DOMINATES ONR LIFE

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 64, Issue 4559, 13 April 1942, Page 5

DOMINATES ONR LIFE

DOMINION’S WAR EFFORT A TELLING SPEECH “The war, more so now than ever before, dominates our life, and we have perhaps reached the stage where little outside our war- 1 effort really matters. You will have to make greater and greater sacrifices as time goes on, probably many losing the fruits of a life of toil. Many of us, however, have yet to give our all, and I think that most of us would I sooner this than be under the domination of those with whom we are now at death grips.” In these telling phrases Mr Hallyburton Johnstone, of Whatawhata, opened his Presidential address which he delivered when inaugurating the annual conference of delegates of the Waikato Sub-Provincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union at Hamilton on Friday last. INEQUALITY OF SACRIFICE “It is to be deplored,” Mr Johnstone went on to observe, “that so many of oui' citizens cannot yet realise the seriousness of our situation. Although we continually hear of the wonderful effort being made on the industrial front, we of the farming Community know much more could be done. It is a disgraceful state of affairs where a man fighting for his country and offering his all gets 7s 6d a day, while a man who handles the goods to be sent him gets up to £4; 4s a day. Some of you lately \had some experience in the freezing industry when you were handling the goods which had been produced on your farms. The thanks of the farming community are due to those who came forward to do the work. I think you found the handling at hourly rates the better proposition. Lately we have had delivered a judgment of the Arbitration Court which gives to these same people who were sabotaging the country’s war effort a 5 per cent rise, whereas nothing more is coming to those who have to find the money, and nothing extra to those who are offering their- all. i HAS PATRIOTISM TO BE BOUGHT? “The Arbitration Court refused a rise in wages before the New Year soon after Japan came into the war. The presiding Judge gave as one of the reasons: ‘Japan’s entry into the war has not affected us as much as expected.’ In concluding the latest judgment, he said: ‘The Court ventures the hope that the decision to grant some relief to wage earners will contribute to an improvement in industrial relations, to an increase in the productive effort of workers, to the unconditional and complete abandonment of all activities likely to retard the war effort in the slightest degree, and to strengthening relations, morale and unity of purpose for the months of destiny that lie ahead.’ “Do we then,” asked Mr Johnstone, “have to buy patriotism? What extra has the farmer had to compensate for his extra costs ? Has he put such a price on his patriotism? I hope he will never do so. MANY RECORDS BROKEN “The farmer has put up a wonderful record,” said Mr Johnstone. “He has extra costs piled up all around him, he has labour difficulties he never dreamed of, and has had to change his method of farming. In spite of all this he has broken all production records. This has been of greater use to our country’s war effort than the records being broken in the production of beer —the wonderful effort you may have heard about the production of 50,000,000 bottles a year by staffs working 24 hours per day 365 days per year (our munition works during the same time working 16 hours a day). We are still breaking all records on the totalisator. The cost of living’ goes up. so wages are raised and so the cost of living goes up. Where do we finish? “ Nevertheless,” concluded Mr Johnstone, “we will continue to do our best to bring the date of the successful conclusion to the war nearer to us.” The delivery of the address was listened to with rapt attention and drew forth frequent marks of approval.