HOP-PICKING CONDITIONS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 9 April 1945, Page 6

HOP-PICKING CONDITIONS

[To the Editor] Sir, —I wish to confirm the opinions expressed in A. Radford’s letter re hoppicking conditions and treatment received by pickers. After two yeax*s’ expei'ience in this work, I have good l'eason to admii'e the methods of working the pickers and conditions in general as created by the growers ai;d their families. If the weather was hot we wei'e placed in the shade and strings carried to our bins, often quite a distance. And here I wish to express the thanks of all pickers in our garden to the string cutters. They were fine ltien. I am certain that pickers who grumbled were responsible for most of their own dissatisfaction. As one who visited and worked with pickers from other gardens, I am convinced that the growers of hops and other crops in the Moutere district are outstanding in liberality, fairness and good treatment of all pickers. I wish specially to thank the gi'ower, his family and the helpers ill the garden where I worked. —I am, etc , A. HATCH. Brooklyn, Wellington, 6th April.