SHORTAGE OF LABOUR.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 94, 21 March 1939, Page 7

SHORTAGE OF LABOUR.

GERAIAN PLIGHT.

BERLIN, March 10,

A grave shortage of agricultural labour throughout Germany is revealed by Dr Gustav Behrens, head of the Food Board, in an article in the Volkiseher Beobachtcr.

Boys and girls begin work very young, lie says. Out of 4,600,000 women farm workers, 500,000 are more than 60 years of age, yet they, like the males, begin work at 5 a.m., and continue until late in the evening. “In one agricultural school in Saxony,” he adds, “out of 66 students, only seven are healthy, and four of them are townsmen. The others are suffering from curvature of the spine, flat feet, or other effects of overwork. “Agriculture needs SOO.OOO additional workers. Alany 100-aere farms are being worked by the farmer and his wife, without assistance.”

Tlie authorities are investigating a plan for the use of labour-saving machinery by groups of peasants, who will use the machinery in turns. They are also seeking means of preventing the drift of labour to the cities, where, however, there is also a labour shortage.

An official report just issued reveals that industrial production in the Berlin area would be reduced in 1938. This was attributed to the labour shortage.