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WHAT WAR SERVICE?

MEN OR PRODUCE

FARMERS RAISE THE QUESTION

Major Lusk (Auckland) moved at the Dominion Conference of tho New Zealand Farmers' Union yesterdav that the conference should nree- upon the Government tho desirability of putting into operation compulsory military service forthwith, 'and that in. everv district a committee should be set up to decide who should go to the front and wlio should remain to maintain production. He commented that as things stood 'at present some men who should go were shirking, and 6ome who should not go were enlisting. The country was losing tho cream of its manhood, and keeping what a farmer might term "the skim milk." 11 r. D. Jones (North Canterburv) 6econded..tlie motion, and raised the question of which the Imperial authorities needed most—our men or our produce? The Government should have had this matter organised. . .

Mr. H. .D. Vavasour (Marlborough) held that it was a very serious question whether New Zealand was not already sending mow men than it should send. The "Manchester Guardian" N and the London "Times" had stated that New Zealand would do better by retaining ils men to keep up tho output of produce than by sending them tn tho front. Next harvest our farmers would bo in a bad position for farm labour. He moved to amend the motion by adding: "That tho time has arrived when the Government should carefully consider the advisabloness of curtailing the calling up of further contingents, with a view of keeping up tho primary industries of the, country." Mr. Vavasour's amendment was defeated, and the motion was carried. Mr. G. L. Marshall (Marion), moved, and Mr. H. Booth (Foilding) seconded:— "That if compulsory service is considered necessary by the Government, this' conference hopes it will be made a, national service, and all men be liable to be called by tho Govcrninent-to'undertake any service they aro most suitable for during the duration of the war." Mr. Marshall said that tho Government should have a full power of conscription. In-support of this contention he mentioned that at present a man of forty-four could bo compelled . to sacrifice '"everything and serve, whereas a man of fortysix could go on making. money. The motion wjis little discussed, and was heavily defeated. Mr. G. Anderson (Pelorus) moved:— "That this conference, as a lead to pubHe opinion, affirms the principle that Now Zealand should assist materially in tho naval defence of tho Empire by providing one or more ship 3 and men in lieu of a na.vnl subsidy, such unit to form part of a strong overseas (loot." Tho mover stressed what ho considered the Vital interest of tho fanners in this question by pointing out that exports from the soil alone amounted to .£10,000,0(1(1. We owed much to Australia's, public-spiritedness in building a.navy which had -protected us against the German fleet, which was in our vicinity early in the war. But for H.M.S. Australia, Wellington might havo been 1 bombarded on the occasion on which the German vessels were only a day or two's sail from the city. Tho only thing.that had deterred boats was that they did not know where H.M.S. Australia was.

Mr. A. Mackay (Aftrrlhorough), who seconded the motion, said that .£IOO.OOO. which ho understood was' the amount of our Subsidy, irasa poor contribution from a young nation which sent £50,000,000 or ,060,000,000 of produce across the waters« in a. year. Tf Hie Germans had bombarded Wellington, £30,000 of. damage might have been dono right away.

Finally tiro motion was passed in this form: "That ihe .conference affirms tho principle that Now Zealand should assist materially iu'lhp naval defence of tho Empire by providing one or inoro ship 3 and men, in lieu of naval subsidy."

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19160727.2.41

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2834, 27 July 1916, Page 6

Word count
Tapeke kupu
622

WHAT WAR SERVICE? Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2834, 27 July 1916, Page 6

WHAT WAR SERVICE? Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2834, 27 July 1916, Page 6

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