APPEAL BOARDS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 193, 15 December 1941, Page 3

APPEAL BOARDS

FARMERS SHOULD BE

REPRESENTED

"UN WARRANTED ATTACK"

The activities of Mr A. Hayward, well known farmer of Ngarua, in his capacity as Chairman and Managing Director of Glen Alton Collieries, director of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company and member of the Waitoa dried milk committee were placed in a nonproductive category by the Appeal Board at Te Arolia recently. An application was being conisdered against the calling up for overseas service of an employee on Mr Hayward's Kcreone propertj'. The Secretary of the Board, in giving its decision that the appeal be adjourned sine die, and be reviewed next May, announced that "the board could see no reason why the farm owner should not forgo his non-productive activities and take mere interest in his farming pursuits." Mr Hayward is at present a member of the Hamilton Manpower Committee and an officer of the Ngarua Home Guard. At a subsequent meeting of the Waitoa branch of the Farmers' Union strong exception ay a staken to what was described as "the unwarranted attack upon a man performing onerous and essential duties as a representative of the farming community," and that it was urged that the strongest possible representations be made to the appropriate Minister. At the last meeting of the Auckland Executive of the Farmers' Union the Waitoa resolution was considered and the case of Mr K. Palliser was also mentioned. Mr Palliser( who is a member of the Union Executive, a committee member of the Piako stock drive, of the Morrinsville Veterinary Association, of the Morrinsville Fuel Control and Chairman of the Waikato Federated Calf pools, appealed on behalf ol his son. In this case the chairman of the board said the question arose whether the previous comments on non-productive activities would fit. The protest of the Te Aroha branch was unanimously supported, and a resolution was carried that farmers should have direct representation upon Appeal Boards operating in rural areas. One speaker asserted that Mr Hayward was doing ten times more service to primary production in the Auckland Province by his public activities than he could ever hope to do by taking his share in milking cows on his farm. Only farmers were competent to assess the comparative values of country work.