LABOUR FOR N.Z. FARMS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19825, 30 December 1938, Page 13

LABOUR FOR N.Z. FARMS

LIVING CONDITIONS NEED FOR IMPROVEMENT POSSIBLE STATE -AH) (■Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day. “There is a greater supply of labour arranged for farmers to draw upon than lias tbeen the case for many years,” stated the Minister of Labour, the Hon. P. C. Webb, last night. “Unfortunately some farmers in need of laibour are seriously handicapped through lack of suitable accommodation for men. “It is the Government’s intention, in the near future, to snake money available to farmers at a low rate of interest to build accommodation for employees.” According to the latest advice received from the division of the department at Hamilton, Mr. Webb said, there was sufficient labour ivailable to meet the demands c farmers for harvesting work. Upon the subject of conditions at some farms, Mr. Webb said that when young men were sent on to farms where the accommodation was poor and the social surroundings such as to place them virtually in isolation without contact even with the farmer’s family, discontent rapidly developed and the men soon left their jobs. His officers informed him that where the accommodation was good and the farm workers could enjoy a reasonable degree of social life, little difficulty was experienced in providing labour. “Until such time as the accommodation on farms can be brought up to ia reasonable standard of comfort,” Mr. Webb concluded, “it will be difficult to induce young men to remain at farm (work.” If the farmers would co-operate more with the local placement officers and give them an idea of the number and class of men they required, the officers would immediately get to work in the endeavour to meet their requirements.