Farm Hands

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 195, 15 May 1936, Page 13

Farm Hands

Sir,— Through your columns 1 would like to correct an impression that is oil too prevalent at the present time, and in doing so to call for comment and criticism oil the lot of the first-class, farm hand and his worth to the community. The impression I speak of is that the farm hand is a mere labourer even less than a “mere” labourer, a person who, unable to 'find work in other directions, must perforce milk cows, and is otten referred to as having come down to that. It is probably unknown to the city dweller that so-called cow-spanking is a skilled trade, a trade that, io become expert m all its branches, requires not a four-ycar apprenticeship, but rather a life-study requiring not only brains but a body mured to hardship by long hours in all-weather conditions, and heavy work. It is interesting to compare the set standard ci wages of trades such as plumbing, carpentering etc.. with those of farm hands, or for that matter the earnings of master plumbers, builders, etc., with the returns gleaned by the master farm band, that is. the herd-owner and landholder. Let me mention a few of the different branches of work it is necessary for the expert farm hand—the person every farmpr wunts —to have as a working knowledge: Speed and deftness in the cowshed coupled with quietness with cows, strict cleanliness and a working knowledge of simple veterinary measures, grassland ('arming, the handling of horses and the use of implements, manuring, entailing heavy sack lifting, and a knowledge of drills and topdressers; fencing, which is an art in itself; the handling of sheep, crutching. docking, lambing-tune duties; these, together with a thousand other odd jobs, all go to make the hired help who as a rule has been brought up on a farm and sticks to farming because it is in his blood I" do so. And yet these men and youths, able and necessary assistants of what is termed “the backbone of -the country,' are paid a wage (but cannot compare with those of general trade union awards. Why is this? Why is the farmer of today not in a position to pay more? —I* nin pfC ‘ ONE PUZZLED PERSON.