VITAL FARM WORK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 January 1942, Page 4

VITAL FARM WORK

T SCHEME FOR EMERGENCY CARRYING OUT OF ESSENTIAL TASKS. DISCUSSION BY FARMERS’ - UNION. The sell ing up of a dist riel organisation to ensure that vital work on farms was carried on in Die event of an emergenci,y, when manpower would be fully mobilised, was discussed at today’s meeting of the Wairarapa Provincial Executive of Ihe Earniers’ Union. Representalives ol the Women’s Division were present to discuss the matter. After drawing attention to the seriousness of the position brought about by the extension of the war to the Pacific, the president, Mr Hugh Morrison, said he had been approached by farmers to form some organisation to give assistance on farms to ensure that cows were milked and the farms, not neglected through the absence on national service of farmers or employees. He pointed out that in addition to the Independent Mounted Rifles, nearly all of whom were farmers, and the Home Guard, all men between 18 and 66 were being called upon for national service as the Emergency Reserve Corps. He thought there might be an extension of the E.P.S. organisation to rural areas. Mr Morrison proceeded to outline a scheme to meet the needs of the farming industry in placing the country on a war footing and to meet the emergencies brought about through a possible invasion. Matters concerning the. carrying on of agricultural industry could be dealt with by one or more committees in each riding, through the counties, directed by an executive committee for each county. Adjustments could be made as between counties. It would be advantageous and essential to link up this scheme with the E.P.S: organisation. He believed it would be a long war and women would have an important part to play. It was obvious, too, that there must be unity between the Farmers’ Union and J. he Women’s Division and that they must work together. Mr J. C. Cooper: “What is the Government’s intention?” “We don’t know," replied Mr Morrison. Mr C. C. Jackson said authority should be sought to retain labour in their own district. The Government might bring in a scheme which might neutralise all that they might do. The Government, he asserted, had never taken them into, its confidence and until they got some recognition in this direction all their work might be neutralised. Mr Morrison: “Not altogether.” Mr W. G. K. Wiggins said the E.P.S. regulations made no provision for primary industry. He mentioned steps taken in the Greytown area to organise a scheme and considered that the E.P.S. regulations should be amended to incorporate primary industry.

Mrs Ken Groves said the scheme should be organised this week, without any furthei’ delay. “Act now,” said Mrs Groves, who urged the holding of meetings at every small centre. Mr Wiggins moved that the Greytown scheme be submitted to the Minister concerned and that he be asked to incorporate it in the E.P.S. organisation. It was urged that the Greytown Emergency Dairy Scheme should be adopted throughout New Zealand, that dairy inspectors for the district be asked to attend meetings and discuss all aspects of the scheme and, that the Greytown scheme be incorporated in the E.P.S. organisation throughout New Zealand.

Mr J. C. Cooper said the rules of the E.P.S. would have to be very much enlarged. No provision had been made for milking the cows of local farmers. Many farmers were members of the E.P.S. and Home Guard and would be called upon to assist these units, whereas the farmers had been entire-, ly overlooked. It was essential that the {industry was handled and cared for during a period of emergency. It was up to them to draw the attention of the Government to the fact that primary industry was not overlooked in that direction.

Mrs C. C. Jackson pointed out that the problem was more than one of arranging cows to be milked. It involved the whole problem of farming and many things would have to be gone into.

The secretary, Mr R. H. Williams, said the Greytown scheme had already been submitted to the Farmers’ Union head office, and Mr Mulholland had considered it a good scheme. Mr Wiggins’s motion was carried.

Mr Morrison undertook to bring the matter personally under the notice of the Minister tomorrow. On the motion of Mi' Crawford it was decided that a committee of three members from the executive be appointed to meet the chairmen of branches and complete a scheme, that meeting to appoint delegates to the E.P.S. Messrs J. C. Cooper, Hugh Morrison and L. T. Daniell were appointed to the committee besides the chairman of every branch.