MILKING SHED LABOUR

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 4 September 1935, Page 9

MILKING SHED LABOUR

WOMEN AND CHILDREN INVESTIGATION OF PROBLEM REPLY BY COMMISSIONER DARGAVILLE, Sept. 3. When the question of the employment of women and children in milking sheds was discussed at a sxiccial meeting of shareholders of the Northern Wairoa Dairy Company, held during the winter, a motion by Mr A. A. McLauchlan that an inquiry should be made by the Executive Commission of Agriculture was carried and forwarded to the commission. The commission replied that it would like further information.

This was forwarded by the mover of the motion, who gave an instance which had come under his notice, and, referring to the subject matter of the resolution, Mr McLauchlan said:— “The practice of parents requiring their children to assist in the cowshed is so common that little notice is taken, but the matter goes further than that, as it is fairly common to find children of school age employed by neighbouring farmers. We had one such case in this district during the past season, a boy in the fourth standard being employed to assist with, the milking of a herd of about 50 cows. In the previous season two boys were employed assisting with a herd of about'7o cows, say, five hours’ work a day, in addition to attending school.” COMPETITIVE CONDITIONS Mr McLauchlan also suggested the following xioints should be . considered in dealing with the matter:—“Probably a large majority of farmers object to the employment of child labour, but under competitive conditions the price of land is forced up by the man who buys, with the intention of using child labour, and who thus forces others to do likewise. Our butter is sold in what is largely a trade union market, and while we are in a liosition to influence sales by refer'enoe in our advertising to several features in connection with our induction, it would, in my opinion, further strengthen our position if we could refer to fair labour conditions* It would be reasonable to suppose that if the employment of children were prohibited a large number of those now unemployed would be absorbed in the primary industries.”

UNFAVOURABLE RECEPTION

The commission replied and said it had communicated with the Women’s Division of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, which had investigated tho question. For two years the division made a concerted effort to obtain information by a personal canvass of the dairying districts, but met with an unfavourable reception from women who were assisting in the milking sheds. They resented any attempt to interfere with them, and protested that their milking was only a temporary expedient, because no men were available. In the case of children, the position is different, for they have not the same freedom of choice as women. The commission had no power under the existing law to prohibit the employment of children, but it had forwarded a copy of Mr McLauchlan’s letter to the Minister of Education, with a suggestion that the school medical officers should investigate the matter, in order that pressure might be brought to bear on parents whose children were being unfairly treated.