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Sun (Christchurch), Volume IV, Issue 1053, 27 June 1917, Page 6

Now that it has established a kind of voluntary labour bureau for farmers, the next step for the Efficiency Board would appear to be a widelyadvertised appeal for registration. The mere fact that without any beating of drums at all the Canterbury bureau has been able to send out a list of 45 names as an opening effort suggests that a wide and serious official appeal would result in a somewhat surprising enrolment. Further than that, it would enable the board to estimate much more accurately both the sincerity of the "no labour" cry from the farms, and the extent to which it could be answered without a national re-organisa-tion of industries. It would reassure honest producers, crystallise, and so make measurable, much vague discontent, and to a very considerable degree lubricate the wheels of the Military Appeal Boards. Yet there is no valid reason for supposing that by voluntary measures alone the country will continue lo maintain its maximum efficiency. No information yet liberated by the Efficiency Board lends colour to such a hope. The rude fact that the Canterbury Commissioner is already foreshadowing the dilution of labour means no more and no less than thai, if the present military policy is maintained, something like civilian mobilisation will eventually be necessary. That, of course, is a very grave suggestion. It means such a dislocation of all existing machinery—social as well as industrial—as to make the bravest pause. Yet no other prospect is in view if we assume that the war may last for another two years, and that, in the absence of any clear pronouncement to the contrary, it is the fixed intention of the Government to go on shipping from the country 2500 men a month. It has to be remembered that the dilution of labour pronouncement follows immediately" on a conference with labour leaders. It is pruned as much as may be —shorn as far as possible of all its sharpest spines. Boys will not be used while there are men, nor women as long as there are boys. With due regard to quantity and quality—note that qualification —the policy will be equal pay for equal work. But although Mr Prostick is giving only his own opinion, a wink is as good as a nod—and sometimes better.