FARMERS' PLIGHT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23996, 20 June 1941, Page 6

FARMERS' PLIGHT

MAIZE NOT HARVESTED

A DEARTH OF LABOUR

DISTRESS APPEAL ISSUED (0.C.) WJIAKATANE, Thursday .Many farmers of the Whnkatane district are in danger of losing their entire crop of maize owing to labour shortage, and an appeal has been made to. residents of Whakatane to offer their .services so that the crops may be saved while the line weather lasts.

j The position of farmers is desperate according to the district organiser of ; the Production Council, who states that ! following the Government's appeal for greater production many farmers put down the full quota, 2600 acres ol maize being grown. Seasonal labour, however, has not been available, and, while normally the entire crop would now he harvested, 1200 acres remain untouched with the winter coming on. To complete the 1200 acres in a month 200 full-time workers would he needed, but it; is hoped that week-end work will relieve the situation. The indications are that many residents will respond to the appeal, 'the Home Guard has already spent two mornings on the job and cut out 10 acres. SHORTAGE IN INDUSTRY ESSENTIA \j W'OllK HAMPERED (0.C.) WELEIXCTON, Thursday Reference to the serious problem created by a shortage of labour was made in the annual report of the Wellington Employers' Association. Jhe shortage, it was stated, was restricting the progress of essential work in New Zealand. With the uncertainty of future prospects, the difficulties were to some extent retarding industry, and a further retarding was created by State regulation and regimentation. "The demand for local goods as n result of import restrictions is larger to-day than ever before in New Zealand," stated the report, "and this demand has been further enlarged owing to the Government s requirements for men and equipment for war and defence purposes. Thus there has been withdrawn from industry in Now Zealand 100,000 workers, and this must create a demand for labour sufficient to absorb any unemployment that might have existed in peace times, it has also created a very serious shortage in tho labour markets."