CASES OF HARDSHIP

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 237, 7 October 1942, Page 5

CASES OF HARDSHIP

farmers needing aid

QUESTION OF MEN'S RELEASE

(0.C.) WHANGAREI, this day. "If the Government is not prepared to allow access to lower grade men in camps for farming purposes, please say so to enable farmers to make other arrangements. We have been misleading them long enough." l his was the substance of the second ot two urgent unanswered telegrams dispatched by the Whangarei Primary Production Council to the former Minister of Primary Produc- * r/ or . War Purposes, Mr. Poison. After hearing a review-of the farm labour position last night the council passed a resolution expressing serious alarm at the position regarding grade 2 and grade 3 men. It suggested a clear indication of the policy to be adopted. The case is to be presented to the Minister of Marketing, Mr. Barclay. Farmers with sons in the forces, or who knew of capable agricultural workers in camps, were experiencing no difficulty, said the organiser, Mr. H. W. James, but cases of desperate hardship arose where farmers needing help did not know any soldier eligible for release whom they could nominate. Necessary food production could not be maintained unless the authorities acted immediately.