HARVEST LABOUR AND TRAINING

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23479, 6 November 1941, Page 4

HARVEST LABOUR AND TRAINING

SATISFACTION AT CHANGE 1200 OUT OF 1500 MEN TO BE AVAILABLE The change in territorial training periods early next year to enable a substantial number of men to be available for harvesting met with the appreciation of members of the Canterbury Progress League’s executive last evening. It was stated at the meeting that of 1500-odd farmers and farm workers in the South Island, 1200-odd would be released and available for harvesting, while appeals could still be made in respect of others. ■ The executive, which had been asked by the Ashburton County Council to arrange a conference (on the harvest labour problem) between the Minister for National Service (the Hon. R. Semple) and interested organisations in Canterbury, decided to inform the Minister .that, on the undersanding that the men were to be available, the executive agreed that the conference was no longer needed. After a statement by Mr D. W. Westerns .that the military authorities had told him that 1000-odd men would be available lor the harvest, the president of the league (Mr R. T. McMillan) expressed appreciation of the authorities’ co-operation, which, as he understood the statements, would practically exempt 1200 of the 1500 farmers or farm workers liable for training in the South Island, and leave the way open to farmers whose cases were not met in this way to appeal.

Members agreed that the change was very satisfactory. It was suggested by Mr Westenra that what was still needed was more co-operation. In the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force were many country women capable of oertain farm work such as managing tractors. If they were doing work which could he done by unfit men the women might well be released for the farms. Quoting one case of co-operation, Mr Westenra said that in the North Island he knew of one man supervising six farms, the work being done by co-operative organisation. Mr H. Holland said that if certain of the local bodies were approached he thought quite a number of men would be released for harvest work. Mr McMillan said that a number of organisations were already being approached. As for co-operative work, attempts had already been made in the country districts to co-ordinate efforts wherever possible so that as many ftien as possible could go into camp. It was suggested by a member that as the farm labourer was the worst paid man in the country the Government would have to be asked for a subsidy if the men were to be persuaded to go out. Mr A. M. Carpenter said that ho was satisfied that there were numbers of people who would be fully prepared to go out and assist if they thought they would be co-operating and were needed for a necessary war work. If the Progress League let all the facts be known there would, he considered, be a rallying to production. “I think the Government has treated us as fairly as it could,” said Mr I. L. M. Coop, As for talk of a neighbour