TEMPORARY RECLAMATION WORK 133 



We desire, however, to make an additional sugges- 

 tion. We recognise that, however strong an induce- 

 ment the State offers to farmers to break up grass 

 land, the process will be slow ; and that it is im- 

 possible to expect a large area to have been broken 

 up before demobihsation is over. If, therefore, the 

 men are ultimately to be employed on the new arable 

 land, some means must be devised for providing them 

 with remunerative occupation in the meantime. Now, 

 reclamation schemes involve the temporary employ- 

 ment of a large number of men on a small area of 

 land. We suggest that reclamation work should be 

 undertaken to whatever extent is necessary to ensure 

 the retention of the men for ultimate employment in 

 agriculture. Military hutments could no doubt be 

 used for the purpose of housing them. 



G. — ^The Element of Time 



81. If the men are to be retained in this country 

 it is plain that the Nation must be in a position to 

 make them a " firm " offer at the time when they 

 will have to make up their minds. That, as General 

 Childs ^ told us, will be before they receive furlough, 

 preliminary to discharge. 



In our view it is impossible to exaggerate the im- 

 portance of this fundamental factor of the problem. 

 Everything hinges on it. It means, in our opinion, 

 that the whole policy of the Government must not 

 only be thought out at once, but that most of it 



1 Brigadier-General Childs gave evidaice on behalf of the Adju- 

 tant-General's Department. 

 10 



