PRODUCTION MUST BE MAINTAINED.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 October 1917, Page 4

PRODUCTION MUST BE MAINTAINED.

GOVERNMENT AT LAST REALISING •THE FACT. FARMS MUST BE WORKED. By Wire.—Our Parliamentary Reporter. Wellington, Last Night. A memorandum addressed to the chair, men of the Military Service Boards by the Recruiting Board emphasises the seriousness of tho position which ia arising owing to the depletion of skilled farm workers through enlistments, the Government is of opinion, says tha hoard, that production must be maintained to the fullest possible extent, in view of the enormous financial burden imposed on the Dominion by the war. It is considered absolutely essentia], therefore, that each farm should be left with labor to work it, and that in no case should the man who is doing the whole of the work of his own farm, or the last son on a farm of parents who are unable, through age or infirmity, to do tho work themselves, or skilled agricultural laborers be taken for military service, unless, with respect to the last-named, efficient labor is available ,to replace them. We are, therefore, directed to «ay that the Government deems it necessary to advise your board to adjourn tine die nil cases where appellant comes within the foregoing category, in order that ho may continue in work which is now as important and as essential as military service. It is further recommended tha* all such exemptions should be made conditional on the reservist retraining in his occupation and reporting to that ef< feet at regular intervals at the neareg<j Defence office.

In view of the decision of the Govern' ment that production must be maintained to the fullest possible ex-tent, the M[lnister of Defence has decided to defer the calling up of those appellants who are due to proceed to camp with the October draft, in order that their cases may be re-submitted to the boards for further consideration.