SHORTAGE OF LABOUR

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27860, 7 January 1956, Page 2

SHORTAGE OF LABOUR

SOUTHLAND BADLY AFFECTED MORE SEASONAL WORKERS WANTED (New Zealand Press Association) INVERCARGILL, January 6. Southland is suffering from an acute shortage of seasonal labour. Freezing works, wool stores, farmers, and the’ port of Bluff all need more workers? The difficulties of obtaining sufficient labour for seasonal work at this time of the year are -not new. but the problem is now worse -than for some years. - The Labour Department’s notified vacancies for December show a big increase over December, 1954. At the end of last month, the notified vacancies totalled 441 (368 males and 73 females) compared with 330 (277 males and 53 females) for December. 1954. The freezing works urgently require more labour, particularly because of the present feed shortage. The main shortage is chain slaughtermen. The works depend on North Island labour, and many men have yet to arrive. Wet weather necessitating late shearing in many North Island districts, and the difficulty of transport during the holiday period, have not helped. But the position is expected to improve next week. Because of the dry weather in Southland there has been a bigger call than usual on labour for outside work.