HARVESTING OPERATIONS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 24 November 1943, Page 5

HARVESTING OPERATIONS

USE OF TERRITORIALS Wellington, This Day. The disposition of men a/ailable for harvesting operations is now being discussed by the Primary Production Councils and the Army, in conjunction with the National Service Department. Farmers who will be helped with seasonal work by Territorial Force soldiers being mobilised under the farm labour scheme will be required to pay to the Government a flat rate of 2s 6d an hour or part of an hour over 20 minutes, for every soldier employed on their farms. In cases where Army transport is provided the rates to be paid by the farmer have been fixed at 3s 6d an hour for vehicles up to and including three tons carrying capacity, and 5s an hour for vehicles over three tons. The vehicle rates will be charged to the nearest quarter-hour. In addition to l the general scheme under which the soldiers will be accommodated at military camps and transported daily to and from their work, a plan is being developed to help farmers fairly remote from the central Army camps and needing so few men that their daily transport would not be justified. Under this scheme the soldiers will be billeted by the farmers, who will be credited with an allowance of Is a meal and Is for each night’s lodging. Meals for which an allowance will be made are breakfast, dinner and tea, but not morning and afternoon tea. The same allowances will be made for any rations or quarters provided under the main scheme.

Transport for which Army vehicles may be engaged include carting hay in the field and, where private cartage contractors are unable to meet the demand, cartage to or from rail, ship, or store.

Under the Army arrangements for pay, a bonus of 6d an hour is to be paid for each hour up to eight which is worked by a soldier between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., and one of 2s 6d an hour for work in ex-css*; of eight hours or before 7 a.m. and after 5 p.m. Work done in excess of eight hours or before 7 a.m. and after 5 p.m. is to be voluntary. All payments by the farmers are to be made to the Department of Agriculture or department concerned for the work done. They are not paid directly by the farmers to the soldiers. The men will receive their bonus payments by warrant after demobilisation.