TARANAKI FARMERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 February 1917, Page 7

TARANAKI FARMERS.

BIUST OBGAXISE. STBICTUIRBS BY APPEAL BOARD. Thri action of the farmers of Taranaki in not taking steps to assist the efforts of the Military Service Board in securing men for tlie front was trenchantly criticised by Captain Orr Walkcl, military representative, and members of the First Wellington Military Service Board, at its sitting in New Plymouth yesterday. Two eases of young fanners, who had passed as medically lit, had come before the. Board. The first was that of Arnold Vivian Tapley Sharp, dairy farmer, Eahotu (Mr. T. P. Anderson), who appealed on the ground of undue hardship. Evidence was given that appellant was Bingle, and was 27 years of age. In I.July last he and his -brother bought a farm of 1&! acres, which was subject to two mortgages. His brother was at the front. Appellant milked 25 cows by machinery. His two married brothers, one of whom had a family of eight children, were employed in the district. Appellant wanted leave until the end of May to enable him to make arrangements for the future management of the farm. The people in the neighborhood could hot help because they had as much as they could do to look after their own farms. The farm did not produce sufficient to support the brother with the large family.

The second case was that of Harold Richard Kitchingman, dairy farmer, Rahotu, who appealed on the ground of hardship. Appellant said ho was 21 years of age. He worked his father's farm of 200 acres, and milked 23 cows by machinery. His father was unable to do any hard work. Two of appellant's brothers were at the front. A married brother was working a farm of iVOO acres a mile and a-quarter away from appellant's home. Sheep and cattle were run on the 'brother's farm. ORGANISING FARM LABOR. Captain Walker, addressing the Board, said the Board had before it two instances of men who had been passed as medically fit and each were engaged in milking an average of 24 cows. There were men who were engaged in milking as many as 50 or 00 cows. Something should be clone whereby at least one of these fit men could be released lor active service. There iwere any number of men in Class C2, who, although not fit for active srvice owing to some defect, were quite able to take on farming work in the district. Something should be done to organise the labor of tlie district so as to allow the fighting men to get to the front. In connection with Kitehingman's appeal, ho thouglit the application was a reasonable one. Both of the appellant's parents were incapacitated. The case in which Sharp was concerned was somewhat different. Ho took up his farm only in July last.

Mr. McLaren: These cases illustrate tne point the Board has been trying to bring home to the farmers of this district fo;. some time past. Steps should be taken to organise the labor of the district so as to meet war conditions and at the same time preserve the industry of the district. Captain Walker: The position does not redound to the credit of the farmers of this district. The Board lias been working since November last, and no single effort has been made to help this Board in releasing men for active service. The dairy farmers had not helped the Board one iota in the three months the Board had been engaged in hearing appeals. No organisation of any kind had been formed. The time was coming when the Board would have to bring these mattefs to a head by dismissing applications which were not supported by evidence other than that of the appellant. Farmers seemed to regard single fanners' properties as an industry that must not be interfered with. Appellants who came into the box, no matter how honest they were (nnd the Board had met few who were not honest) were undoubtedly prejudiced, and they invariably painted their side in glowing colors. The Board was not in a position to contradict their evidence, and so far had not been helped by the farmers with the information necessary to sift the evidence. Captain Walker reiterated that the time was coming when appeals which were unsupported by independent evidence should be dismissed. The farmers in this district particularly had manifested a spirit which was not creditable. • FORCED TO HELP. Mr. G. C. Williams (a member of the Board): It seems to me that if the farmers don't do something they should be forced to do it. They are helping the country in other districts, and in the Wairarapa and Canterbury boards had been formed which looked after the farms oi the men who had gone to the front. Captain Walker: The appeals now before the Board are typical cases whore organisation is required. Here are two young men strufiplini? along, just making a bare living. The Board is asked to exempt these two men who have been passed as fit. The proposition ; s absurd. Why, there have been cases hefore the Board where one "ian, "with his little wife, was milking .1.1 or Of) cows by machines, and they vied with one another to see which one could do the most. As military representative, he protested against the application for exemption pi\"erred by two young farmers who were working alongside of each other.

