MEN OR PRODUCE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2840, 3 August 1916, Page 6

MEN OR PRODUCE

Sir,—At the Dominion Conference of the Farmers' "Union, the question was raised as to which the Imperial authorities needed most, men or money, and I moved a motion to call the Government's attention to the' matter, which was promptly turned down, although a question of vital importance to the Empire. Now, what we are striving for in this country is to give as much help to tho Empire as possible. The question therefore'naturally arises, is it best for the Empire to send to England men or produce. The London "Times" and the "Manchester Guardian," some months ago, both stated emphatically that Australasia had sent enough men, and we could do more good to the Empire by devoting the whole of our energy to the production' of produce that is needed in England. All my private information from England seems to agree with this contention. If we have to keep up the supply of produce we must be left men to produce it. If the men are taken away, then the supply of produce will go down by leaps and bounds. Is it, then, too much to ask that our Government should ascertain decisively which would be most acceptable to the Imperial authorities, and shape their future policy accordingly.—l am, etc., H. D. VAVASOUR,