LABOUR SHORTAGE

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 13137, 11 September 1940, Page 4

LABOUR SHORTAGE

BAY OF PLENTY DISTRICT

STATE SERVICE COMBED

In an effort to assist the farm labour problem, the employment of further men on 4B contracts will be completed, said Mr L. H. Armstrong, Placement Officer for the Bay of Plenty, a few days ago. In the Bay of Plenty and Taupo districts there are about 200 men employed on these contracts, most of them Maoris engaged in scrub-cutting and drainingin the Tauranga district. The number employed on these contracts in Rotorua is not more than 20. Although the 4B scheme was designed to assist farmers to bring more land into cultivation, it is now considered that the greatest problem facingfarmers is to find labour to work what land is already under cultivation. It was stated by Mr Armstrong, that although the position regarding farm labour in the Bay of Plenty was fairly satisfactory, there being only 30 vacancies for workers, it would probably become more acute after the next , reinforcements had entered camp. Many farm labourers had' enlisted, and their employers were reluctant to appeal against the calling up of their employees. Further Shortage Expected Referring to the labour shortage in other directions in the district, the Placement Officer stated that the State Forest Service as well as timber mills, had lost many of their men to the Forestry j Company. Skilled workers were especially short in timber mills.. It was expected that the labour shortage would be even greater in the * State Forest Service with the approach of summer when many of the casual workers would leave for occupations such as freezing works. At the present time there is a seasonal demand for female workers for hotels, but it has been found almost impossible to obtain workers from outside the district because of the greater demand for female labour in factories where the apprenticeship laws, 'in some cases, have been amended to make the entrance of workers simpler. The number of state employees lias been reduced by factors other than enlistments and voluntary transfers to farms, but, although official confirmation on this point is not available, it is understood that the decrease is 'not unconnected with the reluctance of some men to undertake farm work.