Last-Minute Rush For Beys For Farm Work

Northern Advocate, 18 December 1942, Page 4

Last-Minute Rush For Beys For Farm Work

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Referring today to the placing of schoolboys on farms during school and college holidays, the Minister for Industrial Manpower (Mr. McLagan) said that boys had come forward magnificently and, thanks to the strenuous efforts of teachers, officers of the National Service Department, and a number of Primary Production Councils, they were going out to farms where their assistance was required. There had been a last-minute rush for boys to work on forms, the Minister added, and this was unfair to all concerned and could have been avoided if openings had been notified earlier as requested. Mr. McLagan said he would like to emphasise again that the scheme of sending boys to farms was to provide labour for work that boys could do. He realised that there was farm iwork the boys could not do, but it would be absurd to release men from military duties for work that could be done by boys. There was no reason for any farmer to fear that the Government would not make good its promise to make available sufficient labour for the wheat harvest. Mr. McLagan added that he appreciated very much what the farmers and primary production councils were doing but the reminded he had given earlier about boys being available had been needed.