OWING TO LABOUR CONDITIONS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 127, Issue 127, 9 July 1941, Page 4

OWING TO LABOUR CONDITIONS

A CLEARING sale advertisement in to-day's issue draws attention to the fact that the vendor has been forced to sell 'owing to labour conditions.' We wonder just how many other farmers are in the same boat, for the: explanation points unmistakeably to the growing farm labour problem. Has the rot set in already ? How long will it be possible for farmers controlling three, four and five-man farms to carry on producing to the some, extent as they have in the past. It is right to assume that farmers generally will be willing to produce all that they can reasonably be expected to but with the steady withdrawal of manpower from the land a certain decline in production is inevitable unless steps are taken to relieve the position. Witness the recent instance of labour for the maize harvest! The whole situation appears to revolve about the possibility of gathering the crop, rather than the efforts needed to establish it and bring it to maturity. The test will be the forthcoming dairy season and the production barometer will furnish an interesting comparison with other years. Linked so closely with our main primary industry it would appear that here was something well worthy of our mettle, for unless the problem is grappled with seriously and conscientiously,, we are likely to have a seasonal recurrence for just so long as the war lasts.