The second front carriage that was set apart for the recruits being insufficiently large to accommodate them all, four of their number took their seats in a first-class carriage.
A railway inspector, who discovered them there, made a demand upon them for a double fare, and, upon their naturally refusing to pay this, ushered them through the train into another second-class carriage. Our informants were warm in their expressions of indignation over the circumstance that, when the authorities had neglected to reserve sufficient accommodation for them, a few of the recruits who had quietly occupied seats in the nearest available carriage should have been bundled out of that carriage because they reasonably declined to comply with an inconsiderate demand. In the opinion of our informants, the action of the official betrayed, on his part or, if he acted under instructions, on the part of his superior officers, a complete lack of appreciation of the fact that these men were going to fight for their country, and to offer the sacrifice of their lives, if need be, in the defence of the liberties of the Empire.
A well-known Southland farmer, who is in a position to offer an authoritative opinion on the farming position in the south, makes a rather disturbing statement of agricultural affairs in Southland.
This farmer has an estate of over 3000 acres, and he states that this year, owing to the shortage of labour, he has not been able to put in any oat crop at all, and that the outlook for winter feed, despite the fact that he has an area under turnips is very bad.
One plot of 100 acres has had to be given over to the weeds because no men are available to work it.
Five teams have been waiting over the past 10 months for teamsters, but none have been forthcoming, and the horses have now had to be turned out. This farmer stated that at a sitting of the Military Service Board at Invercargill the inspector of factories said that plenty of men were awaiting farm work. He rang him up next day, and asked for nine men - he was prepared to pay up to 15s a day, with keep, for men for particular classes of work.
He got two men, and has since telephoned up this inspector daily for more men, without any result. He has also communicated with the inspector of factories in Dunedin, but has been unable to get one man. In many cases the owners of farms have simply had to lock their gates and leave their farms. The speaker went on to say that another farmer who appealed was asked if he had advertised in the papers in an endeavour to secure a man to take his place. He said he had advertised in the Southland papers, without result.
The chairman of the board asked him if he had advertised in the Otago Daily Times, and received a reply in the negative.
The farmer said he did not take the Otago Daily Times - he subscribed to the Southland papers. ``And because he had not advertised in the Otago Daily Times,'' drily remarked the farmer, ``his appeal was dismissed.'' - ODT, 28.3.1917.
