FARM LABOUR

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21966, 15 December 1936, Page 5

FARM LABOUR

NO SHORTAGE REPORTED

AT TEMUKA

men said to be easily

OBTAINABLE

[THE PRESS Special Service.]

TEMUKA, December 14. Little confirmation is to be found in the Temuka district for reports of a general shortage of farm labour in Now Zealand. Except for a temporary shortage in shearing-shed hands, caused by farmers desiring to get their wool away for the next sale, there is an abundance of labour. This opinion was shared by several prominent farmers interviewed at lemuka yesterday, and was supported by Mr T. G. Beck, resident engineer to the Public WorKS Department. Employment officers considered there was an abundance of men for seasonal work. Mr Beck said. So far, no men had been taken off for seasonal work, and no requests had been made either by the farmers or by the men themselves. If men were needed they would be allowed to leave the public works camp for seasonal farm occupations, he said, but as yet none had been needed. The department would not be affected if men were put off for this purpose. It had been the system employed in the past, and there would be no hindrance to the men leaying for the work if they requested it, or were required for it. Mr A. E. Dobson, president of the Temuka branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Umon, said that he had heard of a shortage, but he thought it was largely confined to a shortage of shearing-shed hands and shearers, which was the result of the farmers desiring to have their wool ready for the next sale. Ete had not experienced any shortage himself, nor did he know of a shortage in any particular cases.

Mr A. Bisdee, vice-president of the Temuka branch of the union, supported Mr Dobson’s remarks. Other prominent farmers interviewed confirmed tnese opinions. Apart from temporary shortages in shearingshed labour—the natural result of farmers crowding a sale —they had not found labour hard to obtain, but the facts would be more fully known when harvesting began.

RIVER FISHING AT THE WEEK-END

All the rivers in South Canterbury were fishable over the week-end and with the holiday yesterday many fishermen were out. Several fishermen from other parts of the Dominion and from overseas were already in the district, Mr F. W. Pellett, ranger for the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society, said yesterday, and these numbers would be greatly increased within the next fortnight. Mr Pellett expects the busy period on the rivers to extend to the end of January.

PLUNKET SOCIETY AT TEMUKA

PROFIT FROM SHOP DAY

A net profit of £B6 was shown from the recent shop day, said a report presented at the monthly meeting of the Temuka branch of the . Plunket Society. Mrs L. J. Wareing presided.

The Plunket nurse (Miss V. Brown) reported that during the month the number of cases at the Temuka office was 229, town homes 72, country homes 158. Telephone consultations totalled 16 and the total number of cases on the books was 254.

RASPBERRY CROPS

PICKERS ALREADY EMPLOYED

NEAR TEMUKA

Workers are already finding employment in the raspberry fields near Temuka, where early fruit of an especially high quality is reported by a prominent grower, Mr J. De Kenzy. Though the season was promising and there was every prospect of good prices being obtained, there was no accompanying .shortage of labour, said Mr De Renzy. A waiting list for applicants had already been filled. If the weather remained favourable, it was very probable that the crops this season would be well above the average.

RETURNED SOLDIERS’

PICNIC

GATHERING IN DOMAIN AT

TEMUKA

Arranged by the Temuka branch of the Returned Soldiers’ Association, the annual picnic for the wives and children of the returned soldiers of the Temuka district was held in the domain. The party, which numbered about 300, was welcomed by the president (Mr A. R. Beck), and the Mayor of Temuka (Mr A. W. Buzan). During the afternoon races were held for children and adults. The results of a baby show were:—Boys under six months, Ken Johnson 1, Graham Fraser 2; girls under 12 months, Noeline Darby 1, Patricia Fahey 2; boys, Grame Andrews 1; girls under 18 months, Joan Kenny 1; boys, Raymond Horgan and Gerald Pierce equal 1, Leslie McGillum 3.

MACKENZIE HIGHLAND

PIPE BAND

Some time ago a number of supporters of the band gave funds to purchase extra equipment for the Mackenzie Highland Pipe Band. This. has now arrived in Fairlie from Glasgow. The equipment, which is of high quality, comrises three leopard skins for drummers, one bass drum, and two tenor drums, five feather bonnets for drummers, a banner for the pipe-major, and various sundries. The band will make its first appearance with its new equipment at a concert on the domain on December 20.

BOWLS

BRISTOL CUP COMPETITION In a Bristol Cup match played on Wednesday evening, the Timaru Club beat Ashbury by 173 points to 134. The scores were as follows (Timaru names mentioned first): —Pennefather, Reid, Miller, Anderson! s) 15. A. Manning, A. King, Farrow, Richards (s) 18; Leslie. Oborn, Winnington, Manning (s) 28, Smith, Lomas, Henshaw, Irvine (s) 11; Tressider, Scott, Thomson, J. Moyes (s) 22, Watson, Ford, Bobbie, Clark (s) 10; Shrimptdn, Simpson, Beecroft, Hunt (s) 21, Manning, Simpson, Johnston, Spring (s) 16; Greenaway, Lindsay, Menzies, Washer (s) 20, Davie, Karton. Stevenson. N. Hamlyn (s) 25; Symonds, Wilson, Sewell, Dr. Ussher (s) 23, Scales, Cutler, Stewart, Ellis (s) 19; Patchett. Home, Wood, Kebby (s) 18, Brown, Lewis. Hayward, Whitton (s) 17; Mathewson, Cleland, Knott, Keen (s) 21, F. King, Brown, Young, Darroch (s) 18. -