FARMERS’ PART IN WAR

Southland Times, Issue 24153, 15 June 1940, Page 9

FARMERS’ PART IN WAR

NEED FOR GREATER PRODUCTION SCHEMES SUGGESTED FOR GORE DISTRICT “The absolute necessity for increased primary production in all spheres must be 1 evident to every person who reads the newspapers and listens to the radio, and it must also be clear to all farmers that every effort should be made to do everything in their power to do their bit on their own farms. Not only their bit, but that extra bit which may make that extra contribution which will help to save the Empire today.” These remarks were made by Mr S. B. Blomfield in an address to the Gore subexecutive of the Farmers’ Union yesterday morning. “An important object like this cannot be left to chance,” Mr Blomfield said. "The Primary Producers’ Councils have been set up to give the lead in this direction, but for a special local effort there is no better channel than the Farmers’ Union, which is already organized throughout the country. The Farmers’ Union at its annual conferences throughout New Zealand has passed many resolutions urging not only its own members but all farmers to produce to the utmost. Today is the time to put these resolutions! into effect.” If special production was to be effected next season it was no good waiting until then to make the effort, Mr Blomfield said. Now was the time. Individual efforts amounted to a lot in the aggregate but if the effort was to be one worthy of the farmers of this country then it must be an organized effort by their own body. Many farmers, indeed most farmers, would have good intentions for increasing production, but a promise given to their own organization in a district effort would probably bring a great proportion of those good resolutions into effect. Besides that there were many difficulties to deal with. Labour, and finance were among the difficulties on some farms. “To help to get over some of these difficulties I suggest that a committee be formed in each branch to interview every farmer in that district and to find out what his special effort will be for next year,” said Mr Blomfield. “When difficulties are found they could be discussed with a special sub-com-mittee of about three members from that branch, who in turn could pass on those difficulties, which they could not themselves solve, to a special central committee at Gore. By setting up such an organization a concerted effort would be made. All difficulties would not be straightened out, but many would be. At least the Farmers’ Union would be making a greater effort and a practical contribution to the winning of the war.” INCREASING AREAS Mr Blomfield suggested that public works machinery and men could be utilized to assist farmers in preparing new areas for production. This could be worked on a contract basis. Mr Henry Smith, chairman, thanked Mr Blomfield for his address and suggested that members express their views on the matter. They had to take the attitude that they were living in conditions never before experienced m the history of the Empire, because in the last war the need fox - production did not enter into it.

Mr H. Horrell said that it was a very fine thought on Mx- Blomfield’s part. Unless the farmers were working to some set plan they would not know what to do. The suggestion that the matter be put in the hands of the Farmers’ Union was a good one and he hoped that it would be followed up. Mr W. G. Mackay said that the position of the farmer was fairly difficult. He believed that the time was the most critical in the history of the Empire, and he would say definitely that any farmer who did not play his part was a traitor to the Empire. Many young farmers were enlisting and there was a duty to those young men. If the farming community was not careful it was quite possible that these young men might come back to find the industry reduced to serfdom. Politics should not enter into it but it was difficult to keep them out. The farmers could not let their Empire down in this grave hour and should do something themselves. They had to produce and produce quickly. At Mr McKay’s suggestion it was decided to form a sub-committee to discuss the points raised by Mr Blomfield. The following were elected:— Messrs Blomfield, Henry Smith, A. Herron, D. Dickie, W. G. Mac Kay and C. H. Tripp.