DOES IT EXIST

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 105, 3 January 1940, Page 5

DOES IT EXIST

FARM LABOUR PROBLEM . ( —. y..Y • POOR RESPONSE TO CIRCULAR

The query as to whether the farm labour shortage as represented by Fanners' Unions throughout the Dominion was actually as acute as was claimed!, formed the basis of a discussion at the meeting of the Whakatane District Primary Producers Council. It was stated by the secretary, that out of the 200 circulars sent out by the K;uij;itaiki Farmers' Union asking -farmers if they required labour, in order to guage the shortage, only If) replies had come to hand. Of these 10 desired experienced hands. Mr Haul-tain claimed that many farmers would fail to fill in the return forwarded them, because they were not in a position to employ a man even if they so desired. Mr Burnett: They didn't reply to that elfect. Mr Brott (Labour Department): If farmers are unable to pay, they can obtain assistance through the 4B or 13 schemes. The P.W.D. are definitely trying to assist, and there is no doubt that men are available. Political opinions are being dropped in a genuine effort to co-operate with the farmers to produce more.

Mr Carter: Have you any experienced men available to take up positions as permanent farm hands? Mr Brott: There are no exiierieneed men, but there are plenty of seasonal workers. Mr Haultain: Farmers realise that. What they cannot obtain are satisfactory permanent men. Mr Haultain instanced a case of a farmer having to employ a girl in the shed on account of the shortage. This farmer however could scarcely be expected to dismiss the girl for a casual man who might be no good. * Mr Brott: i can assure you that as far as the P.W.D. know there are no experienced men employed in that department.

Mr Carter pointed out that the Rangitaiki was fortunate in that a large proportion of the seasonal work Avas done by Maori labour which was in plentiful- supiily.

Members were of the opinion that if the neAV scheme for subsidising farm labour were introduced that there would he manj r farmers only too willing to take advantage thereof. The fact that there had been such a poor response to the first effort to circularise the farming community was,due to the aver age farmer's dilitoriness in filling in forms. " Mr Burnett said that the committee would have to get down to bet! rock in the matter. The farmers would be given every opportunity to apply for labour and if they failed to then they had no kick coming. It was decided to instruct the secretary to apply to the government for sufficient forms to circularise all farmers in the Bay of Plenty, in a further effort to obtain the exact requirements of the district. The chairman (Mr Ruddick) emphasised that farmers should understand that they should fill in the forms whether they could afford tc» pay for the labour or not. It should also be treated as urgent.

It is the intention of the council to despatch l'ie circulars in the near future.