HARVEST LABOUR

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 8, 11 January 1944, Page 3

HARVEST LABOUR

MEN FOR SOUTH ISLAND

CALL-UP EACH FORTNIGHT

Territorials from the North Island will not go to the South Island to assist in harvesting operations before February. Men from-all parts of the Central Military District will be required there until May, and as harvesting in the North Island also will be in full swing it is expected that every available man will be needed. Sixty camps are to be established in the South Island, compared with 89 last season, but the men will first go to a central pool at Christchurch, and they will be drafted to the various districts requiring assistance.

Instead of calling up a full draft jeach month the Army intends to call up half each fortnight. This will.ensure that there is no break in the work while the men are settling down, and will mean that there will always be men available with some harvesting experience. The first group to enter camp in the Central Military District has completed its month, and there are now about 300 men in camp to commence the next month's work. At present there are no Territorials in camp from Area 5.' The bulk of the men to be engaged on harvesting will be non-mobilised personnel called up for 28-day periods. They are posted to units and proceed to the harvest camps according to demand. Those men not required until March or April will probably not get their calling-up notices until a week or fortnight before they are needed. Provision has been made for appeals against the month's service to be heard by Armed Forces Appeal Boards.

RATION ARRANGEMENTS.

Ration cards are issued to the men by the Army in all cases where the farmers provide rations and quarters. Rations for morning and afternoon tea must be arranged for with the local food controller or contractor. /Men called up surrender their civilian ration books, which are handed back on their return to civil life. Sugar, tea, and butter coupons for the period the men are rationed by the Army will be cut out and sent to Army Headquarters. , Non-mobilised personnel are not exempt from the payment of the social security registration levy, and the harvest period is not counted in the computation of service for the purpose of mufti allowance. . About 700 men are employed in the Auckland district on harvesting work, in addition to men sent to the Westfield freezing works under civilian rates of pay and conditions. Requirements there are being met fairly satisfactorily, although more workers are required, and it is expected that the demand for labour will extend over a later period than usual.