MEETING DEMAND FOR FARM LABOUR

Southland Times, Issue 24153, 15 June 1940, Page 9

MEETING DEMAND FOR FARM LABOUR

NEW SUBSIDY SCHEME Details of the Government’s sceheme to meet the demand for adequate farm labour and at the same time to encourage increased production of primary produce, are now available. Known as scheme No. 4F it provides wage subsidies to farmers for the engagement of inexperienced laboux - for farm work, and also a special allowance where married men are engaged but where married accommodation is not available on the farms.

The scheme, which applies to all inexperienced men aged 20 or over, engaged through the Labour Department or the Social Security Department, provides for the employment of men on any class of farm work, the subsidy payable for the first six months of an inexperienced man’s employment being £l/10/- a week, and for the second six months 15/- a week. Where the men are married and there is no suitable accommodation on the farms, a house allowance of 12/6 a week is payable, this also applying to experienced men who are separated from their families for the same reason. The cost to the farmers falls into two categories, different rates being established for dairy farms and sheep farms. On the former an employee aged 20 is to be paid £2/6/- a week, and one 21 or over will receive £2/12/6 a week, an additional cash payment of £1 a week being provided for in each case if keep is not supplied. In the case of men employed on sheep farms the. younger age group will receive £l/19/6 a week, and the older £2/5/- a week, the payment in lieu of keep being 17/6 a week in each case. These payments are, of course, separate from the Government subsidy and house allowance. The question of the transport of a worker to the farm is also provided for in the scheme. Where a selected worker has to travel not more than 30 miles from his place of residence at the time, the farmer is required to pay for or provide transport, but if the distance to be travelled exceeds 30 miles the Labour Department will provide transport to the point nearest the farm served by public transport.