CHILDREN ON THE FARM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 173, 23 July 1936, Page 6

CHILDREN ON THE FARM.

At present there does not appear to be any law to protect children on the iarm, yet adults are to be limited to a 40-hour week. Here is a case which came under my noticc — a girl 12 years of age who goes to the shed at four o'clock and is often late for school, though she is close to the building. I have tried to figure out this case —about 56 hours per week. Another incident —a boy prior to 14 years of age helping to milk over 100 cows and feed as many pigs, tired at school, and at 14 years taken from school, for, as the parents said, "The wages of a man could be saved." Farmers are now complaining that they cannot get labour and their wives and families will have to fill the breach. Is this fair and just? What animal forces its young to help to keep it? Surely something should be done. Might I suggest something along these lines? No child under 14 to enter a cowshed before G a.m. and hours of labour to be limited to four per day, except in cases of emergency—such as sickness or breakdown of machinery. OBSERVER.