NATIONAL REGISTER OF FARMERS SUGGESTED

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 145, 22 June 1939, Page 3

NATIONAL REGISTER OF FARMERS SUGGESTED

As a War Emergency Measure NEED FOR EARLY PLANNING A national register of farmers as a war emergency measure was decided on at a meeting of the Wellington Central Provincial Executive of the Farmers' Union at Marton on Tuesday when Mr. F. Y. Toulmin, of Hunterville, proposed this step in the light of the crisis in the East. Advancing his proposal Mr. Toulmin said he was both a farmer and an officer of the Air Force and in the last named capacity was liable for service in the event of an outbreak of war. The question arose what steps were being takon to see to the carrying on of farming operations when those fit and able men were called upon to defend their country? He did not visualise that there would be any time available for organising for the carrying on of the farming industry should hostilities break out and felt that the situation in China to-day justified action in the direction of preparing a national register of farmers so that there would be available, at the time needed, knowledge of the steps to be taken to maintain primary production. He was aware that the Government was against compulsory military service for the provision of an adequate defence force and so far the voluntary system of training to provide the essential trained manpower was not meeting the requirements of the country. This suggested to him that the farmers might well take action towards organising to meet any such crisis and his idea was that immediate steps should be taken to ascertain how the industry would be carried on while all available fit men were defending their country. If nothing were done and war did break out ,he did not consider that this country could escape being involved and things would become chaotic in the absence of any organisation to deal with the matter of maintaining primary production.

Mr. Toulmin went on to state that his remarks applied to all industry, but it was at least the duty of the farmers, failing any action on the part of the Government, to take steps to complete an organisation which would be responsible for seeing that primary production was maintained. He felt that many farmers and farmers’ sons were not prepared to volunteer for servico while there was so much uncertainty as to what was going to happen to their farms. Personally he would like to see compulsory military service so that the country would have a trained force, but as that issue was in the hands of the Government, he thought it would be right and proper for the farmers to organise. He admitted that the proposition he advanced should have received the attention of the authorities months ago but it was not too late to make the move now.

The meeting agreed with Mr. Toulmin’s remarks and it was decided to invite all branches to take steps to prepare a register of farmers in their districts, giving details of the man-power available for service and that available for carrying on the industry.