DEPLETION OF FARM LABOR.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 July 1917, Page 7

DEPLETION OF FARM LABOR.

DEALT WITH BY THE FARMERS' UNION'.

At Wednesday's meeting of the (Farmers' Union Conference in Wellington, Mr. 9. L. Marshall (Marion) moved the following remit from Wellington: "That the conference- in realising that the prosperity of the country depends upon the maintenance of production is strongly of opinion that the policy of the Military Appeal Boards should be to exempt if possible genuine ploughmen and shepherds, until the grain sowing and lamb'ng season is over, it being impossible for one man even on a. small farm to work a team and attend to the ewe flock." This meant, he explained, that some reservists would be relieved until Oetaber. It was desired that military arrangements should foe interfered with as little as possible: Mr. A. Robinson (Wanganui) seconded.

Mr. J. McQueen (Inveroargill) thought that at present it was more important to send men to the front than to produce; They were over-producing now, and the produce could not be got away. Of course it was desirable not to let farms go into disuse, but it 'Was all a matter of where men were most wand"l just at the present juncture. The Ap peal Boards seemed to have set up the principle that it was more important to retain shearers and slaughtermen than farmers, but hoys could be taught to shear and shearing could be carried on at any time. "It makes me wild to see the decisions of some of these boards," said Mr. McQueen in conclusion.

Mr. W .A. Cox (Southland, said that more men were wanted at the front to win the war, and this must be the prime consideration. He thought that in the .circumstances it >was wrong for the far•mers to try to get men exempted. Mr. Duxfleld warned the conference against being carried away by blind Je'nthuMasm. This was a matter which must be treated in a purely businesslike way. If the produce could not be toot to the front the wisdom of sending extra men to be fed there odd toe questioned. The es.»ntial industrial and ko bo kopt up and the future must be ■looked to. The principle of leaving a farmer on every farm was undoubtedly 'a good one. , Mr. W. J. Birch (Marton) remarked that if the men could not be fed at the. •front then tho war would be lost. Every sftorifico must he mado to got men to the front so as to heat the Germans. Mr Keegan said the first thing to be

don C «m to get away the young nonessential men-those of the Bret Division who had soft military billets that might he filled by returned men There should bo a "combing out" to get away the most eligible for the front. The essential industries must not be unduly d Mr*! Jones (Aniberley) urged that Mr. Btfbhwon had displayed inconsistency He pointed out that letters from Sers in Britain indicated that many men of military had been retaine , on the farms there The whole facts went to prove that New Zeateri W {« more reinforcements in the Old Country i ton were required. What was going to SZT^hen 1 the Second Division was SEedr It was nigh time.that peop e in liteh Pl»™s tool:, a common-sense view ■ of the position and that the Govern- : men" tooTliie people into its confidence 1 He did not think for a moment tha • the Government would continue the pre l sent rate of reinforcements. . ■ Mr J Boddie said it was a moot pomt • whether New Zealand was not doing 1 S than it was really called upon to ' f °The motion ma carried unMumouaty