ALL TRAINED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 281, 28 November 1938, Page 5

ALL TRAINED.

FOR SOMETHING ELSE. ® o VERSATILE FARM HANDS. a BARBER, BUILDER, BAKER. v (By Air Mail.) LONDON, November 5. Mr. Eddit Watson stood on his 300-acre i farm at Swanmore, Hants, tucked his thumbs ineide his waistcoat, and said: "Yes, I must have the most versatile . bunch of farm hands in the country." . His foreman is a qualified barber, his cow hand is an ex-builder and carpenter, i the man who packs the produce for 1 market was trained to be a baker, and his tractor driver was a garage mechanic. Only one of these men —Percy Didy- , mus, the foreman—chose farming as his career early in life. The other three all trained for something else, gave it up and went back to the land for their living. And not one has any regrets. They told a reporter how the open air, steady work and regular meals had improved their health. Not one wished to go back to his former job. Instead of uncertain wages and poor food they now get a higher average rate of pay winter and 6umra«r, and a weekly grant of vegetables and milk. He Was Delicate. Reg ("Baker") Harvey was a delicate youngster when they apprenticed him from school for two years to a baker at Swanmore. To-day "Baker" swings heavy crates of vegetables into a van as easily as most people couM lift a shopping bag. j As he lifted his cap the top of i forehead was white where the sun. which had made the rest of his face and arms a reddish brown, had been shaded. He whistled as he worked. "Yes, sir, 'farming's the life for me," he said. "I wasn't a strong lad, and I didn't like the heat of the ovens or the d u . st i from the flour much. Still, I stuck it,

md for four years I was a regular >aker. I know as much about baking bread as most people. "Then for a time I was out of work, ind as I'd always had a hankering for farming I aoked Mr. Watson to take me on, and he did. "I've never regretted it. The freeh air suits me fine, and the missus likes me getting home to my meals regular. "I pick up good money, too. In the winter I get 37/6 a week and in the summer 47/6. 5/ A Week Once. "I feel better than I've ever felt in my life, and I shan't work indoors again, I can tell you." Ernie Harvey, Reg's brother, used to be a carpenter in Swanmore. Now lie is dairyman "in charge of as good cattle as you'll find." He still remembers when he was a carpenter, and bad weather brought his salary down to 5/ one week. Those precarious days have gone now, for since he has been working for Mr. Watson he gets 52/ every week in the summer and 42/ in the winter. He said: "It's a good life. It's hard, but a young man shouldn't mind a bit of work, especially if it's in the open air. I feel as strong as a horse since Fve been farming." Bill Parsons gave up a mechanic's job in the village garage to drive tractor* on Mr. Watson's farm. He has only one regret—that he did not make the change sooner. "Sort of Hobby." Didymus, the foreman, learned to cut hair "as a sort of hobby." He barbers for his fellow farm hands, and says: "It's useful in the country to be able . to cut hair, but 1 like the land too much !| to leave it for anything else." 'j If any other younjr man is thinking i'of going hack to the land he should ij listen to 75-year-old Henry Cave, working after 50 years on 'i\Vat>on's farm. He said: , ( . ij "I weren't eddicatedand^«u^» r »« t i! good enough for me. EddK*i ! though, I wouldn't voung man I know gow to wo« a ***«*&& them fancy P[° " nt than fi*«h more can a <*»P nka wife?" good food, regular PW * na I