LABOUR SHORTAGE
PROBLEM OF FARMERS MEN STILL ON SUSTENANCE PROTEST IN SOUTHLAND [BY TKI.ECKAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] INVEHOAJ?G ILL, Friday The payment/ of sustenance to unemployed men while farmers are faced with a shortage of labour was condemned by members ot the Southland County Council to-dav. It was decided to protest to the .Minister of Public Works, the Hon. !'. Semple. Mr. L. A. Neiderer said the council was faced with a big problem with men oil sustenance. They were now living in an era of prosperity and farmers required labour which they could not get. J laving men on sustenance for the past, few years had created a group which could hardly be employed. Ho did not refer to those who were physically unlit. He thought the Government could aiford to give the men a little extra money and put them on farm work. There were a great number of suitable jobs offering. He thought that this should be made compulsory. They were creating a class which would be undesirable, added Mr. Neiderer, and which would be difficult to tolerate in a few years. Ho considered that the attention of the Government should he drawn to the seriousness of the position, as there was plenty of work offering. Work could be provided in the laying down of roads in the block in the Hokonui district recently acquired by tho Government for settlement.
Mr. A. S. McNaught said there was plenty pf useful work offering. He hoped to see camps established in places where there was work suitable for many who were now receiving sustenance, However, so long as tho Government was satisfied to pay men for doing nothing ho could seo no uso in interfering. . Mr. T. Golden said ho was surprised, with prosperity close at hand, that there should be 1000 men on sustenance. He thought the Government had made sustenance too attractive, and the time had come to use sterner measures.
It was decided that a resolution on the lines of tho discussion should bo scut to tho Minister of Public Works.
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Bibliographic details
New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22628, 16 January 1937, Page 16
Word Count
343LABOUR SHORTAGE New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22628, 16 January 1937, Page 16
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