LABOUR ON FARMS

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20951, 2 November 1939, Page 9

LABOUR ON FARMS

AIDING PRODUCTION NATIONAL COUNCIL’S PLANS ADVICE TO THE DISTRICTS One of the principal functions of the National Council of Primary Production will be to meet the farm labour requirements in the various districts, and as a step to this direction the council has asked the district councils to arrange for a survey to be made in their territories. It is suggested that these surveys should be made with the co-opera-tion of the various producers’ organisations, and should include:— (a) The number of cowboys, ploughmen, shepherds, rouseabouts, etc., required, the wages offering for the jobs concerned, the accommodation provided and any other particulars of conditions, etc. (b) The number of farmers who would employ married men if they could arrange to erect or to provide accomomdation for them. (c) Whether or not farmers are willing to take inexperienced men and teach them. Procedure Suggested District committees have been asked to arrange for the setting up of a sub-committee, consisting of representatives of the New Zealand Workers’ Union, farmers’ organisations and Young Farmers’ Clubs and the Placement Service, to meet and consider the results of the survey. The New Zealand Workers’ Union and the placement officer should then endeavour to fill the positions offered from the supply of labour available m the district or (as far as the placement service is concerned) from the supply available in other districts which is not required there. When it is evident that the shortage of labour cannot be overcome by the steps suggested above, immediate notification should be made to the labour organiser, Council of Primary Production, who will endeavour to take further steps to remedy the position. Seasonal Labour It is suggested by the National Council that seasonal labour be dealt with in the same way, but the following additional suggestions are made in regard to it:— (a) Young farmers’ clubs have suggested that they may be able to provide gangs for shearing or other work. This possibility should be investigated. (b) Local organisations are asked to urge farmers to try to arrange “runs” for shearers as far as possible, and to suggest to farmers, particularly smaller farmers in the South Island who have open-woolled sheep, to endeavour to obtain the services of shearers from stations on the higher country who may be idle while the fine-woolled sheep are drying.

In view of the fact that there is a strong possibility of a shortage of shearers this year, it will be necessary that all possible steps be taken to make the best possible use of the shearers available. It should be pointed out to farmers that if they are willing to keep in touch with stations which are relatively handy and to provide transport, it may quite often be possible to obtain the services of shearers while they are waiting for such sheep to dry.