IMMIGRATION

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13376, 18 March 1909, Page 6

IMMIGRATION

The Executive of the Provincial branch of the Fanners' Union decided yesterday that there is "any amount "of room in this district for bona fide " farm hands," and that the Dominion Executive should therefore give every encouragement to bodies wishing to send men and women of that class to New Zealand. Assuming tho accuracy of the first part of tho resolution, the eecond portion is its logical sequence, and the members of the Farmers' Union must have a good knowledge of the labour needs of the farming community. The trouble seems to be not 60 much a serious shortage of labour as a quito inadequate supply of tho class of labour that is needed— men -who are accustomed to farm work and are not afraid to work. A largo proportion of tho permanent men on the farms of Canterbury are of an excellent class—the pity is that thero aro not more of them. But farming testimony is unanimous in agreeing that the casual labour obtainable is often of a very poor class. Tho increase in tho number of skilled workers in tho Dominion during tho last few years seems to have affected tho farmer less than anybody. The high wages paid to artisans in the towns have to a great extent checked the supply of labour in the country, and this, coupled ■with the fact that many of the best class of farm labourers have become farmers themselves during late years, has contributed very largely to tho present position. Tho fact that there is some unemployment in the cities just now is really no argument against the immigration of qualified farm workers, though we have no doubt it will be utilised in some quarters for discouraging such immigration. There is a curious misconception in the minds of a good many people as to the ease with which a knowledge of farm work can be acquired, indeed it seems a not uncommon fallacy that anyone can, without .previous training, plough or manage a reaper and binder, or do any of the hundred-and-one jobs that confront a farm worker. It is a mistake that has been responsible for a great many oi the failures in farming. Farm work in many of its branches is a skilled occupation, in which the trained man- will every time do more and do it better, in less _time and with less physical exertion than the raw hand. Although, .therefore, there are a certain number of men usually employed in the building and allied trades now out of work, there is little hopo for the farmer that he will bo able to secure tlie labour he needs. A thousand plasterers might be wanting employment, but even if they wero willing to go out into the country their readiness to work would not compensate for their ignorance of the proper way to perform tho tasks set them. But while this is so, and whilo the Canterbury farmers have good ground for seeking to secure from the Old Country tiho labour that they cannot find in New Zealand, wo commend to their oons.iderta.tion somo remarks by Mr Richard Evans at yesterday's meeting on tho ■unwillingness of farmers to teach men farm work. The effect of this attitude, it is stated', is to put all the shearing in the hands of Australians. We do not know how far this dislike to teach learners can be charged " against farmers all round. It is quite possible, on the other hand, that the young New Zealander does not want to be taught farm work, in view of the many other avenues of employment open to him. If tho farmers can supplement tho supply of farm labour from sources at their commamd, they would be foolish not to do so; but whatever they did in this direction would not affect to any great extent, we aro afraid, the necessity for securing further supplies from the Old Country.