Harvest labour problems

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32566, 27 March 1971, Page 11

Harvest labour problems

A solution to one of the major problems faced by tobacco growers in the Nelson province, appears to have been found. The recruitment of 145 young men from Fiji Islands as seasonal workers has played a large part in overcoming a serious shortage of male labour in the tobacco-growing industry, and has been pronounced an unqualified success by all concerned.

It now seems likely that this experiment will, in future, become a permanent feature of the tobacco season and could be extended. Still to be resolved, however, is the drastic shortage of female labour. The shortage has grown in the last few years to the stage where it has reached serious proportions. Early this month growers still had vacancies for 50 female workers. There were also 30 vacancies for males.

While the problem of seasonal labour shortages is no new one, it has been accentuated in recent years and has led to increased concern among growers. Many of those seeking seasonal tobacco work are itinerant visitors from Australia, the United States and Canada, and a big percentage of these remain at work only long enough to finance their travel and accommodation expenses to their next working holiday destination. Often, their defections from the district come at the peak of the harvest. The economic crisis of 1968, and a contitjying fear of unemployment in New Zealand, are blamed by some

for the seasonal shortages of the last three years, Many young people, growers believe, are no longer prepared to. leave permanent positions for holiday-type seasonal employment in one of New Zealand’s best-known tourist centres, in case employment for the remainder of the year is unobtainable.

Had mechanisation not broken the back of much of the work associated with the hop-picking season in the province, this vital industry also could have been in dire labour straits. Today, however, hop-stripping machines have replaced the hop pickers and there are only one or two growers who still employ pickers. Not that many years ago, whole families came to the Nelson district to pick hops on a seasonal work holiday. Satisfaction with the work of the young Fijians was general among the growers, a grower, Mr G. H. Hunt told “The Press.” Mr Hunt, a member of the New Zealand Tobacco Board and chairman of the New Zealand Tobacco Growers Federation’s labour committee, was one of those instrumental in bringing the Fijians to the district. “I am

extremely pleased with the four young chaps I have. I would be delighted to have them back again next year,” said Mr Hunt.

The young Fijians working on Mr Hunt’s property—they represent a cross-section of occupations were equally high in praise for their boss. Spokesman for the four, Mr Mohammed Alim Khan, of Labasa, said that all the Fijians he had spoken to during their stay were enjoying the work and the friendly atmosphere of the district. All had agreed that “the bosses are very good men.” “If we get the chance we would like to come back again.” he said. The Fijians will remain in New Zealand until the end of April—a four-month stay. Their return air fares are subsidised and paid in advance by the growers, who can recover the cost from wages. The photograph shows Messrs All Sarjad (Labasa), Mohammed Alim Khan (Labasa), Sher Hussein (Labasa) and Robert Moideam (Lautoka) workin the tobacco.