MANPOWER ON FARMS

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 65, Issue 6, 15 December 1942, Page 321

MANPOWER ON FARMS

While there is no doubt that essential crops will not be left unharvested through lack of labour, the farmer’s fear is always present, and justifiably so, of a lack of labour for permanent work. The manner in which local effort can be quickly organised to harvest crops was instanced in the Gore district last season when the

$ produce of many acres of linen flax was pulled with $ the willing assistance of Gore townspeople, and simi~ j— larly for other crops around Waimate. The writer | outlines the farmer’s problem for both classes of labour ,»<>«<>«».<>«» an j s tp which can be taken to . relieve the loss of manpower. .

By

J. E. BELL, Secretary,

National Council of Primary Production,

Wellington.

DURING this war farmers are experiencing increasing difficulties in obtaining' supplies of materials and labour so that they can continue to produce the Empire’s food requirements. Of the two, manpower appears to be the more difficult problem. In the course of the war numbers of men have been drawn into the army, and the loss of these workers to agriculture has impaired the efficiency of many farms. It would appear that the withdrawal' of manpower from the country will continue until the end of the war, and every farmer is concerned as to how he can continue to produce our vital necessities-while this drain of experienced workers andfarmers continues. , A change in the manpower position is being , made at the present time by a reversal of the process and the withdrawal of thousands of men from the Army to work on farms. No one who has studied the military position carefully will suggest , that this reversal is

anything but an expedient. . Certainly it can be nothing but an expedient in regard to the men engaged on other than seasonal work on farms. There is no doubt that a large number of men will be kept in this country for home defence and to act as a reserve for other theatres of war. Except . when the enemy actually threatens our shores numbers of these men should be available to help farmers at busy times, It is in regard to permanent labour, however, that adjustments must be made. I know farmers are reluctant to accept inexperienced workers, but as time goes on they will realise that there will be no alternative as far as permanent labour is concerned. For this reason I regard the development of the Women’s Lana Service to be of immense importance to agriculture in New Zealand. In this article 1 intend to discuss methods whereby farmers' can secure labour on their farms, and I shall discuss it under two headings— ' seasonal and permanent.

Seasonal Secondary Schoolboys: At the present time an intensive drive is being undertaken to secure the services of high school boys for farmers during December, January and February. During half of this period the . schools will be open, but headmasters will give permission for boys to be absent, if the District Manpower Officer certifies that the boy is engaged on important farm work on his parents’ farm or otherwise. The boys will be carefully selected, and many will be strong, exceptionally fit young men of about 17 to 18 years of age. These high school boys have been used in the past, and farmers have reported highly of their services. The main difficulty in the past has been that, despite intensive, publicity during October and November, farmers have failed to notify vacancies before the schools break up. The success of the scheme is bound up with the ability of farmers to make known, their requirements before the end of the school term. This year district councils of Primary Produc- . tion have been asked to see that applications for holiday labour are lodged in time. Farmers should present their applications as early as possible to the

District Production Committee. The District Committees are being asked tu forward the applications to arrive in the hands of the secretary of the District Council by the 21st November. Farmers will be expected to pay the return fares of boys who go to work on their farms. The Railway Department has granted concessions of approximately 60 per cent, on adult ordinary return fares to schoolboys travelling to work on farms on presentation of certificates signed by the . headmaster or the secretary of , the Youth Centre or the District Manpower Officer. The farmers will be expected to pay no less than award wages, which amount to £1 2s. per week where the boy is under 17 years of age; 17 to 18 years, £1 95.; 18 to 19, £1 165., plus keep on sheep and dairy farms. Farmers may be concerned about paying these wages to inexperienced boys, but they will realise that, owing to the prevailing rates for labour in the cities, there is keen competition for the services of these boys. Boys, however will be induced to take the lower wages offering in the country on account of the more interesting and healthy type of work. Before boys are placed on farms the farmer will be contacted and advised concerning the prospective employee, and they will therefore know in ad-

vance approximately their commitments in regard to railway fares. There may be other schemes than that I have outlined for the utilisation of schoolboys, but these should not be confused with the general scheme. Those securing high school boys can do a great deal to relieve the labour difficulties of the farmers’ busy season. The scheme should cover such work as general farm work, haymaking, grain harvesting, market gardening, fruit picking,, grading and packing, and many other like farming activities. As far as conditions on the farm are concerned the boy should be treated as a member of the family, and his accommodation should be comparable with that of the family, with access to the same or similar toilet and bath facilities. In the past there have been few or no complaints in regard to the treatment accorded the boys by farmers. Most farmers are considerate in regard to these lads and give them work that is reasonably congenial. In view of our future difficulties, District Councils should see that no boy is unfairly treated in respect of either his accommodation or the type of work that he has to perform and so spoil the good record farmers have achieved so far. Teachers and Students: Normally a number of teachers and students, particularly the latter, do seasonal work

