SCARCITY OF LABOR.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11839, 20 April 1909, Page 5

SCARCITY OF LABOR.

COMPLAINTS BY FARMERS

(Special to Herald.) ! CHRISTCHURCH, this day. The Methven correspondent of thcPress writes that a great scarcity of labor exists iri the Methven and surrounding districts. A well known tlueshing machine proprietor pulled his machine into his yard a .few days ago, as the grain iii stack then whs not sufficiently matured, but owing to the demand for the machine now. this'ownercame into Methven to get men to go out with, the machine, but failed to get even one man. Neither could be procure aiiy in the district. Another machine owner, owing- to two' of hia men taking ill, wished to get others to take their places, but was, also unsuccessful. As the price of wheat lias gone up materially during the last few days} and very litljle' wheat threshing has been done in this district yet, farmers are anxious to get their threshing done -as 1 soon aa. possible. It may be mentioned that tils' wages' being paid for this class of work are higher than they have been ■for a numbr of years past. Ifth? men in the large centres of the Dominion who are now idle' could be "induced to cortie into the country districts they would find plenty of work at .a veiy satisfactory remuneration, and the 'unemployed problem would be 'solved.. It is very unpleasant for furmersYand others -iri the. country districts, who ar^ •crying out for -men and ••cannot get them, to. learn that one or two hundred are 1 unemployed in, Christehurch, Wet lirvyton, or some . of the other large cities of the Dominion. This .'difficulty 'in getting nien to leave the towns is beY coming very acute. ,' •