Farm Labour Corps Suggested

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 264, 6 November 1941, Page 7

Farm Labour Corps Suggested

ELDERLY AND UNFIT MEN ARMY PAY AND UNIFORM Suggestions to overcomo tlie acute shortage of farm labour by making more use of women and by the formation of a labour corps, consisting of men unfit for military service or between the ages of 46 and 61), were made at a meeting of tne Auckland district council of the National Council of Primary Production. A resolution passed by the council stated that the men of the labour corps should bo provided with a uniform and should be subject to Army rates of pay and discipline. They should be placed in camps or billets in suitable districts with a senior non-commissioned officer or officer in charge. The men would be available for all farm work, including milking. Transport w’ouid be provided from the impressed vehicle pool. They would be granted leave under the ordinary Army regulations. The farmer would pay award wages for their services, the men receiving Army rates. Any difference would go to tho department in charge. The placement officer, Mr. J. R. Elsbury stated that in response to a ten-minute broadcast appeal for workers in the cheese industry only one man had been obtained.

It was estimated by one member that almost 140,600 men could be drawn upon for a labour corps between the ages of 46 and 60, not including men unfit for military service. The chairman, Mr. R. C. Clark, agreed that the people were not being given a lead. More Bhould be done to draw the attention of men and women, particularly of the leisured class, to the opportunity and need for offering their services for the national benefit. Something might come of a meeting of the women's movement to be held in Wellington to-morrow. A resolution was passed informing the national council that the Auckland district council believed more could be done by definite appeals to women and people of leisure that there was a need for their services. MAN AW AT U VIEWS The farm labour problem was discussed at a meeting of the Manawatu executive of the Farmers' Union in Palmerston North yesterday, following a talk by Mr. S. G. Smith, liaison officer of the employment division of the National Service Department. Mr. C. Webb (Levin) thought that the time might come when laoour for farms would have to be regimented. Possibly farms would have to be clumped together for tne purpose. Mr. S. C. Saint (Ohau) said ne knew of farm labourers digging gardens at an air force station. Labour, unemployed and employed, would have to be organised on a proper basis. Why should a farm labourer be employed polishing door handles? Why couldn't they be painted and the man sent back to the farm? asked Mr. Saint. Mr. W. Aldridge (Levin) said he knew of a farm la Dourer who was mending boots in a camp. Mr. J. Dawson (Ponangina) mentioned tne schooling problem as one of the biggest deterrents in getting married men into the country districts. In his particular district two schools had been closed and not even consolidated. Mr. J. E. Hodgson (Whakarongo) said the petrol restrictions also acteu as a deterrent. He knew of a farmer who had been refused petrol in order to take nis children to scnooi. At the same time norso floats could get hundreds of gallons. Mr. J. D. Aitchison (Opiki) said farmers were not in a position to pay attractive wages and no man would go on to a farm lor less than he could get under city lights, unless he was “horribly" in love with farming. Mr. W. H. Potts (Paraparaumu) drew attention to the housing difficulties on the farms. Mr. V. J. Cottle (Te Horo) thought that if the Government cut out {Social ►Security and put the men on their own mettle, the latter would soon be out on the farms. Mr. L. Wilton (Tokomaru) thought that farmers should be allowed to deduct, when making their tax returns, an amount as wages for his wife. Ho was privileged to do it for any man employed so why not when the wife ! went into the milking shed? He thought many more women would help milk if such, a deduction was allowed. The Housing Problem Wrapped up witn the labour problem is that of accommodation on the farms and in answor to an urgent request from headquarters tne Manawatu evecutive has su omitted the following opinions:—(l) In the Manawatu there is a distinct inquiry for an improved type of house. Those provided at. present were little better than the building regulations provided for but still there were complaints of insufficient exit in the event of fire, with studs too low and windows too high and small. There seemed to be little conflict between the rural housing scheme and the hutment scheme. On most dairy farms it would not be an economic proposition to put up proper dwellings under the Rural Housing Act and accordingly advantage was taken of the alternative scheme. It was safe to say that from 25 to 30 huts could be hired out in the next six months in the Manawatu. Over a period probably up to 75 additional huts con be placed in the district. The reply also pointed out that although the hutment scheme had : done a lot of good, there was a definite : tendency to reduce dairy herds to one- 1 man units. Many farmers who had reduced their herds would not now be , bothered increasing them if labour con- 1 ditions improved. The number of J wives who had to assist in the sheds 1 was surprising and it was not good 1 enough. The solution lay in the crea- • tion of labour pools in selected areas by 1 the promotion of village settlements. Many farmers did not now want wholetime labour and if these reserves were established under proper supervision of the Union, the difficulties of the farmers would be largely met and they would be prepared to pay public works rates for such labour. It would be a worth while experiment for the Government to erect in a selected area say three or four state houses with suitable areas attached to each for the occupied to employ any spare time or extra time he cared to work. The labour of thoso men should be controlled and parcelled out by a responsible farm labour committee of the Union in the district.