LAND WORKERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 March 1940, Page 5

LAND WORKERS

RELEASE FOR AIILITARY SERVICE VIEWS OF FARMERS’ UNION. ■SOME VITAL NECESSITIES. (By Telegraph—Press Association.! WELLINGTON, This Day. The question of military service for men on farms was discussed in Wellington recently at a meeting of the Dominion executive of Ihe New Zealand Farmers’- (Inion. Il was stated that the need for a frank statement of the union’s attitude toward • recruits being provided by the farming industry was recognised, and the following resolution was adopted:— “That while realising the great, national need of maintaining primary production at the fullest capacity possible, we are of the opinion that men engaged in this work who are eligible for military service should have equal opportunity with those in other industries of serving overseas. We recognise that service in the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces is the highest and the most noble a man can render for his country, and no man should be denied that honour. At the same time, we would point out the vital necessity of releasing men not eligible for,military service from non-essential industries, Public Works, and relief schemes, to fill the positions made vacant by enlistments of men, engaged in farming activities.”

Speaking on the resolution, the Dominion president, Mr W. W. Mulholland. said he wanted to emphasise that the farmers of New Zealand wanted only the opportunity to put their house in order, and rrtake the required adjustments to release the necessary men. Farmers were of the opinion that any reservations of farm manpower were valid only so long as the need of the Army for men was not greater than the need for men for the production of farm produce. This was the policy of more than .90 per cent of the farmers of the country. It was quite likely that they would have to put up with an inexperienced class of labour on the farms, in order to maintain manpower that, the Army might require, but that would bo a part of the farmers' contribution toward the war effort, said Mr Mulholland.

Mr IT. E. Blyde, a vice-president of the union, in supporting the resolution, said they all realised the very great need there was to keep production at the highest possible peak, but he believed that could be done without all the fit men being retained on the farms. However, when men were taken for the Army, they would have to be replaced by others. The question of future prices for farm products was also discussed by the executive, which decided that, it could be impressed on the Government that if production was to be maintained and increased, prices paid for farm products should allow for the known increases that had taken place in the cost of production.