FARM WORKERS IN ARMY

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23739, 10 September 1942, Page 4

FARM WORKERS IN ARMY

Restrictions Placed On Release WAR CABINET’S POLICY (P.A.) WELLINGTON, September 9. The War Cabinet recently reviewed the whole question pf the release of farm workers from military camps, and it decided that men attached to overseas units or the New Zealand Army Tank Brigade cannot be released unless there are very exceptional circumstances. . . Announcing this to-day,, the Minister of National Service (the Hon. W. J. Broadfoot) said that appeal boards considering the cases of men now being called up would give yery careful consideration to postponement where mobilisation would adversely affect primary production. . However, regarding grade 1 single men between 21 and 41, special circumstances would have to be shown before postponement or release could be granted, even though the men might not be attached to overseas units. Obviously overseas units must be maintained at full strength, and single men, as far as possible, called up before married men.

DISAPPOINTMENT OF FARMERS “ PRODUCTION MUST SUFFER” VIEWS OF CHAIRMAN OF COUNCIL “District committees have some justification for being upset at the altered policy,” commented Mr R. T. McMillan, chairman of the North Canterbury Primary Production Council, when the War Cabinet’s decision was referred to him last night. He predicted that primary production would suffer. The committees had expected to get certain men released from the Army, said Mr McMillan, and the decision would be disappointing to them. It now appeared that it was going to be impossible to get further men released to return to the farms. “If men are not available, primary production must suffer,” he said. “In Canterbury, farmers were up against the problem of labour not being released from the Army as promised before Southland was affected. Men were held back in the Army for a month before appeals were put through and even then men were not released. I took up this question personally with the Minister of Primary Production for War Purposes (the Hon. W. J. Poison) and he then told me that there was going to be some difficulty in securing the release of men who had completed their training for overseas and the War Cabinet’s • decision appears to make-the release of men even more difficult.” Mr McMillan commented that a big percentage of the farm workers whose release was desired were single men between 21 and 41 years of age. The manpower situation was discussed yesterday between a committee of the Primary Production Council and the smallholders in the Christchurch district, Mr McMillan said the market gardeners and tomato-growers were in the same difficulty as other farmers at present. Bigger quantities of their produce were required yet production would be definitely held up if manpower was not made available. WANGANUI’S POSITION SATISFACTION EXPRESSED (P.A.) WANGANUI, September 9. Official sources say that there is no trouble in getting men released from the Army to work on farms in Wanganui. They were commenting on reports from Canterbury and Southland that the Army is holding up the release of men. About 300 applications for release from camp' for farm work had been sent forward from Wanganui to the Army, and the release of only about six soldiers in key positions had been refused. One hundred applications had gone before the No. 2 Armed Forces Appeal Board from the Wanganui District Primary Production Council for the release of men, and so far only two had been refused by the Army. The secretary of the Appeal Board (Mr A. Garry) said that the Army had been most reasonable in releasing men recommended by the board as essential on farms. The only refusals were where the soldiers were in key positions. “It is impossible, however, to have soldiers released from the Tank Brigade or from overseas sections,” he added. “All the applications received have been dealt with by the Appeal Board, taut others from farmers are coming in daily,' and will be dealt with next week.”