DRAIN ON INDUSTRY

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 February 1945, Page 3

DRAIN ON INDUSTRY

CALLING-UP OF FARMERS

The proposed early! calling-up for service with the armed forces of Category A men working on farms throughout the West Coast, who are held on appeals, was the subject of a deputation from members of the West Coast' Primary Production Council and the executive of the West Coast Provincial Farmers’ Union to the Minister of Manpower (Hon. A. McLagan) upon his arrival at Grey mouth yesterday. Various speakers pointed out the desirability of maintaining production and the need for the retention of the already-depleted, ranks of farm workers in the province, but at the conclusion the Minister indicated that there was a pressing demand for A Grade men. and they had to be obtained even if production had to suffer to some extent. It was a policy set down by the War Cabinet, and while the Minister could give no assurance of any relief or relaxation ox the demands for exclusion m this district on' his own behalf, he would bring the representations made to the notice of the War Cabinet. Mr! D. B. Jellie, Chairman of the Primary Production Council, reieired to the proposed call-up of farm labour, and the drain on the industry which had already taken place, without any replacement having been made. At the outset, farmers were not to know how long the war would continue, and they had carried on faithfully and well in spue of the heavy burden that it now occasioned them. In many cases it would be impossible for them to carry on if the further call for service was to be m Mr. Mark Wallace, a Director of Wostland Dairy Company, said that it was realised what difficulties the A?med Forces Appeal Boards were faced with, as was it realised that there was a desire to give relief to those servicemen with over four years’ service overseas, who weie suffering from war v (f al ? n j S ? heart hunger. However, he had to refer to the need for maintaining primary production, which was being done ' throughout the West Coast on an increased scale, following an appeal over 12 months ago when they were told of the vital need for increased production. In some cases it had been increased as high as 20 per cent, and this had been accomplished with less manpower in most cases, than previously, and undei conditions which were far from ideal compared with other parts of New Zea land Some dairy farmers were producing a?much as 14,000 lbs. of. butterfat per one man unit,.whereas the standard set in the Waikato and other parts were 6,000 lbs. I am not owi stating the case when I say that they ai ’ e DOING A GREAT JOB

on the West Coast with the aid of their wives and children,” said Mr. Wallace. ‘They are ready and willing to go into the armed forces, but we say that if you want production then it is essential that they remain. They are working seven days a week all the year round. These men, if production is vital and important must remain, but if the need for manpower is paramount lor the forces, then production must infall. It was almost out of tne question to get men to come here and take jobs on farms because no doubt of the difficult climatic conditions, while double the land and effort was required here to get the same production as elsewhere, said Mr. Wallace. Continuing, he said that. 70. to 100 acres in Taranaki would give off the same production as about 150 to 200 acres in Westland. The provision of Winter feed was an unusually greater problem than in the North Island. There was also, he said, a greater outgoing of physical and mental effort required. . The whole point was that if production was going to be maintained, then he could, not see how all but a very limited number of men could be released from farms. He was on the Land Sales Committee and had been amazed at the lack of interest'm farming here. None of the boys wanted to come back here and go on to farms and the industry was languishing as it were. If the position did demand additional manpower for the forces it was suggested that the. spread and sacrifice should be made as wholly and fairly over the community as possible; otherwise there would be tremendous heartburnings and bitterness. All he could say was that it would be a very great sacrifice and would materially effect production. FARMS SLIPPING BACK Mr. W. Clayton, a member of the Provincial Executive of the Farmers Union, endorsing the remarks of previous speakers, said that coalmining and sawmilling industries paid nigger wages and worked shorter hours; getting a very much better return for their services than those on farms. It did not seem to be a matter of money with those employed on farms, however, and they were doing a great job, as g®od as one would find anywhere. With the heavy rainfall, the farmer found it difficult to keep second'growth and noxious weeds down and their property must go back as a result. ' , Many farms were slipping back because of insufficiency of labour and lack of fertiliser. There was never a greater demand for foodstuffs than j'to-day, with people starving in many parts of the world. Mr. P. J. O’Regan, who was deputising for the President of the Provincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union, said that so far as he could ascertain the Grade One man was making it possible for individual farms to be carried on with the aid of either the senior or young members of the family assisting. . A reasonably rebust man was required on all farms, as there were certain jobs that only' a man of the type could do. He referred to one instance i of an elderly couple over the 60 mark (with their son working the farm. The old man did what he could—both adults were doing what they could—whereas actually both could quite easily be getting the invalidity pension.'He referred to one case m which the father, though practically blind, had been engaged in stocking oats; but there were a lot of this type able to do a good job still, whereas otherwise if the son was removed the farm would collapse simply because the son was not there to do the heavy work required. Taking the long hours into consideration the farmer’s remuneration was low compared with other industries. Those left on the land, he declared, were those with a flair for farming or feeling of devotion to their parents. They were of the type who disregarded all allurements of better wages and conditions. “I do not maintain that they throw their weight about all day long like a coal miner or bushman,—they are not capable of doing that—but their dissipations are few and far between, perhaps a day at the races once a year.” While shearing and other necessary work was being carried out on farms, it was impossible to keep the farms in order and all this went towards lesser production. If this state of affairs continued, production would grow less and less. Development and permanent work was to-day at a standstill, and the capacity of land to re-absorb men when the war was over was being steadily reduced. The contention was that farmers were working - long hours' for very little and if they were going to be combed out, then every industry should be combed in the same way. He was prepared to

