ENLISTMENT OF FARMERS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXII, Issue LXXII, 25 October 1916, Page 7

ENLISTMENT OF FARMERS.

STATEMENT BY DEFENCE MINISTER.

(BT TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) • \ DUNEDIN, Oct. 25.

The Minister of Defence has b.een asked during his visit to the south, whether farmers, single and eligible for military service, who have their own farms, will have to go to the ballot and whether, if their name is drawn, they will have to leave their farms and go into camp. It has b.een represented to the Minister that in many cases farmers will have great difficulty in securing managers during their absence, or, as an. alternative, will have to sell their properties owing to the. nature of the tenures. •■>•■-,■

Mr Allen replies definitely- that in the event of the Compulsion Act becoming operative, .every single man, whether owner of a fairm or business, will be subject to the ballot. He points out that every reservist has a righj. of appeal on specified* grounds, including thes.e especially :—(1) That by reason of his occupation his military service will,be contrary to the public interest; (2) that for domestic or other reasons military service would-caus.e undue hardship to the reservist or others.

The Minister emphasises the provision that Military Service Boards will deal witih each case on its merits, and will grant exemptions as it considers desirable. He calls particular attention to the .fact that in many parts of the country farmers are in communication with one another in endeavoring to arrange for management of their farms in the event of enlistment. He suggests that farmers as a whole should consider this phase- amongst themselves.