The Board dismissed the appeal of Sharp, anil granted him leave until April 1. In TCitchingman's case, decision was reserved sine die, exemption being granted in the meantime.

TWO OKATO CASES. ' The subject was re-opened at a later stage of the Board's proceedings, when Laurence O'Sullivan and Patrick O'Sullivan, farmers, Okato (Mr. A. 11. Johnstone), who were called up tinder Clause 35, appealed on the ground of undue hardship. Two other brothers, at Te Arolia, had been callejt up, and iiad appealed. Laurence O'Sullivnn said his father's farm comprised 537 acres, made up of different sections. The two appellants milked between them DO and 100 cows by machinery. There were SO mixed yearlings and 20 lat cattle on the farm* and in the Hush of the season they were supplying 27A0 to 300Oll)s of mi'lk- daily to the Oxford road factory. Witness advertised for help, but the only man' who responded did not turn up. There was a sister keeping house, and a young girl who was unable to do much work. TJiexe was also a acliool boy who helped.

Weeds were prevalent on the farm, and a good deal of work was entaiied in ' keeping these in check. To Captain Walker: His father had had the farm for AQ yeara.

'DAIRYING NOT LIKE SHEEP- ' FARMING. Mr. Johnstone said the appellant liati no objection to going into camp, but up to the present had not seen his way to do so owing to scarcity of labor. 'Proceeding, counsel said the question of labor did not apply in the same force in this district as it did in otlier districts like the Wairarapa. The milking of and attending to cows was a much more monotonous task than looking after a sheep farm. Unless the Government took the matter up, there was nothing to prevent a man accepting a position on a dairy farm, and, after a month, throwing it up. If the Government would take the matter in hand, as it might well have done long ago before the difficulties or organisation had increased, the position might be considerably relieved. Mr. Williams: It is to the i\j) u -orests of tho dairy companies that the farms should be kept up. If they had started some organisation and had tried to get labor, a larger number of fit men would have been relieved for service by ttow. Mr. Johnstone: What I have endeavored to point out is that as long as the work is a purely voluntary effort it is difficult to enforce it. In the operation of the scheme suggested by the Board, one neighbor might help another, While another might do nothing. Mr. Williams: This matter must be brought to a head. Mr. Johnstone: But in bringing it to ft head a certain amount of injustice could hardly too avoided. Mr. Williams: I grant you that it is easier to organise a sheep-raising district than a dairying district. But the dairy farmers should meet, and hammer the thing out, and then represent the position to the Government. It is necessary in the public interest that lomething Bhould be done. Mr. McLaren: I will tell you what I think of Taranaki. There is more concerted action here towards keeping fit young men on the farms than there ia .towards getting men to take their part hi the war. We have here two cases in (ioint. 'UP AGAINST IT!" Mr. Willams: There is no doubt the Military Board is up against it, and that the farmers do not like it. Mr. Johnstone: Everyone realises and appreciates the excellent work done by the Board, but the Board often lacks information. Captain Walker: That is exactly the point, and the farmers are doing nothing to furnish it with information. Mr. Williams: It is a very serious point, this organisation question. We want to try to help the farmers, but our duty is to try to get men for the front. Mr. McLaren: The fanners will find their men moving into camp one by one, and before they know where they are they will be faced with a really serious position.

Mr. Johnstone: No district in New Zealand has done better in the matter of recruiting than Taranaki.

The chairman: We know Taranaki has done well.

Captain Walker: Here are two boys, both fit, in a family of four single men, none of whom have gone to the front. Is it fair to ask that all of these should be exempt?

Mr. McLaren: The Board knows of tases where four and five brothers in single families have gone to the front. Contrast the instanco before the Board with those in which six or seven brothers out of one family have gone. In one instance that was presented to the Board eleven sons and the father of one family had gone. Mr. Johnstone: It is far from my intention to restrict recruiting or to do anything to belittle the efforts of patriotic families. And as far as lam able I will try to do something in the matte.. Mr. Johnstone again drew attention to the difficult position in which hia clients were placed. The Board decided to dismiss the apueal of Laurence O'Sullivan, and to adjourn that of Patrick O'Sullivan sine die. the appellant to report himself monthly!