MILITARY SERVICE BOARD AND UNKNOWN.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15939, 28 June 1917, Page 4

MILITARY SERVICE BOARD AND UNKNOWN.

TO THE KDJ.TOIt OK "IIIE rfiESS." Sir, —The farmers oF New Zealand, and especially Canterbury, have been asked to grow wheat. Tuc Minister of Agriculture, Mr MacDnnald. told them at a meeting at which I was present ' some time jrgo, when questioned about tea ins tors, that tho Military Service Board had. got instructions to cxemnt all bona fide' teamsters engaged in tiie production of grain, not until tho wheat was sown, but afterwards, as wo pointed out to him that those men were tar more essential at harvest time to follow binders, etc. What do wo find? This Board seems to ignore the whole thing. I motored the other day from Cbristcliurch to Ashburton through the rich Selwyn district, and very little land have 1 seen in crop. What a contrast to a few years '<'<X 0! I happoned the same way later ill the year, a.nd ncarlv every naddock was in wheat, barley,, etc." I am not .surprised this year, the way the Board seems to ignore the demands of farmers, but I suppose t.liev will bo able to buy all the wheat they want next year from Australia at a satisfactory figure.— Yours, etc., FARMER.