WOMEN HERD TESTERS

Southland Times, Issue 25537, 4 December 1944, Page 3

WOMEN HERD TESTERS

Sir, —When I was a boy my father used to roll up his swag, mount the hack, and ride up country to the shearing. He did not return with his cheque until about three months later, when the shearing was finished. Today the shearer gets a licence for petrol ana rides to and from his work in a car. He could do it on a hack in a pinch. The rabbiter had a horse and cart, a very suitable conveyance for the job which is still necessary today; but now he gets a licence for petrol. The farmer did his work with horses. Today he uses a tractor and gets all the petrol he wants. If he is required to do extra work for a neighbour, there is no trouble about getting the extra petrol. Meanwhile the herd tester is expected to use the transport of 50 years ago. It is necessary for the herd testers to travel to the factory to test every day and to travel to different farms everyday, and we are told that the oil fuel controller won’t let them have P®^ 0 , The horse is unsuitable for the job because when it should be fed and harnessed the tester is busy in the byre. I am inclined to think it is the monetary part that troubles the Herd Recording Council. And that is the result of having the herd testing business centralized in the north, with huge office staff and so on. The Herd Recording Council may think that petrol is more valuable than rubies. But we don’t. PRINCE CHARMING.