Farm Labour Problem

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 41, 18 February 1938, Page 7

Farm Labour Problem

NEED FOR SUITABLE ACCOMMODATION STRESSED Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Last Night. The farm labour problem was discussed at the Dominion conference of the New Zealand Dairy Board in Wellington to-day, when particular attention was directed to the necessity for attracting married men on to farms. The following remit from the South Auckland Dairy Association was carried: “That this meeting is of the opinion that the ultimate solution of the farm labour question is that suit able accommodation should be provided to permit the employment of married men, and that the Government be requested to make money available to farmers at low rates of interest and easy terms of repayment for this purpose, such advances to be a charge against the land on which the houses are erected."

“The whole difficulty is in providing accommodation for married people," said Mr. S. A. Ferguson (northern ward) in moving the adoption of the remit. If provision were made by the Government along the lines of the remit, farmers woqld be in a position to offer suitable accommodation and attract first-class farm labour, he said. Single men all had the ambition that some day they would get married, but when they were working on farms, they saw no prospect of getting a house. The provision of accommodation would be aD incentive for the best young men to stay on the farms. There should bo no difficulty with finance; the Government could advance the money and repayment could be spread over a long period. This was one of the best solutions they knew of the farm labour problem. GUARANTEED PRICE FIXATION INDUSTRY SUGGESTS METHOD WELLINGTON, Feb. 17. ( A special committee set up by the Dairy Beard to consider the method of fixing the guaranteed price submitted its report this afternoon. It recommends a tribunal consisting of equal numbers of assessors appointed by the board and the Government and presided over by a Supreme Court judge, !the order of reference to provide for payment on a basis that will enable the [producer to pay competitive rates of 'wages and allow him reasonable interest on capital invested in farm and stock and allow the farmer remuneration commensurate with the service he renders to the community and with that obtained by other sections of the community rendering equal service. It is recommended that the preparation and presentation of the industry’s case before the tribunal committee or i assessors be met out of a levy. DAIRY INDUSTRY ACCOUNT LAST YEAR'S DEFICIT MAY BE AMENDED WELLINGTON, Feb. 17. Following addresses given by Mr. A. H. Ward, technical officer of the herdtesting department, and Mr. J. D. Dunlop, a member of the Dairy Board, the Dairy Conference passed a remit recommending the board to give consideration to the establishment of herd testing as a national service, and to report to the next conference. It was also decided that the board

should give every encouragement, financial and otherwise, to the efforts for the collection of herd statistics in relation to animal diseases.

The possibility oi a deficit of £338,750 in tho dairy industry account, announced by Hon. W. Nash yesterday, being amended was mentioned in a letter from Mr. G. W. Duncan, director of the Dairy Produce Export Division. He said: “There are still a number of returns particularly of eheqse sales, to come in. The final returns will be received during the next few weeks." MR. MURDOCH’S RESIGNATION AS CHAIRMAN WELLINGTON, Last Night. The chairman of the New Zealand Dairy Board, Mr. A. J. Murdoch, before his recent selection as the National Party candidate to contest the Marsden seat at the general election, announced that, in that event, he would resign his position as chairman of the board. At the conclusion of the Dominion conference of tho board to-day, Mr. C. P. Agar (southern ward) expressed the appreciation of the delegates of Mr. Murdoch's work, and regret that he would not be continuing as chairman. Mr. Murdoch said he had made that decision for a good reason. Ho felt there was a big task ahead, and that all the efforts which he was able to give should be given in their entirety. The board appreciated very much the manner in which the delegates had tackled the problems they had before them. Unity in the industry was the aim, and by that method they could certainly achieve their ends in time. The knowledge he had gleaned since he had been on the board had been of inestimable value to him.