Dukes and Dustmen Help Britain’s Record Harvest

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 160, 8 July 1943, Page 5

Dukes and Dustmen Help Britain’s Record Harvest

How New Zealand Servicemen Spend Leave

(Special Correspondent.) Eeceived Wednesday, 8.15 p.m. LONDON, July 6.

Mr. E. S. Hudson, Minister of Agriculture, in a speech recently mentioned five New Zealanders who were assisting Britain's harvesting at holiday camps during their leave. ActuaUy there were many more, mostly sailors and airmen, eight of whom earned high praise

wnen fruit picking in the Isle of Ely district near Cambridge.

Britain has 18,000,000 arable acres under cultivation this year compared with 12,000,000 in 1989 and if the weather is good it will be the biggest harvest in Britain’s history which Mr. Hudson estimates will bring in a hundred million tons of food.

Owing to tbe callup farm labourers are at a premium, tbe only remaining sources of fulltime labour being the Women's Land Army numbering 79,000 and Italian prisoners totalling 30,000, of whom 10,000 are engaged in making camps and huts. It is estimated that half a million volunteers of all kinds will De needed for which reason War Agricultural Committees throughout Britain have established 130 holiday camps at which volunteers can spend a working holiday. The response, states the Ministry of Agriculture, has been most gratifying. All classes from dukes to dustmen art volunteering. The rates of pay are a shilling an hour for men and tenpence an hour for women. They live under canvas and pay four shillings daily for their keep in camp. It is emphasised that it is voluntary work, but fairly good pay can be made and the Ministry states that excellent work Is being done.