FARM WORKERS
EXPERIENCED MEN AVAILABLE MINISTER’S STATEMENT (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.; WELLINGTON. July 29. “There are still a large number of experienced farm workers awaiting engagement,” said the Minister for Labour Cthe Hon. P. C. Webb), in an interview to-day. He said that apart from nearly 1500 experienced men enrolled with the State Placement Service, there were nearly 1750 experienced workers at present employed on various State works who were ready to transfer to farm jobs as soon as required. More than 1600 inexperienced State employees were also available if wanted. "In every instance these men on Stale undertakings who are shown as available lor farm work have volunteered to take it up because they are eager to assist the farmer ana the Government in carrying out New Zealand's part in the war effort,” the Minister said. ‘ He also emphasised the advantages attached to engaging married men. There was a marked tendency on the part of farmers to apply for young single inexperienced men, whose wages could be subsidised under the 4F subsidy scheme. Already in July 135 men had been placed under this Scheme, and the bulk of them had been you Jig and single, a type that was becoming much more difficult to provide. On the other hand, the Minister said, departmental statistics showed that at July 19 there were available 2213 experienced and 2438 inexperienced married men, taking into account State employees who had volunteered for farm work. There were also 969 single experienced men available at the same date; but a large proportion of them lived in the South Island, where the demand was not yet so great. Mr Webb urged farmers to take single or married experienced men wherever possible. There would be ho objection to farmers expressing a preference for experienced youths and young single inexperienced men m their applications; but they would greatly help placement officers if they would agree to take married men when others were not available. Many of the married men, both experienced and inexperienced, were prepared with the accommodation allowance being paid by the Government, to< go on farms without their families, and be regarded from the point of view of farmers as single “ employees. The Minister said that since the beginning of July the Placement Service had filled 488 far™ positions, and 42 of the men placed had been State employees.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23085, 30 July 1940, Page 8
Word Count
393FARM WORKERS Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23085, 30 July 1940, Page 8
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