AUSTRALIAN DRIVE TO PRODUCE FOOD

Southland Times, Issue 24754, 27 May 1942, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN DRIVE TO PRODUCE FOOD

(Special Australian Correspondent, N.Z.P.A.) SYDNEY, May 26.

“The war can easily be lost on the food front,” says the Director-General of Man-Power in Australia, Mr W. C. Wurth, emphasizing the need for primary production to be maintained at the maximum. A drive to ensure a plentiful supply of essential foodstuffs in Australia is being made. It is planned to make extensive use of woman labour on the land. A New South Wales women’s land army has been formed. It is expected soon to have this organized on a Commonwealth scale. The question of woman labour in association with man-power problems, especially in primary industry, will be a prominent feature of Australia’s war economy during the next few months when millions of sheep pass through the shearing sheds. Shearing labour has been rationalized under the zoning system, which requires that work in various districts, should be done at specified times. Graziers have been asked to state their minimum labour requirements. Arrangements are being made through the Director-General of Man-Power to make available the labour required. Men may be temporarily withdrawn from other industries. An army register of workers will also be compiled for the man-power authorities. The men named are expected to be granted at least seasonal exemption from army service. Sixteen thousand men are estimated to be required to maintain the pastoral industry in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania and the sugar industry in Queensland and New South Wales will absorb a further 14,000 men.

Graziers have been advised that in assessing their requirements for shearing labour they should arrange whereever possible to employ women instead of men as shed hands and cooks. The fact that women in New Zealand do such shed work as piece picking and wool rolling has been emphasized. It is estimated that the rural industry in New South Wales alone requires more than 3000 women workers.