RELEASE OF SOLDIERS FOR FARMING

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 265, 7 August 1942, Page 4

RELEASE OF SOLDIERS FOR FARMING

Are All Back On Land? THOROUGH CHECK TO BE MADE SOON Reports that some men released from the Army for primary production had not resumed this activity and, in cases, were actually doing other work, were referred by “The Dominion” yesterday to Mr. W. W. Mulholland, Dominion president of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, and a member of the National Council of Primary Production. He said that it was difficult for him at present to estimate the number of men released, but it would probably be several thousands in the last few months. . . In its desire to assist prnnaiy pioductioi’. the Army h.ad released numbers of men very promptly and before their release had been applied for by primary production councils. Possibly there were individual-cases of men bein” released for whom farm eniployment was not immediately available. These may have taken some other work to bridge the gap between the time of their release and their reabsorption into primary production. The production councils would have no re-, cord of such men, but presumably the appeal board concerned would take appropriate steps to see that a man returned to the occupation for which he was released. Mr. Mulholland said he understood the present release of men to be only temporary in the sense that later every case would be reviewed to determine whether the country’s best interests would be served by retaining a man on the land or returning him to the Army. ~ ~ . It was 'probably unavoidable that there should be some looseness in the initial release of men, but the control would be tightened up as soon as the necessary organization was completed. It was possible, for instance, that a few men had been released who had not a great deal of farming experience or who were not much help on a farm, or that others had been released for one type of farming when .they were best fitted for another. He believed that production councils would be guided by the broad principle of the country’s interests and there would not be any endeavours to keep men from the Army just because they were farm workers. Appeal Board Action. Other inquiries by "The Dominion" showed that steps would be taken soon by appeal boards to ensure that men released from the Army proceeded to farming jobs withoutundue delay.lt was stated that the method adopted of releasing men was the lesser of two evils. Primary production had been in most urgent need of labour and any other system of release would probably have Involved undue formalities and delay in getting the men back to the land. There were bound to be a few cases where men had not yet returned to farming after their release, but these would all be checked and the necessary action taken. The principle followed by the Armyin the release of men was stated to be that owner-farmers, on application, were released immediately. Former farm employees who applied for release were given 28 days’ leave in cases where the commanding officer concerned was satisfied with the individual’s bona tides and there was a substantiating record of farm employment before entering the Army. In all cases, appeals would be heard in due course by appeal boards to determine whether or not the release should hold.