UNPAID FARM WORKERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22391, 11 April 1936, Page 13

UNPAID FARM WORKERS

WOMEN IN MILKING SHEDS UNION PRESIDENT'S PROTEST [from our own correspondent] HAMILTON, Friday In supporting the Women's Division in their efforts to make it unnecessary for farmers to use the unpaid labour of women and children in their milking sheds, Mr. S. N, Ziman, president of the Waikato executive of the Farmers' Union, stated at the annual conference that everyone would agree that it was disgraceful that women and children should be forced to go into the milking sheds. There was nothing to bo said about the woman who preferred milking to housework, said Mr. Zinian, but where economic conditions made it necessary for women to assist with the milking, the position was a disgrace to a civilised community. The Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. W. Lee Martin, had expressed himself in sympathy with the union's efforts. Mrs. Mcintosh pleaded for sharemilkers' wives, who were in the same position, and a resolution on the lines of Mr. Ziman's remarks was carried. A remit urging the reduction of hours of work on farms was received from Cambridge. Mr. R. H. Feisst said farm employees worked for 70 hours a week at 7d an hour. Other workers were employed for 45 hours a week at Is 8d an hour. This fact was responsible for the shortage of labour on farms. The conference agreed with the views expressed by the speaker.