FARM LABOUR PROBLEM
DRIFT TO CITIES “ If we were to import Zulus from darkest Africa, coolies from China, or Indians from India to work on New Zealand farms that would not solve the problem for one minute," said Mr D. Renton, of Clevedon, at a meeting of the Franklin sub-pro-vincial conference of the Farmers’ Union, when a remit from the Onewhero branch dealing with the farm labour question was moved. “ If they had the slightest measure of intelligence you would find them in the cities seeking employment there as soon as they realised that the week’s work there was 40 hours —with every Saturday and Sunday free—and wages were 2s an hour,” he added. “ They would not stop in the country milking cows.” The remit was as follows: “The proposed method of trying to solve the farm labour shortage in New Zealand by taking labour offering in Australia is risky and unsound, and any scheme of this sort only tends to cloud the real position,” One speaker said that in countenancing such a proposal the Government was offering an insult to the intelligence of the Australians. If conditions and wages on the land in New Zealand did not attract New, Zealanders to properly man the farms, could it be expected that they would anpeal to Australians? The remit was carried.
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Bibliographic details
Otago Daily Times, Issue 23517, 3 June 1938, Page 26
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220FARM LABOUR PROBLEM Otago Daily Times, Issue 23517, 3 June 1938, Page 26
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