Subsidy Han To Encourage Training Of Farm Labour

Northern Advocate, 23 March 1937, Page 6

Subsidy Han To Encourage Training Of Farm Labour

CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. ; - SUBSIDY plan intended to encourage the training of farm la- ; - hour has been ’decided on by the Government, and employment certifying officers have already been circularised about the details. ' Assistance will be made available to farmers all over the Dominion to- obtain farm labour, a wages subsidy being paid in return for the assistance V and co-operation of.farmers in training unemployed young men in the first essentials of farm work. The subsidy will range from 10/- to 15/- a week. The Minister of Labour, the Hon. H. T. Armstrong, stated today that the subsidy would be limited to a period of eight weeks, and would be payable only in respect of the second to ninth weeks (inclusive) of continuous employment at -the following rates:— > Weekly cash subsidy to wage: 18 and under 19, 27/6, farmer, 10/-; 19 and under 20 years, 32/6, farmer, 12/6; 20 and under 21 years, 37/6, farmer. 13/-.

Farmer Must Agree To—

Mr Armstrong hopes that the scheme will be an inducement to farmers to take on suitable young men and also an inducement to young men of the Dominion to learn agricultural pursuits.

The Minister explained that application by farmers for the services of youths should be made to the nearest employment bureau. The subsidy payable was conditional on the farmer agreeing to the following. (1) He must notify the Labour Department after one week’s trial at his own expense whether he is prepared to retain the youth’s services at a weekly wage as laid down in the Agricultural Workers’ Act, 1936. (2) -He must accept the statutory liability for accident. (3) He must provide free board and lodging or an allowance in lieu thereof at the rate of 17/6 a week. (4) He must teach the youth to milk and to do othe'r branches of farm work. . ® (5) He ■ must retain the for not less than four calendar months. Other Conditions, Mr Armstrong said that the conditions of the offer set out that the dismissal of a youth taken on before the end of four months or failure to teach him his duty would entail a refund or, the loss of all subsidies paid or due. At the end of the period of training, the farmer would be expected to furnish the youth with a certificate indicating his length of service, the nature of the work he had performed,and the standard of efficiency he had attained. No subsidy would be payable to any farmer who dispensed with his regular employees to obtain the benefits of assistance under* the plan. ,i