INDUSTRIAL EFFICIENCY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16946, 7 March 1917, Page 5

INDUSTRIAL EFFICIENCY

QUESTION OF FARM LABOUR.

DEPUTATION TO SIR JAMBS ALLEN.

(BCB. UKITED PREBH A880CIATIOK.)

AUCKLAND, March 6. A statement regarding the. policy of tho boverninent in respect of tho industrial elhciency of the dominion in connection with recruiting was made by Sir James Allen tins afternoon in replying to a deputation comprised of the chairman of the I'ranldin Oounty Council and the chairman of tho Manukau County Council. 'i'ho deputation urged that farms should not bo depleted of all competent labourers as it was now almost impossible to replace them, it was very important to keen un our exports as if they felt to a, serious ex--iii vv ' ollid mean national disaster. It would be well if representative men in each district gave evidence before tho board in regard to tho conditions in tho district, as a reservist was sometimes unwilling to apSir James Allen said the 'difficulty was realised by the department. In their early decisions the boards might have been some™f' stl !' *»»' he was glad to hear it admitted that thero had recently been an improvement. Tho Government had invitcd members of farmers' unions, local •bodies and others who could give kical information useful to the boards to do so. It was impossible to lay down a hard and been asked to exercise a careful discrimina-du-h-iIS r n^ ard o to farmiD S and other inmetrics lne Government desired to avoid oham^ Ctl n of c lab °ur of M ™t.al aft-^' ° n ° <*,J¥ neatest problems sowL, vn* v« U d b0 tfle of h»?A 5 Efficj ency Board was only the rw™ a T ry vast .organisation which the Government was trying to create throughout tho dominion. The Efficiency Board had s.Th'L to - doal ™ th tho quostSn of soldiers farms in cases in which the owners 2»f° *> make satisfactory arrange! marts. He was not yet in a position to EL, purchase of hn£ ft — Govcr nment, btuiaction was VffiJf, % m J ef i aid *° supervision. Tho y Boa " l l .'>«i been authorised to a ?^T^ a J many honor ary expert advisers as t deemed necessary to assist it. ' 3 Tho appointment of trustee boards also had been authorised. Although there was no guarantee £ Ji b T*rt d > P ro ' idod . bo part of the duties of the hoard so to organise industries that tho farms taken hhnn7°™ best'PPKed ™th the necessary labour. The trustee boards, if necessarf would appoint a supervisor for each farm' and arrangemente for keeping and audit mf £ rh? C 7 UntS had al beln I Th£» ne cessary to bring women in. lliero was no compulsory powers at present to send men, where they would be S and whether it would be necessary to oK such powers by legislation hoS not sTy