MEN FOR FARMS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 154, 1 July 1940, Page 9

MEN FOR FARMS.

2000 STATE EMPLOYEES. SUPPLY EXCEEDS JOBS OFFERING. (From Our Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Sunday. The fact that investigations made on various State undertakings revealed that there were more than 2000 men willing to take up farm work was mentioned today by the Minister of Labour, the Hon. P. C. Webb. The Minister added that they now had more suitable men ready to take up farm work than the Government had jobs to offer them. Many of the 2000 suitable State employees, especially the married men, were experienced farm workers, and there would be no difficulty in releasing them ae soon as they were required. Further, many persons privately employed in other occupations, but possessing farming experience, had written to various Ministers, offering to go on farms and to assist the Government's war effort to the utmost.

"Apart from the State employee* surveyed and those who have expressed willingness to take up farm work, the State placement register contains the names of some 500 single men who are seeking employment on farms," said Mr. Webb.

Applications for labour under the subsidy were coining forward eteadily. A epecial allowance of 12/6 a week was payable to married farm workers for whose families farm quarters were not available, and in addition to the facilities provided under the rural housing scheme arrangements had also been made to make available public works huts of a good type. The Minister appealed to farmers to make their requirements known at once, and not to wait until the season was upon them.