“MEN MUST TAKE WORK ON FARMS”

Northern Advocate, 30 November 1936, Page 3

“MEN MUST TAKE WORK ON FARMS”

MR SEMPLE’S SUSTENANCE STOPPAGE THREAT

[Per Press Association. — Copyright .] BLENHEIM. This Day. “The same principle is to apply everywhere. If farm labour is available and men in the towns and cities capable of doing the work refuse to go, then sustenance will be stopped.

The Government is determined to discourage, men of loafing around the cities and towns when there is work to do. If the farmers of this district, or any other, will let the nearest placement officer know how many men they want, where they have to go, and, if the conditions and wages are decent, the Government will undertake to see the men go, or they will lose their sustenace. That is no empty threat. It will be done.”

In these terms the Minister of Public Works, the Hon, R. Semple, discussed the farm labour problem on his arrival by ’plane from Wellington on Saturday morning preparatory to a tour of inspection of the South Island Main Trunk line. x

Questioned concerning the suggestion that Public Works employment was interfering with farm labour, the Minister stated that he had frequently warned men not to leave any class of employment, particularly farm work, now that the active season was approaching, to go to public works.

If it was found that there was a rush from any class of work to public works, men would run the risk of being dismissed. If the warning were ignored and men made false representations to get on to public works they would have to put up with the consequences.