LABOUR SHORTAGE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 828, 5 October 1916, Page 8

LABOUR SHORTAGE.

AFFAIRS IN THE NORTH. FARMERS FEEL THE PINCH. [Special to The San. ] WELLINGTON, October 4. Shortage of labour is being felt severely in some of the farming districts at the present time, and no relief appears to be in sight. In the Hawke's Bay district, for example, the demand for competent farm labour is keen and unsatisfied, and reports indicate that the farmers are being embarrassed severely by their inability to get the help that they require for their spring work. Cultivation that would have been undertaken under ordinary conditions has had to be abandoned, and it is staled in some quarters that the shortage of labour may have an appreciable effect upon production during the present season.

A gentleman closely identified with agricultural and pastoral interests told your correspondent to-day that he had heard lately of some cases of real hardship caused by the shortage of qualified farm labour. There seemed still to be a fairly large supply of unskilled labour of sorts, but that was not very much use to the farmer. Efficient farm labourers of all kinds were very hard to find, and the trouble was aggravated by the fact that so many of the farmers' sons had joined the Expeditionary Force's and left places that could not be filled. A case might be quoted of a well-to-do farmer who, after confining himself to supervision for many years, is compelled now to milk a couple of cows for the homestead supply, in addition to taking a very active part in the general work of his property.