SHORTAGE OF LABOUR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22059, 15 March 1935, Page 11

SHORTAGE OF LABOUR

RURAL DRAINAGE SCHEMES CONDITIONS IN WAIKATO [from our own* correspondent] HAMILTON, Thursday "The Public Works Department is having the greatest difficulty in keeping the camps on the Taupiri drainage scheme fully manned," said Mr. L. R. W. Reid, chairman of the Taupiri Drainage Board, at a meeting of the board to-day. Mr. J. M. Noble said a strange state of affairs seemed to exist as far as the labour question was concerned. Men were able to make £3 a week on drainage work, in addition to accommodation, yet insufficient labour was available. He asked, what had happened to all the Dalmatians who before the slump proved to be expert drainage workers. The chairman said several drainage works on private farms were held up on account of lack of labour. Men who had undertaken such work had made up to £1 a day. Mr. F. Herbert said three men made £9O in one month on a drainage contract. Experienced drainage men were hard to get. The opinion was expressed by the chairman that as there were better conditions in the town for men on relief, work in the country no longer proved attractive to them.