during their vacations. Encouragement will be given to this practice, and in addition single men or married men without children are to be directed to seasonal occupations if they are fit for it. Private arrangements that have been made or are being made will not be interfered with, providing the District Manpower Officer is immediately informed of full particulars and proof of the proposed work. Other teachers and students may be directed if they volunteer for seasonal work. Students who normally enter camp for three months’ training will also be available for seasonal work. Farmers desiring seasonal labour of this type should make an approach to the Manpower Officer at one of the four main centres. Public WorKs Employees: Public Works men experienced in seasonal ' work may be released by application . through the officer in charge of the work to the nearest District Manpower Officer for essential seasonal occupations, which include shearing operations, . haymaking, fruit picking and sorting in orchards, tobacco picking and curing, and digging of potatoes. It is no doubt realised that the Public Works Department have several works - under construction which are vital to the defence of the Dominion, and that objection will be raised to the transfer of efficient workers or keymen from .......

these works unless they can be re-

placed by equally, efficient workers. Other workmen engaged in work of importance may also be refused release. Officers in charge of works may allow workmen to assist local farmers with haymaking or harvesting for a few days ' without obtaining the permission of the District Manpower Officer, and workmen may be allowed to assist during the Christmas and New Year vacations. Army: With the exception of certain vital Army units a survey of men willing and suitable to undertake general farm work, harvesting and planting, or employment in freezing works is being made. Such a survey has already been made for dairy factory workers and shearing. A farmer wishing a man or a number of men to assist him may obtain the services of these without nomination, by approach to the District Manpower Officer. If this officer is unable to supply labour from civilian sources, some of which are indicated above, then he will, if a War Cabinet authority for release has been issued, apply to the Army Units to release men available and suitable for the particular type of work. If the leave asked for is for a short term seasonal work, such as for planting or harvesting of crops, the Unit Commander has authority to grant leave not exceeding 40 days. There will be no necessity for anyone to obtain the permission of the Appeal Board for this release. If the leave is for a longer term, such as for shearing, dairy factory work, or employment in freezing works, release will be given for the 40 days, but to obtain extension of the leave beyond the 40 days, the employer must make immediate application to the Armed Forces Appeal Board for such extension. Applications either to the Manpower Officer or to the Appeal Board may be made through the District Council of Primary Production. Jurisdiction to grant release of any man from the Army is vested in the military authorities, and Appeal Boards and Manpower Officers .dealing with applications are acting only in an advisory capacity. However, the Army has been apprised of the difficulties facing primary producers in this country in regard to seasonal labour, and it is expected that, except .in isolated instances, reasonable requests will not be refused. Permanent Labour ' Women’s Land Service: Steps are being taken by the Government to reorganise the Women’s Land Corps, now to be known as the Women’s Land Service, and two lady M.P.’s have been touring the country encouraging young women to undertake work on farms and advising farmers to give the scheme a thorough trial. As I have

previously stated, the farmers’ main difficulty in the future will undoubtedly be in maintaining an efficient permanent staff. As more and more experienced workers are withdrawn from farming, replacement will necessarily have to be made by the training of inexperienced personnel. Young women are being encouraged to apply through the district offices - of the Women’s War Service Auxiliary, the District Manpower Officers, or the offices of the District Primary Production Councils for enrolment in the Women’s Land Service. Farmers are to make their applications for a woman worker direct to the nearest District Primary Production Council. The women are to be equipped with working clothes and after one month’s satisfactory working service with a “dress” uniform at the State’s expense. Untrained personnel will be paid £2 Is. a week plus keep, or £3 Is. without ' keep on dairy farms. On general farms the payment will be £1 16s. and keep, or £2 16s. without keep. Trained personnel will be paid 7s. 6d. a week above the rates for untrained workers. If a farmer accepts an inexperienced worker and undertakes to train her for farm work, he will be paid a subsidy of £1 a week for the first three months and 12s. 6d. per week for the second three months of training. At the end of six months the subsidy ceases, but the training subsidy will not be paid for any mem-

ber of the Women’s Land Service upon a farm owned or part owned by a relative or upon which she has at any time been normally resident whether in a paid capacity or not. The transport of the worker to her new position will be paid by the employer where the distance from the District Manpower Office nearest the member’s normal residence, or from her own residence (whichever is the

