TERRITORIAL-TRAINING CAMPS.

North Otago Times, Volume CV, Issue 13929, 10 July 1917, Page 3

TERRITORIAL-TRAINING CAMPS.

ACUTE SHORTAGE OF LABOUR. ) / OAMARU CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND MINISTER OF DEFENCE, " ' -. FURTHER CORRESPONDENCE; At the.annual meeting of tho Oaniaru Chamber of Commerce, held on May 28th, some strong comments were made on the question of the Defence Department continuing to hold territorial training camps during the war period, especially in view of the depletion of the labour market. It was alleged that the insistence on the attendance of territorials at such camps at the present time was seriously prejudicing the carry-. ingr on of essential industries, and the chamber resolved to draw the attention of the Hon. Minister of Defence (Sir James Allen) to that aspect of the question, and to enter its protest against a continuance of the territorial camps during the. war period. The views'of the chamber were communicated to the Minister, who in due course replied to the effect that his department could not

see its way dear to authorise the discontinuance of the holding of territorial camps, even during the war period, and for the reasons pointed out. The Minister, further went to the' trouble of communicating somewhat fully the department's attitude in relation to territorial training generally during the period of the war. The Chamber of. Commerce, however, was not altogether satisfied with the Ministerial statement of the position, amUl'ic president ami secretary were directed to further approach the -Minister on the subject. By the courtesy of the olliecrs of the chamber we are now permitted to publish the following • letter, which was addressed to the Hon, Sir James Allen on .J,une 2(ith, and also the Minister's reply, received on the 7th inst,:—

The Hon. Minister of Defence,

Sir,—We are directed to respectfully acknowledge' receipt of your favour i dated 19th inst., in reply to ours of 2nd inst. You will, we feel sure, readily acquit us of being either critical or captious in again approaching you in the matter of "Territorial Camps," and the organisation of labour for "essential industries," and the production of "foodstuffs." Whilst conceding the most laudable enthusiasm which prompts you to claim that military organisation is of first moment, Ave nevertheless maintain that the acute shortage of labour, which is very seriously restricting the production of food, should receive your serious considera-

tion. Ours being a country district, and the interests of lowii and country king interdependent, our' iiiembers arc peculiarly alive to the "position created by the shortage of- man-power, and this must be our pica for seeking to stress th<; matter further with you, Your reference to England, leads us'to remind you that there the position is so clearly recognised that men arc,even released from camp to carry on the work of food production, Need we remind you that your prescribed perioil for territorial camps, between February and May,, is our busiest time for farm labour, and suggest that by the withdrawal of the men, very serious inconvenience is suffered during these most important months of the agricultural year. Your provision for the exemption of indispensable workers does nbt seem to meet the actual circumstances, as it has been found from experience that many mem-

bfi-s ■of tlip- -territorial force look with disfavour upon an employer who applies for exemption;-indeed, some farmers have had to suffer-the inconvenience of their men going into camp, lest an amplication for exemption should' lie followed by the employee giving notice of his intention to leave. ■Tn the case of a farmer having, say, only one ploughmen, the position is accentuated. We beg leave to respectfully suggest that neither this Dominion, nor our shortrationed Allies can live on military organisation alone, ami so we shall be pleased to find an inclination to temper your administration by co-ordination with your colleagues in the Government, towards the recognition that the production of foodstuffs is of paramount 'importance, and that coincident villi OsiOiitial military organisation will vansoon be. established an equal and systematic organisation for the supply of the necessary labour for the prosecution of the esesential industries, and especially for the production of necessary foodstuffs for our' own consumption. ' ,

Sir .James Allen's reply to the foregoing was as follows: . (Sir,—l beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 2(ith ultimo, ami to state that 1 have given the points rais.'il every consideration, In my letter to you of the 19tli June I stated the views of my ilepartment regaining this matter, ami I regret to say I cannot feel justified in-altwiig the opinion then stated. With regard to your reference to the position in England the necessity for releasing men from work in connection with food production wns rendered necessary by the fact that many essential industries and the majority of iioii-csspiithl industries remaining were employing female labouiyamlthc submarine menace rendered it essential that the internal food, pi'oduetion should be extended. The Army having absorbed practically every man of: military service age no other source of mail's supply was available for work in this connection. You will agree that this is not a parallel situation to that existing within the Dominion.