EXCESSIVE ENLISTMENT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3011, 23 February 1917, Page 6

EXCESSIVE ENLISTMENT

ACTION URGENTLY NEEDED

At .yesterday's ■ meeting of the Advisory Board of the War Relief Federation, Mr. J. J. Dougall (Christchurch) moved ■:—"That the Advisory Board begs to call the attention of the Government to the grave economic danger which will result from excessive enlistment of men employed in primary industries. The board also desires to bring under the notice of the Government the hardship inflicted by practically compelling men drawn in yie ballot to dispose of their properties, and is of opinion that Government action is urgently necessary to secure the retention of" such properties to tho owners, and to prevent exploitation by linEcrupulous persons."

Mr. Dougall r-sfd that it. was pretty clear now that our primary industries wore being affected. Thnv would be very seriously affected soon. The area under crop had fallen from 329,207 acres last year to 218,877 this year, and in the season coining an even smaller area Would he under crop, because labour was scarce, and farmers were being conscripted. Men wore forced to sell by the attitude of the military service boards, and tliosn vlio bought were wealthy men. ineligible For service, who simply add™! to their own coffers at the expense of the men who were forced to co to the war. Last year wo produced 7,108.000 bushels of wheat and 7,653,000 bushels of oats. This year we grew 2.000.000 bushels less wheat and 3,000,000 less oats. This season wo hsd not produced again.".' enough grain for our own use. Racing, ho observed, was still permitted, and a. largo number of men 'were engaged in rncinc, oud ,i racehorse consumed from 15 to 16 pounds of oats per day.

Mr. Dougall's motion was' carried