FARMING PROBLEMS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24213, 3 March 1942, Page 6

FARMING PROBLEMS

DECISIONS BY COUNCIL ESSENTIAL WAR INDUSTRY A decision to request the Government to declare the farming industry essential under the emergency regulations was made at a meeting of the Auckland District Council of Primary Production yesterday. A resolution was adopted on the motion of Colonel X. P. Adams. ]t stated that in the event of it not being found expedient to include the whole of the industry certain branches should be listed as essential. The short notice given to farmers when their motor vehicles were impressed for military purposes was causing some hardship, stated Mr. A. Best, and on his motion it was decided to request the authorities to allow farmers to make the necessary adjustments. The regulations governing the admission of women farm workers to the Land Army were criticised by Colonel Adams. He said it was ludicrous that experienced workers were prohibited from joining the organisation. A resolution was adopted recommending that experienced girls be permitted to join but that the Government subsidy be payable only in respect of inexperienced workers. Another resolution urged that, where in the placement officer's opinion it was necessary, girls should be medieailv examined before being allowed to join the Land Army. The council decided to advise the local Manpower Committee and the Armed Forces Appeal Board that it had set up a special committee of three members to assist those authorities in determining any appeals for farm workers whose cases presented special difficulties.