substantiate his ?Ws by taking anyone named on to the farms he had mentioned, where distinct hardships existed. Half of these who would be left would as he had said before qualify- for the invalidity pension; they were still doing a grand job but could not carry on if they lost th,e key, the kernel and centre of their activities.

FARMERS’ CONCERN . Mr. H. G. Carter, said that .the older men interested in the development of the farming industry ■ were apprehensive of the future, - should the authorities continue to call , up men for service, and thus lose their service for all times on the farms. “We have seen it happen for years now, and because of the war it has now reached a stage where it is being drained to the utmost. A lot of 1 farms have gone out in recent years. We cannot afford to lose any more, young men out of the industry on the West Coast. They were born on the farms and have remained there. The Primary Production Council had a certain duty to perform and it had it thrown in their teeth about the equality of sacrifice. All .will agree that primary production is the first line of defence on the economic front. The development of the industry must languish if our men are taken away,” Mr. Carter concluded. Mr. J. Mulcare, Secretary of the Primary Production Council and. the Farmers’ Union, endorsed the remarks of previous speakers, and referred to the fact that in a small area from the Arnold River to Ngahere, only three holdings out of 13 remained productive, and whereas there were formerly 330 cows, now there were only 46 to 48, for which it was hardly worth while for the cream lorry ‘to call. This would give an idea of the deterioration of the industry. Two of the men on these holdings had died bankrupt, at which time they were in receipt of the Old Age Benefits. In the Atarau district, farmers had gone completely away from the dairy industry. In one case a man is now working in a sawmill and another on a dredge. If the Government insisted on the policy issued to the Armed Forces Appeal Board, it would prove a very serious matter for the industry, he said. He further stated that the man who was turning over 400 lbs. of butterfat was working just as hard as the one who was doing 1000 or 12001bs. The deterioration of West Coast lands was most marked and if left for two or three years it would hardly be worth taking up again; at any rate it would cost £2O an acre, which was the actual value of the land generally, to bring it into production again. If such a thing were to happen it would be a greater hardship here than in other provinces. “I am so seriously embarrassed over the whole situation that I offered my resignation here” concluded Mr. Mulcare. MINISTER’S REPLY The Minister, in reply to the. representations made, said that the case of the farmers had been placed before him fittingly and well. He explained that while there had been a varying policy on. the part of the Government, it was not to be blamed in any way for this, as events as they presented themselves in the various theatres of war, guided such determinations. No Government, he said, could be expected to set down a definite policy on manpower calls, which were at first comparatively light and concentrated in keeping up most important units of production. The Government had been successful in getting a large proportion of men from the Pacific on to farms, and there had been no difficulty in- inducing them to take on farming. On the contrary, it had been rather difficult to find them land to settle on. However, as he knew the West Coast and had a full knowledge of its many difficulties from a farming point of view, he could readily understand why few men had been placed here. As to the contention that there should be" no exceptions, the Government just simply could not discriminate in the calling-up of men. It found that it must have men for replacement, even though it might mean lessening of production of foodstuffs. “Fortunately we find the same production figures going up in all farming districts and they are to be complimented on it. The decision to make this call-up is a War Cabinet measure and no Minister can set it aside. I will, however, be pleased to place your problem before the War Cabi-j net and if it is possible to give consideration to your requests, it will be done; but there is an urgency for A Grade men, even if production has to suffer to some extent. If there is any possibility of giving relief that will be done. It is a Wai’ Cabinet decision and anything to be done about it must be done by the War Cabinet, ’ concluded the Minister. Mr. Jellie, who presided returned thanks for the hearing given the deputation. and expressed the hope that some relief would be forthcoming.

