BOY LABOUR FOR FARMS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 145996, 30 November 1917, Page 7

BOY LABOUR FOR FARMS.

KOT MUCH DEMAND. “Many hundreds of applications have been received from schools throughout the Dominion on behalf of hoys who are willing to do farm labour during the coming holidays, and a number of lads have been placed,” stated Mr. William Ferguson, chairman of the Efficiency Boara on Monday. “In many cases the lads have mad© their own arrangements to go to friends to work during the holidays and the harvest season. Speaking generally, however, reports from different parts of the Dominion show that there has not been so much demand from farmers for hoy labour during harvest as was expected. Many farmers have written acknowledging the patriotic spirit shown by the lads, but apparently boy labour will not be utilised to any very large extent during the coming harvest.” In other countries, America and England especially, such labour has ■» been much availed of. It is explained that in New Zealand the lack of more general requests for hoy labour’ 1 probably arises_ from the fact that the farmer’s wife does not want the extra bother of looking after boys. The National Efficiency Board insists that provision for the hoys must be comfortable, that proper accommodation shall be provided for them in every respect, and that as a rule more than one hoy must go to the same farm; also that the boys must not live with the farm hands; In letters to the Efficiency Board, many farmers state that they are obliged for the offer of assistance, but regret that they are unable to avail themselves of it.