THE Pukekohe and Waiuku Times PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1917 MILITARY SERVICE.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 248, 6 February 1917, Page 2

THE Pukekohe and Waiuku Times PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1917 MILITARY SERVICE.

"We nothing extenuate, nor tet down auaht in malice."

The culling up of men under the ballot, as the hearing of the appeals by the Military Service Board has demonstrated, has occasioned many cases of genuine hardship upon a mat deserving class in the community, and the people of New Zealand are confronted with a problem the eolution of which will require all the acumen and wisdom which can be brought to bear upon it. It Is easy to sav that the place for a young man is at the front. Hundreds ot stalwart young fellows, who have spent years in winning themselves homes from the wilderness or forest, aie anxious to go to their c untry's aid; but they are saddled with responsibilities which they cannot ignore, and would not be altogether desirable citizens did they seek to dn so. It is no light matter to ask a young man to forsake all his hopes and ambitions, to sacrifice all he has, and thus lose tbe work of years. He has perhaps invested all his savings in a holding, upon which he has laboured early and late, devoting all the returcs he has been able to get to the development of his section. It means a stupendous sacrifice and a real hardship to that man to be called up for service just when he is beginning to feel his feet and to have to leave his holding without any guarantee that it will not gu back to the virgin state. How to deal with the situation is a problem which will become accentuated as each successive draft is called up, and will be increasingly acute should it become necessary to call upon tbe second division. The first essential is to win the war, and to win it men have to be found. That does not admit of argument, hut it is not just that tbe men who go should be expected to make all the sacrifice, and that those who remain at borne should escape. It is a national question, and it will have to be faced in a comprehensive manner. It is a problem bristling with difficulties, and the only solution we can see is along the line of general organisation whereby tbe Government will utilise available labour in productive industry. The longer the matter is delayed the more urgent will it become. We bave no guarantee that the wpr will end

this year, and the problem of foodstiffs is a vital one. It is time, therefore, we manifested an inclination to face facts and recognise cur responsibilities. We need to con* centrate oar efforts, to conserve our energies, and tu secure some semblance of equality of sacrifice. We sincerely hope that the Efficiency Industrial Board set up on the Hon. J. AlLn's initiative will be able to outline a workable scheme to meet the position.