EFFICIENCY BOARD.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15860, 27 March 1917, Page 8

EFFICIENCY BOARD.

WAIKARI RESOLUTIONS

At Waikari on Saturday, a meeting of farmers in "Waipara County, called to consider the question cf setting up a committee to assist tho National Efficiency Board, carried the following resolutions :—

"That the members of the Waipara County Council be appointed a committeo for the county, with power to add to their number, to deal with tho wholo matter of providing for the carrying on of soldiers' farms during their abscncc, and the arranging of the methods for the greater and more emeient production of wheat in consideration of tho earnest demand of the Minister of the day." "That it is the opinion of this meeting that the time has now arrived when the Government should take, immediate action to conscript the whole community, so that each individual may bo placed in a position where he will bo of most benefit in producing the necessaries of life, and in the general carrying on of tho affaire of this country." "That the committee take impiediate steps to ascertain the approximate area of land in the county on "which wheat could be.grown with a fair prospect of success, and that tho members of the committee do their utmost _to induce and, where necessary, to assist, the holders.of such land to sow what is considered necessary." "That this meeting strongly urge- the Defence Department to exempt teamsters from Territorial camps to be held in the near future, and that a copy of the resolution be forwarder! at once to the Efficiency Board and to the Minister of Agriculture." The following were appointed to can- j vassJ ijie different djstridjs:—Mpssrs \V. Bridson arid W. D-avev, between the Waipara rivers; Messrs M. G. bfiarp and B. L. Blunden, Waikari Yalley to Buss's property; Messrs T. E. L. Roberts and W. F. Pannettt, Buss's to Stonyhurst; Messrs A.,Todd and D. J. Doak, Omihi Valley and the New Settlement; Messrs W. Hewitjb and C. Leech, The Peaks; Messrs T. Shields and It. Wright, Mason's Flat; Messrs S. Mulcock and, G. T. Barker. Dalmeny; Messrs T. Skurr and W. Anderson, Hawardcnj Messrs G. Arres andH. M. Anderson, Central Waikari Valley. The canvassers arc to.report to tho County Council on Saturday. LYTTELTON BOROUGH COUNCIL'S ATTITUDE. At the meeting of the Lyttelton Borough Council last night, a letter was received from tho Efficiency Board, requesting the Council to allow the borough engineer to give his assistance in the direction of supplying data to the Board that would 1 assist it in discriminating "among men whose services might be essential to the welfare of the country. Cr. Miller moved that the Town Clerk ' and borough. engineer should go into the matter,, and report to the Council before, any action was taken. . Cr. Hempstalk said he thought the Government should give the local bodies a lead in this matter. There were men now employed in the Police. Force and on the railways who were in tho First Division, and physically fit to go oil active service. Cr. Foster moved', a« an amendment, that the matter be referred to the Works Committee. The. amendment was carried. THE CHAIRMAN'S CIRCULAR. The circular letter addressed to all local bodies' by Mr Willian Ferguson, chairman of the National Efficiency Board, was received by the City Council last evening, and upon the motion of Cr. .Hayward it - was resolved to refer it to a special committee consisting of the chairmen of all the committees, to report to the Council at its next meeting. A meeting of fafmers and others will be held in the Town Hall, Leeston, ou Friday at 3 p.m. to appoint a committee of advice for the EHesmere County. The Commissioner (Mr J. A. Frostick) will address the meeting. FARM LABOUR PROBLEM. TO TUK EIUTOB 0? "THE rBKSS." . Sir, —The visit of Mr Ma.Douald, th - Minister of Agriculture, to tho giaingrowing parts of this isiand has made some of us think, not only the farmers, ■but all of us. Mr Macikmald is good speaker, end has put before us in a. forcible manner the importance of growing wheat to get bread for all of us. JbLe has even assnred us that on the request of certain farmers ctrtam of their ploughmen will be exempted from conscription, to put in the wheat, or eveu, it may be, to.get in tho bar-j vest. Some of us think that as tne | growing of wheat is all important to | keep the price of the loaf down, it may j be equally important to sheir the sheep, to milk the cows, to giow potatoes, and all foodstuffs, that these arc cortain things that must be done absolutely, and this is a question of labour, and of the possible vanishing point of labour in tnese things. Wc want, therefore, a distinct answer to this question of necessary labour from our Government, and from Mr Macl>onald. It is not enough, not nearly enough, to let off a tew men at the request of the farmer here and tnero for a longer or shorter time. Wc must have a

distinct understanding as to how many men We to be left in this country to grow the wheat, to shear and shepherd the sheep and milk the cows. This is a vital question, because it- means dear food, and therefore increased cost of living for &11 of us r and also it means a short supply for our men at the front too. Soon the Second Division will bo called up. Now, Sir, this means a lot of thinking about. These men on the land arc tho men, tho directors of the other labourers in a great measure, the most vital of the labour question. Without these principal men the whole thing will flag and we shall have "ca' canny'' work. Then consider: Is it not in human nature that the man who knows he may ba called up at any _moment feels disposed to "ca* canny,' to.

feci litiie interest in his work, to lose licart in it? Wc cannot hurrj' theso men back from the front, as they have been obliged to do in both England and France. When iiic.sc men are gone they a-ro lost. Let us consider this question now, at once, beforo it is too late. TiCt us have a decisive answer to this question. —Yours, etc., J. H. MENZEES.