lesser) does not exceed 30 miles. If the distance is greater than 30 miles, fares will be met by the State. Reasonable accommodation, toilet and bath facilities must be made available to the members. Where the demand warrants it a camp for six girls or more under the charge of a senior girl or matron may be established by the National Service Department. These girls will then be available for work in the surrounding district. Farmers and members of the Service must give at least ' seven days’ notice of intention to terminate employment. The holidays will be those laid down under the Agricultural Workers Act, 1936. Pensioners: Until recently pensioners could not earn above a certain sum of money without affecting their pension. Such a regulation has caused many pensioners to refrain from undertaking a certain amount of work, but this has now been withdrawn and pensioners are at liberty to earn as much as they like without any effect on their pension when the work ceases. This will encourage pensioners to undertake a considerable amount of work and relieve the labour position. Under the new regulations a pensioner may earn for instance £5 a week for the first six months of the year and receive a full pension for the remaining six months.

Army, Navy and Air Force: Almost one half of the agricultural workers who have entered the Army have been withdrawn recently to assist farmers. As I have previously mentioned, the continuation of this practice to the present degree cannot be guaranteed. Applications for release from camp are made by the Primary Production Council or employer to the Appeal Board. If a farmer does not know of a suitable soldier in camp whom he wishes to employ he may approach the Manpower Officer, and ask permission to inspect the lists of men willing and suitable to undertake general farming work. He may then select personnel from these lists, which have been prepared by Army Units.

The recommendation of the Appeal Board is then referred to the Army Unit concerned. If the man applied for is a key man, on leave, or sick, or for any other reason cannot at once be released, no release is permitted. In all other cases the Unit Commander will at once grant the man leave without pay for a provisional period of 28 days, or less, depending upon the recommendation of the Appeal Board. In the meantime his case is being considered by Army Headquarters, which if it approves advises the soldier by telegram. If it disapproves, the soldier must return to his unit on the expiration of his provisional release of 28 days or less. The farmer may wish an extension of the leave that has been granted when he subsequently finds that this leave is insufficient for the work he has on hand. If such is the case, he must again approach the Appeal Board per medium, if he wishes, of the Primary Production Council. The Appeal Board’s recommendation in regard to his request is referred to the Area Officer. If the extension required is 28 days or less the Area Officer may approve and extend the leave. However, if he disapproves, Army Headquarters are advised and the matter is further considered. If the period required is more than 28 days, then 14 days’ extension is approved by the Area Officer pending consideration by Army Headquarters, who will subsequently advise the soldier whether the extension is approved or not. Releases from the Navy and Air Force are referred by the employer or Primary Production Council to the Appeal Board, whose recommendation is forwarded through the National Service Department for the consideration of the Naval or Air Secretary. Releases from the Navy are obtained only in very special circumstances. Releases from the Air Force will be obtained only in similar circumstances in respect of air crews and skilled ground staff. Personnel from Overseas Units will be released only in exceptional cases, except for shearing.

Indefinite leave will not be readily granted, and short term leave will be avoided if possible in respect of A grade men—that is, Grade 1 men 20 to 41 years of age who are not enlistees for the R.N.Z.A.F. or the Royal Navy and are not held in any way under appeal. Of the Grade 1 men, single men 21 to 41 years of age will not be released except under very exceptional circumstances or prevented from entering camp.

The definition of key personnel which the Army must hold has proved a very vexed question. Actually it is difficult for the Army to define a key man satisfactorily, but the term will usually include all officers and n.c.o.’s above, the rank of corporal. Men undertaking specialised work in the Army, and instructors and specialists must be classed as key men. The Army, however, has advised its units that retention of a man will not be agreed to, if the reason given for retaining him is merely that he is fully trained, or is a category A man, or that inconvenience will be caused by his release. Unit Commanders have been 'instructed to exercise great care in deciding whether the release of a man should be objected to on the ground of his being a key man.

They have also been instructed that they must do their best to give effect to Government policy in respect to the release of men for important work and have been enjoined to give full and conscientious consideration to the case of each man in respect of whom a recommendation has been made by the Appeal Board. I think it is fully realised by all that this war is a war of supply, and that for the farmer to undertake his part in the grand campaign he should be as fully supplied as possible with tools and labour. This war has shown the ineffectiveness of an army without sufficient tools of war, and it is to be hoped that it will not show the ineffectiveness of agriculture without sufficient materials and labour. It must be recognised, however, that fighting is still carried out in the main by fit men. Our women have not yet been, and I hope will not be called upon to do the actual fighting for us. They can, however, be used to a much greater extent to replace many of our workers. A start has been made in many industries in this direction. I think it can be fairly stated that agriculture has lagged behind in this respect, and it will be necessary for the farmers to employ many more women than has been the habit in the past, and a drive in this direction is necessary, both to encourage the farmers to take the services of these girls, and to encourage the girls to perform farm work.