NATIONAL SERVICE

Northland Age, Volume 14, Issue 32, 19 April 1917, Page 5

NATIONAL SERVICE

Work for Everybody

In view of the discussion on National Service which took place at the Executive meeting of the Kaitaia Chamber of Commerce on January 3rd last, the following extract from the “Star” of April 2nd will be of interest:— The need for utilising the services of every person in the Dominion to the best advantage was emphasised to-day by the Prime Minister, Sir James Allen. “There can be no doubt,” he said that sending 70,000 to 80,000 men out of the country has made it more difficult to keep up our production, but this problem I am perfectly certain wc can face, if every individual will set himself a task to help to do it. We have worked longer hours before, and wc can do it again without detriment to health. "At a time like this wc want satisfactory organisation, and that is being worked out by the National Efficiency Board. There arc farmers who have given up farming —we want them back for the time being. There arc Civil servants who have given up work we want them back to work for the time being. No man and no woman ought to be idle in this terrible time. I am certain that people only require to be shown where they can get work, and they will do it. I know a great deal is being done in this way, and I have never felt more proud of beinga New Zealander than during the last few months, when I have realised how loyal and patriotic our people have been; how they have faced such measures as the Military Service Act with very little grumbling, and how they are setting themselves to work, men and women alike, to do the best they can to keep the country going in the absence of our fighting soldiers.”