FARM LABOUR

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 86, 21 January 1938, Page 6

FARM LABOUR

AVAILABILITY IN ASHBURTON. APPLICATION SHOULD BE MADE. SUFFICIENT FOR REQUIREMENTS Replies in connection with the recent shortage at Rakaia ot farm labour for nulls, to which attention was recently drawn were received by the Mid-Can-terbury executive of the Farmers’ Union at its meeting to-day, at which the president (Mr L. 0. Oakley) presided.

The Minister for Labour (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong) forwarded a telegram requesting the executive to aclviso mill owners to make their labour requirements known immediately to the nearest placement officer. In the meantime, he advised he was issuing an immediate instruction for his *epartment to use the utmost endeavour to provide labour applied tor, and was advising th Minister of Public Works in order to secure liis co-operation. If any considerable number of mill lianas engaged on works subsidised from the employment promotion fund he would be prepared] to authorise their temporary suspension in order to divert labour. He had no doubt that any assurance given by the Minister of Public Works regarding works under his control would be carried out.

On the same subject Mr H. E. Herring, M.P., said that he had invited the Rakaia certifying officer to supply a report. On being approved the officer submitted the names of nine men suitable for this employment, asking for four to be selected. The officer said that this had not been acted upon. From this, therefore, it would seem that the supply of labour was there and available if wanted. Doubtless, the replies of the Minister of Public Works and Labour would be in confirmation of the foregoing. The president said that the correct procedure was to apply to the nearest certifying officer for men, and these men could then he released fl'om other employment for the harvest. Unfortunately this was not widely known and farmers had sometimes seen their usual men working on roads or in places cncl had assumed that it was not available. '■ The secretary (Mr W. H. Amos) said that he had been told that there was plenty of labour available in Christckuich, and it had only-to be applied for.

"What return does the farmer get when he takes a man from a ( job that lie likes to the harvest field?” asked Mr J. Carr, who said that in these cases an unsatisfactory return of labour might be obtained. I Mr R. AVilkinson suggested that to avoid this the men might he pift off to await the time when they were needed in the harvest field. If they were put off for a month they could all be re-engaged later, instead of the farmer having to go'and drag out a man who did not want to come.

Mr Raymond Oakley suggested that the matter had gone far enough by letting it be known where labour was obtainable. "If we go any further we shall get into, deep water,” said the president.