SOME CANTERBURY SUGGESTIONS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXII, Issue LXXII, 26 May 1917, Page 4

SOME CANTERBURY SUGGESTIONS.

(•BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS A.BSOCXA.TION.J CHRISTCHURCH, May 25. At the Provincial Conference'of the Farmers' Union a rather novel proposition with regard to the supply of men. for soldiers was contained in an Ashburton remit, which read: "That we ask the Government to ascertain . if it be possible to make arrangements with the War Office to get sufficient men from the United States when our First Division are all called up so that the Second Division would not beneeded." The mover said that when 10 per cent of our manhood were gone tuat should be the limit. He would not prevent the Second Division men from enlisting, but conscription should not be enforced against them. America could put men in the field quicker than New Zealand, and her wounded, if sent back to the States, would not be a drain on the food resources of Britain. After some discussion the remit was. withdrawn. Other remits were carried as under: "That the Government be urged togrant men in charge of teams exemption from attendance at territorial camps for the duration of the war" ;. ''that the conference use its influence to assist returned soldiers back to theiroccupations or to go on the land" r. "that the Government should provideallowances to reservists breaking down in training until their health is restored, or regular employment secured ; "that we urge the immediateremoval of the butter-fat tax." It was agreed to urge the removal of the excess profits tax as applied tofarmers, and protest against any proposal to levy an'export" tax. The proposal to inauguarate a producers' shipping company was sunported. *

It was decided to urge the Government to take measures to secure further shipping accommodation for frozen produce, and to make the commandeered price of wheat on trucks instead of f.o.b.