EFFICIENT WORKERS WANTED

Southland Times, Issue 24158, 21 June 1940, Page 8

EFFICIENT WORKERS WANTED

LABOUR FOR FARMERS (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, June 20. Declaring that primary production was the most important phase of New Zealand’s war effort Mr W. S. Goosman (Nat, Waikato) appealed in the House of Representatives today to the Minister of Labour (the Hon. P. C. Webb) to supply efficient workers to the farmers. Much of the wastage in herds was the result of inefficient labour employed on the farms, he claimed. A Government member: That is a new one. Mr Goosman: To anybody with experience it is as old as the hills. He went on to say that it was at the sacrifice of efficiency that some farmers were able to keep men employed at all. The majority of the labour sent to the farmers by the placement officers was inexperienced. “Labour is plentiful in number, but the quality is not there,” he added. The farmers were anxious to do their part and if they could get the assistance they required there would be no doubt about the results. He suggested that the Government should guarantee efficient labour to the farmers and thus remove the terror they felt at being left in the lurch when they had large dairy herds and other stock. ■ Mr Webb: My department has 1000 experienced farmers waiting for jobs. Mr Goosman said that work should be found by the Government in farming districts for men who could be placed on farms when they were needed. Mr Webb: Will you name the farmers who want labour? Mr Goosman said that the farmers did not want men of the type offering.