FARM LABOUR SUBSIDY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23507, 18 November 1939, Page 10

FARM LABOUR SUBSIDY

A more practical yiew of the farm labour problem has been taken by the Minister of Labour, Mr. Webb, in his latest statement on the subject. The Minister has freely admitted that a shortage does exist and he is prepared to take steps to improve matters by offering a subsidy of £l a week on the wages of inexperienced farm workers, to be paid in each case for a period of six months. There is still a tendency on Mr. Webb's part to minimise the seriousness of the position, arising in the main from his acceptance of Placement Office statistics as a completely reliable guide to the state of the farm labour market. It is doubtful if any statistical evidence can be produced that can successfully determine such a variable factor. Of far greater importance is the Minister's recognition that "vacancies for experienced men in the North Island centres" exist in considerable numbers. Even on the incomplete official figures available, it is apparent that there is a very real dearth of workers skilled in farming tasks, and Mr. Webb's laudable aim is to assist farmers in employing inexperienced men while they obtain practically a full Season's training. A scheme of this nature, if sensibly administered, has undoubted possibilities, but another responsibility that the Government should accept is that of ensuring that sufficient men are available to fill all the positions offering. The farmers, too, have a duty to make known their labour needs as soon as possible and to give every assistance in the training of the men whom they engage.