FIRM LABOUR

Evening Star, Issue 23753, 7 December 1940, Page 6

FIRM LABOUR

EFFECT OF MILITARY SERVICE INCREASE OF PRODUCTION ENDANOERED REPRESENTATION SOUGHT ON MANPOWER COMMITTEE Farm labour in relation to Territorial and overseas military service was the principal topic of discussion at a meeting of the Otago Primary Production Council, at which Mr A. C. Leary presided over a representative attendance of the Dunedin Committee, together with several delegates from country districts. All present were unanimous that farming should not be a sheltered occupation, and that farmers’ sons or labourers should play their part in the Empire’s defence, but felt that it was absurd to ask on the one hand that Primary Production Councils, Farmers’ Unions, and other bodies urge for increased primary production and on the other hand call into camp, at the very busiest time of the year, the men who were responsible for maintaining or increasing the same production.

Mr A. C. Cameron summed up the position when he said that there would be very little criticism from country districts if the Government decreed that every single man between certain ages go into camp for three months—■ the camps to be arranged at different times of the year so that employers might choose the time which would lead to the least possible dislocation of work upon the farm. _ There were cases where exemptions might have to be granted, one-man farms for instance, but generally speaking, the above would enable production to be maintained. As it was, the military authorities had arranged one camp for October-

November-December, another for Janu- ' ary-February-March, and the mounted rifles camp to commence early in February. So far no indication had been given of the later camps. The position in regard to the necessity for military training might be serious, continued Mr Cameron, and he did not doubt that it was, but it could not be so desperate when men were recently given several days’ leave from Addington because the camp training ground was required for the races. It had also to be borne in mind that they hud the assurance of Cabinet Ministers that_ the maintenance of primary production was equally important, and, if that was so, then some alteration would have to be made to reconcile those two pressing needs. SHORTAGE OF FARM LABOUR. Mr T. White (Placement Officer) stated that he endorsed most of the remarks made by the previous speaker. The position in Otago Was desperate as far as_ farm labour was concerned. No experienced farm labour was now available, either married or unmarried, and, when the young farm hands who were now called up went into camp in January, he did not know where he would turn to fill the vacancies thereby created. Mr Alex. Renton (Balclutha) said that the Government could not expect to have it both ways. The farmers in the Clutha district had increased their acreage of crops at the request of the Production Councils, and in addition had responded to the appeal to grow linen flax, and now their men were being called up. In the majority of cases, farmers were refusing to appeal, as they urged that if the Government was foolish enough to force key men to go into camp, it would have to abide by the consequences, DANGER TO PRODUCTION. Mr A. C. Leary said the position was serious. The majority of farmers were refusing to appeal, partly on patriotic grounds, and production next season would undoubtedly suffer. He was not opposed to military training, but he was of opinion that camps should be held to enable these men to undergo their military training during the winter months. Mr J. W. Woodcock (fields superintendent) said he agreed about the seriousness of the position. In certain districts the position was going to he desperate when turnip-thinning and other seasonal occupations were qt their height. The farmers of Otago end Southland had responded nobly to the appeal for increased production, and it was imperative that ample labour be given them to harvest the crops and to keep up production generally. The following resolution was then carried on the motion of Messrs A. C. Cameron and James Renton:— This council is emphatically of opinion that if production is to be kept up compulsory training camps for farm labour must be held during the winter months instead of during the height of the season, when skilled labour is urgently needed. This council is not opposed to compulsory training, but it is obvious that farmers cannot increase or maintain production if their skilled labour is to be taken away from them in the height of the season. These skilled workers cannot be replaced by unskilled married workers, even if available, as farm labour takes years to train, and this cannot be done during the rush periods of the year. MANPOWER COMMITTEE. Mr R. F. Cameron said that as far ns he could see the Otago Manpower Committee was dismissing the great majority of appeals, although in many cases granting a slight postponement to the date of service. Could the chairman tell the meeting if the Manpower Committee had any practical knowledge of Otago farming conditions? Mr Leary replied that there was no one with intimate knowledge of Otago farming conditions on the Otago Manpower Committee, and this secerned to him to be a mistake. The farmers bad no representative on that body, although the manufacturers, labour unions, and City Corporation -were represented.

Members present took strong exception to the non-inclusion of a farmers’ representative in the constitution of the Jtago committee, and the following motion was carried unanimously:—

“ This council is of opinion that the Otago Manpower Committee should include a representative of the primary producers conversant with farming conditions throughout Otago.” Mr A. C. Cameron said that he had received numerous complaints from farmers whose men had been called up, hut the majority of these complaints came from men who had not appealed. He felt that the whole matter should ho investigated with a view to finding out, if possible, the guiding lines upon which the Manpower Committee was operating. If, for instance, its instructions were merely to grant postponement of military service for a month or two to enable other labour to be ob-

tained, then the Primary Production Council should take definite action. It was essential that the Manpower Committee and the Primary Production Council should have their- work coordinated, otherwise a farcical position would arise, added Mr Cameron. Experienced farm workers could not ha trained in a day. During the last war men had to be brought back from the tiring line because they were experts necessary for maintaining primary or secondary production of essentials. They did not want to see a repetition of that position. After further discussion a sub-com-mittee, of which Mr A. C. Cameron was appointed convener, was asked to prepare a full report upon the position.