DEPLETION OF FARMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3315, 26 September 1917, Page 7

DEPLETION OF FARMS.

"LEAVING THE LAST MAN." POLICY OF GOVERNMENT EXPLAINED. WELLINGTON, September 21. Alarm has been frequently expressed by country members in the House during this session as to the depletion of farms of all those men required to work them. Mr Anstey asked the Minister of Defence to-day whether the Government had come to a decision on the question which he would shortly state as that of "leaving the last man on every farm.'' There were a large number of farmers in the Second Division, and a large proportion of these were the last men left on their farms. If these men were taken the farms would either have to go out of productivity or there would have to be undertaken a somewhat elaborate and costly scheme for keeping them going. Sir James Allen said that the policy of the Government, indicated some time ago, was that no farm should be left without one man or, if necessary, more than one to keep it as productive as before the war, but the determination of individual cases must bo left to the Military Service Boards. They were the people who could best say how many men should be left on any individual farm. The policy of the Government was understood very well by the Military Service Boards, and it was that no farm must be left without a man. Mr Leo: Was not there a magistrate in the south who said he would not be governed by it? Sir Jas*. Allen: That is incorrect. The chairman of that board has been communicated with, and he replies that it is quite incorrect. The Minister added that it was contemplated that because of the number of farmers in the Second Division who would have to be exempted, a larger number of men would have to bo drawn in the ballot 3 for the different drafts.