IMPORTANT ASPECTS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 153, 14 June 1932, Page 11

IMPORTANT ASPECTS

UTILISATION OF MAN-POWER OPPORTUNITY FOR PRODUCERS The planning of farm work for the coming few months, and its bearing on the success or otherwise of the Government’s small-farm scheme for the relief of unemployment, is discussed by Mr R. P. Connell, of the Fields Division, in the May issue of the Journal of Agriculture. Mr Connel'l suggests that while New Zealand farmers have reached a relatively high standard of efficiency in the utilisation of material resources, the available man-power of the country is not being exploited to anything like an equal degree of effectiveness. Consideration is given to three vital aspects of the farming position. In the first place, Mr Connell says, primarily because of the general low feve] of prices of farm produce, tfiere is greater need than has been foie for many years for increased production, provided it is secured on a sound economic basis. Secondly, because of recent widespread adverse conditions, there is a possibility of decreased rather than increased production unless the measures adopted in the near future are more thorough than those it has been customary to adopt in the past. Thirdly, while the New Zealand farming community has attained a relatively high standard of efficiency in the use of material resources, such as machinery, manures and seeds, it is extremely doubtful

whether our available human resources are being exploited with equal efficiency—a mutter of paramount national mijxirtance in view of current unemployment probfems. There is consider- | able evidence that many farmers have 1 exercised parsimony rather than economy in regard to labour utilisation I Two very important classes to which • this seems to apply are producers of butter-fat and of fat Lambs. ECONOMIC JUSTIFICATION. It is known, lie continues, that while certain dairy-farmers realise they could steadily increase their production to a fairly substantial extent, they purposely refrain from attempting to do so, principally because any attempt would involve the employment of anothei farm hand. In view of the present position of the labour market such farmers should ask themselves seriously and carefully whether their attitude can bo justified economically. There is much evidence that without any considerable direct expenditure on material, and as the result merely of the better attention that more labour would make possible, the production of many herds could in the course of one season be materially increased. Often better feeding by means of the growing of suitable arable crops, by means of ensilage, or by means of cognate measures, would directly make possible a 25 per cent increase in production Often the labour cost is practically the total cost of such measures —a cost which would be recovered in the value of the additional produce. Dairy farmers as a class need to ask themselves frankly whether they are utilising effectively the fruits of expenditure on such matters as suitable top-dressing and good herds, when they tolerate on their farms the winter hardships to stock of all types, the unsatisfactory summer feeding of dairy cows and the all-year-round poor util!isation of by-products, which extra labour would enable them almost wholly to avoid. POSITION OF SHEEPFARMERS. In the sphere of fat-lamb production iustanccs could be cited in which certain farmers are carrying two or three, ewes for every one carried on a unit of similar land by many of their neigh hours. When the methods employed ou the farms of high carrying capacity are examined and compared with those used on the farms of low carrying capacity, it is often to be found that the differences in labour utilisation, and that the farms employing relatively the greater amount of labour return the greater profits. When the employment of additional labour is suggested to farmers they often give a reply, based on a considerable amount of truth, that domestic more than financial considerations deter them from employing as much labour as they would expect to bo profitable. On many farms the question of feeding and accommodating permanent or even casual workers is felt to be a real difficulty. This difficulty, probably the greatest real one operating against the freer use of labour on farms which arc devoted to butter-fat ut fat lamb production, promises to be eliminated in the near future. But it will be eliminated. Mr Connell suggests, only if the farmers concerned give to the recentlyannounced small-farm plan that mca sure of effective supjiort which it deserves. If thoughtful farmers visualise correctly the adequate operation of the small-farm scheme in their own district they will picture the permanent and convenient location of a supply of labour skilled in the farm operations of the neighbourhood, a supply of labour ■which will obviate the waste of time and money involved in flic present haphazard system of drawing on relatively distant sources of labour of an unknown standard of skill.

MUTUALLY ADVANTAGEOUS PROPOSAL. It may reasonably be expected that the small-farm plan, if properly exploited, will result in the provision not only of convenient skilled labour, but also of economic labour, in that a system of mutually advantageous barter of labour, goods and service will be found workable. For instance, labour charges might be met at times by the supplying o’, say, a weaner pig or of breeding services when such au arrangement would be satisfactory to both parties A confidence is expressed that if the farming community considers the small-farm plan in its true perspective it will be recognised not merely as a promising moans of dealing with unemployment problems, but as a fundamentally sound means of remedying a long-felt weakness in the farm labour position. Important measures which will nepd attention in the near future and which, on many farms, would not only lead

to increases in the amount of labour utilised, but also to quick aud profitable returns, include top-dressing, drainage work, tho formation of ensilage pits and trenches and propara tory cultivation for special cropping in excess of the amount previously carried out as an avenue to improved feeding and possibly increased carrying capacity.