FARM WORKERS’ CONDITIONS

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23002, 23 April 1940, Page 14

FARM WORKERS’ CONDITIONS

TO THS EOITOB -OF THE PRESS Sir.—ln reply to an advertisement in your paper for a working farm manager I telephoned your advertiser for further particulars before calling upon him. The reply I received was to the effect that your advertiser had about 25 "men waiting about his house for an interview at the time I telephoned. This speaks well for the effectiveness of the advertisement and points to what I believe to be the root cause of the shortage of farm labour, namely,, suitable accommodation. For many years there has been an insufficient net return to farmers for them to provide decent buildings; in other instances insecurity of tenure has been a restraining influence. Your advertiser'could offer good accommodation and was inundated with applicants. :, ■ ■ Cabinet Ministers ask for ideas upon how to handle the uneconomic position regarding labour. First, a questionnaire might be placed before public works and relief workers concerning their previous experience and will- ' ingness to undertake farm work. Then an individual survey of competent men, ‘ should be undertaken. They should detail what is required - to put each property in a better productive condition —fertility, of sou, farm buildings, etc., and do that work. Farm returns - over past years would give the average return the farmer has had. Say. 80 per cent of the additional returns could be to reimburse the Government.: Yours, etc " FORCED OFF. April 22, 1940. TO THE FDITOB OF THE PEESS. Sir,— My blaint is against the oppression of the working class by the farmers of New Zealand. . , Farmers have never been noted ioi their intelligence. Ragwort soil deficiency. the destruction of bush, erosion, quantity before quality, and a score • other unpractical blunders, aggravated by the partisan vociferations of Farmers’ Union, presidents and politicians, have amply advertised the congenital stupidity of the fanning community. ' Businessmen marvel that they are able to remain on the land and are not surprised to learn tnat hundreds leave it every y ear - Government subsidies for labour, petrol, materials, and railage, ana guaranteed - - prices are absolutely necessary to counteract the extravagant and improvident conduct of the primary, producers. Now their cry is against the farm worker. With a typical selfish stupidity the farmer refuses to realise that he is. offering the lowest wages and the worst living and work;n' conditions of any industry m the ■ountry. The debased standard of mwhich characterises all the icts of the farmer employer is illusrated by the fact that he has not realised that he can make farm work doubly attractive by offering his men a half-day on Saturdays, a reasonably short work day, say eight hours and a half, with a regular and sensible lunch hour.' One is' compelled to criticise the farmers’ humanitarian reflex, " and ask,for the provision of.a-table, chair, dnd-a dresser: of some sort m the bach dr whafe. Things like these would make farm life more tolerable. Scores qf jobs have none of these facilities. Bunks - and rats are the only home comforts. - - , , As for wages, the farmer who refuses an : honest man. half a crown a week rise for doing Essential Cand dirty) work, -on the plea of economy, yet chases round all the race meetings in the province in a £3OO car, brands himself as either a fool or a liar. He is usually an anti-social and unwise combination of both. _ .' In any case, the solution of the farmers’ problems lies in land prices and adjustments. But then, cocky blind, Cocky can’t see that! Poor Cocky. Yours, etc., n April 18, 1940.