australia by Labour. As for asking for] regimentation this was necessary in a time of national emergency. Farm hands would go first. It was a well known fact countrymen made the best soldiers but the point in a nutshell Avas: were we not to believe England when she said that at present she needed our food not our men. New Zealand already had a national register in the Social Security Act. The amended resolution "That for the duration of the Avar a national register be used in order that those employed in key industries be retained in their present employment to enable the proper prosecution of the war" Avas carried.