FARMERS AND THE BOARDS.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15895, 8 May 1917, Page 8

FARMERS AND THE BOARDS.

TO TOE EDITOR OF "TDK PRESS." ' Sir, —Can you inform your numerous readers "what is the relation between the Military Service Boards and tlio National Efficiency Board, as, judging by the decisions of tli© Military Service Boards, they act altogether independently of the Efficiency Boards' rocommendations. 1 understand that a conference of tho Efficiency Boards has been held, and tho various, industries classified in regard to their national importance, agriculture, very properly, standing at the top of the list as too most essential industry. _ Such being the case, one would think that tho Military Service Boards would not absolutely deplete a farm of the only labour and management, especially in a caso in which tho Efficiency Board ass proved itself unable to provido labour to work the farm. Let me give an instance illustrative of many other® which could bo quoted, showing vbß,b is being done. A man farming, say? 450 acres on his own account, who is his own manager, ploughman and shepherd —in fact, doing all the work on the farm —is drawn in ihe ballot ana appeals to tho Military Service Board, who adjourn tho caso to see what tho Efficiency Board can do in providing labour for tjio farm. This Board writes asking the man so called up for military service if ho will require help in the shape of labour to carry on hi# farm if ho leaves for tho front. Ho . replied that such was tho case, ana asked for information as to the nature of the Labour proposed to bo provided, and also its probable cost. To this letter no reply was sent. In tho meantime the balloted man does what he can to dispose of the property or to provide labour for working it, without success. Ho is again willed beforo the Military Board and informed h© should ittvo found management and labour for Lis farm, and not depended on the Efficiency Board; and he is ordered tp rcporr. in Trenthaffi oil i given date. Now. J ask why a" tfcs humbug and oiYciunlocution:' If is imperative that all who are jiiiiiteniy fit must go to the front regardless or tho industry in which tliev are engaged, why not sav so? Then yonng men farming on their own account would know cxactly where they stand. "We could dispense with Military entailing expense to the countrv., bffl-' ciency Boards could be superseded CT some organisation that would dispiaj more practical activity, and tho men drawn in tho ua'loi, and passed medically fit, would get into traffics tho sooner.—Yours, ctc., practical. .