The Land Army

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 175, 19 April 1940, Page 11

The Land Army

Sir, —Various letters have been written and opinions expressed with regard to a women’s land army. I have taken some interest in the discussion because I have been a back-blocks farmer. I have a son with the New Zealand forces and a daughter in the Land Army in England. For myself, I incline to agree with the Minister of Agriculture. The scheme has certainly, up to the present, not been proved necessary. Whatever the future may bring, careful and detailed surveys of the position as it develops should precede loose talk. How many farmers want domestic help and how many need farm labour? What period of training would be required? Where work is heavy and laborious, are there not thousands of young men serving in shops and offices who, while unwilling to join the colours, could be conscripted, for peace purposes? We are frequently told that the conditions of the average farm are not sufficiently good to attract young men, and I believe this to be perfectly true, but, with Denmark’s doors now closed to England production must not slacken. The primary producers, who know most about the subject, should write to obtain facts and suggest ways and means to obtain the best results in the shortest time. There is a great deal of land here in the Waikato which could be brought, into production during the coming season if the methods of big-scale farming were applied. If we conscripted available labour for this purpose we could do more for the Mother Country, which stands between our own lives and Nazism. Our women might then more efficiently undertake work in secondary industries and distribution. In regard to the question of payment for service rendered: I cannot believe that any self-respecting farmer would want free labour. At any rate, let us stop generalities and get down to the facts. —I am, etc., A. B. COLLIER. Hamilton, April 17.