SEASONAL WORK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22901, 2 December 1937, Page 17

SEASONAL WORK

highways and fabms POSITION IN SUMMER TIME division of available men ' • t I, J [BV TKI.KCBAPH —OWN COR HESPOND ENT] .pALMERSTON NORTH. Wednesday "This.is the lirst time I have heard 0 f good me;i leaving public works to go farming,"' declared Mr. W. Morrison. a member of the Main Highways Board, when the question of labour was being discussed at a meeting of the board in Palnierston North to-day with a delegation from the Automobile Association (Manawatu). Mr. N H. Maekie, for the association, suggested that just as there was seasonal work on farms, so there was seasonal work "on the highways. Conditions prevailing on some roads were that wprk eoukl bo done at half the cost in the summer time compared with the winter. Ho referred to the ' re-formation of roads in heavy clay country in particular. It was important, he said, that if the motorist was going to be asked to pay for this work ,jt was only fair that they should point out that savings could be made bv doing the work in the summer time. At this time of year men were leaving toad works to go shearing and harvesting. The way out would be to get more Work done on the contract system. The deputy-chairman of the board. Mr. A. J. Baker, stated that if they, could consider the interests of the job rhat Mr. Maekie had said was quite correct, but the policy of the Governnieift was to .keep m<?n in employment, and it was also the policy of the Government that men should be made available for farm -work. No Government would stand up to criticism if it kept men on public works and prevented them from going to farms. Having that in view, the Public Works Department found it necessary to have a full complement of men working in the winter time. There was no avoiding that, and the best 'hat could be done was to avoid working in the winter time in locations where the work would be inefficiently done. Areas were selected as ,far as possible for winter work.

Mr.. Morrison said the genera! rule was for farmers, to complain of men leaving farms for public works, and as far as he was concerned personally he vould go where there were better wages. The 1 ' farmers were being left with inferior men v It was just as important to keep down farmers' costs and, perhaps', more important than the costs of public works.