APPEALS AGAINST SERVICE,

REEFTON REVIEWS.

[OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

-REEFTON, February 19. The series of special reviews of the cases of men held on sine die appeals was commenced at Reefton today by the Armed Forces Appeal Board. Seven men were made available for service and short , adjournments only were granted in a number of other cases. Following are the decisions: — Adjourned sine die: Blackwater Mines, Ltd., for H. S. Benson, miner; E. L. Brown, locomotive driver; C. Downes, timberman; W. H-. Gidley, braceman; A. A. Lines, amalgamator; F. L. Panting, L. J. Munroe, D. McPherson, O. McTaggart, H. F. Wilson, W. Purcell, E. C. Dobbin, T. E. Elgin, F. E. Frazer, F. Robinson, quartz miners; V 7. A. Stancombe, chamberman; J. W. McLennan, timber repairer; A. D. Smith, electrician; J, T. Nailer, carpenter; O. A. Reeve,' R. G. Reeve, chambermen; R. D. Tomlinson, braceman. Appeals for Blackwater Mines, Ltd., for W. D. Brown, miner; J. W. Carr, J. O’Flaherty, J. H. Williams, truckers, and T. Willis, repairer, were all dismissed.

The Central Coal Mine was granted, a sine die adjournment for S.’ N.‘ Carter, coalminer. The appeal of Wills, Ltd., for W. C. Pennington, grocer, and Hempseed Brothers for W. T. Hempseed, storekeeper, were both adjourned two months for review.

The Burnwell Coal Company’s application for leave to adopt an appeal for C. D. Robertson, trucker, was not granted and the appeal was dismissed. The appeal of J. W. Osborne and J. E. Osborne for J. E. Osborne, apprentice motor mechanic, was also dismissed.

The personal appeals of V. Caldwell and W. J. August, bakers, were adjourned sine die. The Burnwell Coal Company’s appeal' for E. R. Dennison, miner, was adjourned sine die. Decision was reserved and will be announced at a later date, in the following farm appeals: R. C. Gibbs, for H. J. Henderson; S. Goody, for J. L. Ford: W. G. Boulter for M. G. Boulter; F. W; Williscroft for R. L. Williscroft; A. W. Bell, for T. R. Bell; Mrs. E. Bolitho, for R .0. Bolitho; W. Douglas, for W. Douglas; A. E. Lines, for N. Lines; B. J.. Smith, for M. J. Smith; D. J. Williams and J. T. Williams, for W. D. Williams; W. D. Inwood, for R. Inwood. An appeal by W. O’Malley, jun., for T. Mitchell, carpenter, was adjourned sine die. i

AUCKLAND DISMISSALS. AUCKLAND. February 19. About 57 per cent, of category . A men whose appeals were dealt with' by the Auckland -Armed Forces Appeal Board last week have been made available for service, either immediately or within a few months. Appeals in respect of all category A men held in industry are being reviewed as part of the Army replacement scheme to afford men who, have loeen in the fighting forces overseas for more than-three years the opportunity of returning to New Zealand. The Appeal Board dealt with 169 cases of men from a variety of industries. Fifty-eight were dismissed outright, or were withdrawn, and 37 were dismissed subject to short periods of deferment before mobilisation. Another eight were adjourned for review in periods of up to six months, and 66 were adjourned sine die. “While it is appreciated that a large proportion of. category A nrien at present held on appeal have had their appeals reviewed on a number of occasions, and have been granted sine die adjournments, it is quite apparent that there is no prospect of keeping faith with the veterans in the Middle East who are due to return to New Zealand uhless a large number of category- A men are re-

leased from Industry for the forces,’ said, the Director of National Service (Mr. H. L. Bockett). “It is unfortunate that the withdrawal of these men comes at a time of the year when seasonal work is at its peak, but at the same time the War Cabinet has directed that the replacement drafts must be provided. It will therefore be necessary for industry to carry on as best it can until men return from overseas and are available for absorption into essential services.”