FARM LABOUR

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 32, 17 November 1939, Page 6

FARM LABOUR

INEXPERIENCED WORKERS. SUBSIDY FOR EMPLOYERS. STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER. (Per Press Association). WELLINGTON, This Day. ’ The existence of a large surplus of inexperienced farm labour in the North Island, and -! a surplus of both experienced and inexperienced farm workers in the South Island are disclosed in figures quoted to-day by the Minister for Labour (the Hon. P. C. Webb) in an interview. The Minister announced that tho Government had decided to offer a subsidy of £1 a week to farmers for the employment of inexperienced workers for the period of six months. He said the latest returns from Placement Officers throughout Now Zealand showecj that at November 10 vacancies notified through the State Placement Service totalled 365. Seventy were for inexperienced men and the rest (295) for experienced. By far the larger proportion of vacancies notified continued to be .in the North Island dairying centres. The total numbef of available workers was 627, made up of 104 experienced and 583 inexperienced.. “We are roughly short of about 200 men experienced in farm work,” said Mr Webb. “The usual steps have beeii taken , to acquaint centres holding lab-our-surpluses of Vacancies in the less favoured districts.”

Mr Webb said it was apparent that vacancies for experienced men in the North Island centres remained unfulfilled in considerable ' numbers. There were inexperienced men much in excess of experienced. Announcing the offer of a subsidy, Mr Webb said he would appeal to farmers to approach Placement Officers with the hope of getting suitable inexperienced labour that could soon be made useful; So far as harvesting was concerned the Placement Office would make available men now employed on Scheme 13. The Public Works Department had been releasing, and would release, men to help in the harvest field. “We realise the importance of speeding up production and making use of whatever labour is available to help in that direction. It is known that a considerable number of ’ experienced farm workers are now in camp and their replacement, particularly in the northern districts, lias created real difficulty, but if the best use is made of the inexperienced men available many of the hardships felt by some farmers should disappear.’’