LABOUR ON FARMS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 31, 7 December 1943, Page 5

LABOUR ON FARMS

MEN FROM ARMY

VERY FEW APPLICATIONS

A fortnight ago, the Primary Production Council gave publicity through the. 'Press' and by circular to the farming community drawing attention to military harvesting labour, which would be available from early in December, if the demand warranted opening a camp. The response to the publicity so far, has been negligible ; only a lew farmers have thought it worth their while to indicate, what help they require, so it is wide open to the authorities to surmise, that there is a sufficiency of local labour avail-, able.

In order to accommodate those desiring assistance, the* camp at Matata will be opened with a limited number of who will be ready for engagement from Wednesday the Bth instant. An increased number has been provided to enter camp after Christmas, when it is expected a greater demand for harvestci's is likely to be made.

Provision for leave from the 23rd till 28th December will be granted to the men, so it is possible, no men will be available during that, period.

The Army's problem in mobilising the territorials for 28 day periods is to spread them over the whole harvesting season so they must have prior knowledge of district requirements. also the. greater portion of the group are either already on farms or in essential occupation, which eliminates them from mobilisation. Employers of this labour are again reminded to co-operate with their neighbours in employing the men, so that transport and distribution are economically utilised.