MILITARY SERVICE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 124, 2 July 1941, Page 3

MILITARY SERVICE

THE FARMERS' POSITION "FAR FROM SATISFACTORY" At the recent Provincial Conference of the Auckland Farmers' Union the position of farmers in regard to their obligations for military service were diseusscti, together with the problem of maintaining labour to maintain primary production. A letter was subsequently sent to the Director of National Service setting forth the views of the Union. Extracts from this letter follow : — "A man with 65 cows and a bedridden father is given a month to find someone to take his place. Men are told to sell their farms to take up military duties. Enquiries are made as to female relations, on <. r off the farms, and their ability to milk cows, with regard to their other duties and their availability or willingness. As female labour isi not being commandeercd for other industries it is most decidedly unjust that it should be forced into cowsheds. In extreme circumstances it is no doubt right to monopolise female •abour, but not alone the already overworked women whose men-folk are engaged in farming. When women are clipping tram tickets, acting as railway guards, and working wherever they can be employed, the further use on the farms! of mothers and school girls may reasonably be considered. '''My Executive docs not take the attitude that farmers should not take their full share in the war, but considers they have played up well in extremely difficult circumstances. The percentage of men from thev land in the Armed forces' is very high. My Executive is concerned that a further drain on farm labour, in which that labour is taken from points where/ it cannot be spared, will have in it the elements! of disaster." Departmental Attitude In his reply the Director of National Service outlined the policy of his Department in respect of appeals for farmers called in the ballots. He claimed that all possible efforts were being made to ensure that farmers called for Territorial training should be enabled to take it in the off season of the j r ear. With regard to farmers called for overseas service, commitments were •very heavy, and to avoid a serious position arising. Appeal Boards had been recommended to postpone sine die the services of all skilled and bona fide farm workers!. Farmers with employees whose' service liad been postponed should carry on as normally as possible in the meantime, assured that if it became necessary to require the employees to undertake military service later, they will be given a reasonable! time to make the necessary arrangements for replacement. In regard to questionnaires regarding female employment the Department claimed that it was essential to obtain all relevant information, but he was sure the Appeal tribunals were aware of the unfairness of throwing any undue burden on members of the farmers' families. Commenting upon the correspondence, the President, Captain Rushforth said he was still far from being satisfied. It certainly meant the legalising and forcing of women and children into the cowsheds. Mr Briscoe Moore said the labour position on farms was becoming desperate. Mr A. C. A. Sexton emphasised that the National Service Director should look upon farming as essentially a long-term occupation, and that a full season's notice should be given if at all possible. If all single men with farms were to be called up at the end of the present year and compelled to liquidate their holdings very heavy losses would be involved. Another speaker claimed that the farmer was expectcd to maintain production with less labour while in other industries men, alleged to be indispensable, were given ex-t emption with no restrictions.