LAST MAN ON FARM

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9796, 20 October 1917, Page 2

LAST MAN ON FARM

GOVERNMENT’S POLICY

POSITION OF MILITARY SERVICE BOARDS. Prasfl Association. NEW PLYMOUTH, October 19. At a sitting of the First Wellington Military Service Board the chairman (Mr D. G. A. Cooper, S.M.) made the following statement: “With reference to the National Recruiting Board memorandum relating to the appeals of mon engaged in farming, it has been wrongly inferred by a number of critics that this board has taken exception to the Government declaring a national policy with respect thereto. This is au entire misconception. My board takes no exception to the Government declaring a national policy, as that would be absurd. There is a wide difference, however, between the Government defining a national policy and its directing tuo Military Service Boards as to what determinations the boards shall give in any particular class of cases without consideration of the . evidence presented in such cases. For tho Military Service Boards to give determinations without regard to the evidence would bo for the boards to tako the position of mere recording machines. It is within the knowledge of my board that farms have been divided up, evidently with the object of saving members of a family from being taken for military service; that, in other cases, sons aro on farms, but their production is trifling; and that in some instances thi application of tho general rule set out in tho memorandum referred' to would result in sheltering family shirkers of the worst kind. My board cannot see how any general rule can justly be applied which ignores the special circumstances of individual cases.” Captain Walker, the military representative, pointed out that the memorandum with regard to tho exemption of farmers was more far-reaohing than a cursory reading would indicate. The exemptions recommended wore under three categories, namely (1) the ownerfarmer doing ail the work on his 'illnil (2) the eldest son on his infirm parents farm; (8) the skilled agricultural labourer. The memorandum distinctly indicated that in the third category (skilled agricultural labourers) exemption should be granted unless efficient labour is available to replace them, but as to the first and second categories (farmer-owners and last sons) exemption should be granted, oven although efficient substitutes aro available. The Government had very forcibly laid down its policy and it was his duty as counsel for the Crown to follow out that policy in future appeals. At present ho was not in a position to say whether the Government wished the memorandum to be read strictly literally. If so, it would b© left open for a parent, for the solo purpose of saving his son from military service, to send away just before the appeal was heard another son not liable for military service, but hitherto the principal worker or> his farm. In other ways it would allow farmers deliberately to evade military service by bringing themselves within the first and second categories. The memorandum showed that the Government viewed the shortage of farm labour and producers as very serious, especially when it was stated that the work was now as important and as essential as military service. Mr McLaren said ho had been surprised at tho number of_ cases where T. vng men liable for service had been kept at homo and since the outbreak of war, for no other reason than the board could fathom, except to evade service, had been scattered all over the Dominion, Had the present proposals been made absolute rules applying from the beginning of the Act, the hoard would have had a lot more of it to face. IHe added that tho board had always felt it necessary to exercise its fullest judgment and examine the evidence very carefully.