Labour Corps May Be Organised In New Zealand

Northern Advocate, 29 November 1939, Page 6

Labour Corps May Be Organised In New Zealand

NAPIER, This Day.

Recruiting for military service should be subject to discrimination, preventing the enlistment of certain classes of farm workers.

A meeting of the Hawke’s Bay District Council of Primary Production which discussed problems arising from the growing shortage of farm labour, ' made this suggestion.

Members of the council were informed by the Organiser of Primary Production (Mr R. P. Connell) that if any evidence was produced that farm production was being curtailed through lack of labour, steps would be taken to meet the situation. The Government, he said, had considered the organisation of a labour corps—a mobile body whose services would be made available within a day or two of demand from any district. ’ vi The council unanimously passed the following resolution: Recommendation. “This committee x'ecommends the National Council of Primary Production to make the most urgent representations to the Government, pointing out the necessity fdb ,a comprehensive scheme for the selection of recruits for the armed forces. “Unless this is done, and done immediately. it is inevitable that the manpower necessary even to maintain primary production at the present level cannot be provided, and farming will thus be greatly curtailed and management embarrassed.

“We consider widespread attention should be paid to shepherds, tractor and team-drivers and shearers. as well as experienced general farm hand?.”