INDUSTRIAL EFFICIENCY BOARD

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3017, 2 March 1917, Page 6

INDUSTRIAL EFFICIENCY BOARD

COMMENT BY EDUCATION BOARD. Before the monthly meeting of the Wellington Education Board commenced yesterday the chairman, Hon. J. G. \V. Aitken, M.L.A., took occasion to congratulate Mr. T. Moss (a member) on his appointment to tho Industrial Efficiency Board. Mr. Aitkon said that members would bo aware that the Government had. appointed a Commission of five gentlomen to inquire into and report on the efficiency of tho Dominion, as a Dominion, and they would agree with him when ho said that in appointing Mr. Moss the Government had succeeded in bringing a considerable amount of brain power to the table. Ho was satisfied that the Government had selected the right man, and was satisfied! that he would fill the position to the credit of himself and the Dominion. Ho heartily congratulated Mr. Moss on his appointment.

# Mr. W. H. Field said that in selecting Mr. Moss tho Government had made a very wise choice, as a big quesJ tion for their consideration was . tho position of the farmer in regard to the war, and whether they should not provide that a farm should be made to produce all it was capable of producing. There were many who believed that the authorities were going too far in denuding farm lands of men. The greatest care- would have to bo taken, for if the farms failed to produce \their full capacity at such n time we would be failing in our duty to the Empire. Mr. A. W. Hogg was of opinion that the Government had done a wise thing in appointing Mr. Moss to the board as tho country districts were particularly interested. Ho knew tho coimtrj well about Eketahima and Pahiatun, and how it was being used, and if he spoke- his mind frankly it would bo.to tho henefit of the country and the nation. The work of such a board should not'b© restricted. They should inquire into tho agricultural position and closer land settlement with a view to its utilisation to the best advantage. All round! Eketahuna, Mauriceville, and Pahiatua there were great stretches of country which was intended for close settlement not so very many years ago. Now the bridges were going to decay, and the roads, on which , a considerable sum of money was spent, were not heing used, simply because there was no traffic, and where there should havo been dairy farms, smiling homesteads, and' orchards, were huge sheep stations, as the result of the aggregation of lands which had been permitted to go oti. Those lands had been tested, and it was known that their productive value was great. Now that their boys had been to France and had seen the intense cultivation of the land there''it would! occur to them to imitate the people of France. It would be shown, too, how the schools in these districts were going to the bad as the result of tho number ot scholars decreasing. •

Mr. Moss thanked the chairman and members of the board for the compliments they had paid him. At first he had been rather appalled at the work they were to take- in hand. It would be a matter of hard work early and ■late. He would bo pleased to be associated with gentlemen of such standing ns those who liad been appointed to the board. There were many things to be dealt with in connection with the war, and they must all fall into litie and make even the greatest sacrifices in order that eventually they might come out at the right end. It did not seem many years ago that he was working at his trade- as a carpenter in Wellington getting £3 a week, so that it would be gathered that he bad the interest of the workers, as well as that of the country, at heart. He hoped that his services would be found of value to the country. (Applausn.)