LABOUR SHORTAGE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2868, 5 September 1916, Page 6

LABOUR SHORTAGE

COMPLAINTS FROM FARMERS

TROUBLE NOT ACUTE

With the approach of the summer months the demand for labour is increasing, particularly in the country, and something is being heard again of the possibility of a- serious shortage, in consequence of the withdrawal of a substantial section of the male population for war purposes. Statements made to a Dominion reporter yesterday indicated that the position in the city was by no means acute, despite tho heavy drain made upon men of military age during the last two years. Over 60,000 men have been enlisted in New Zealand since the outbreak of war, and a very large proportion of tho recruits have been taken from the ranks of labour. But reports from tho country districts show that a shortago of labour is being felt severely in many quarters, though farmers do not agrco as to the extent of the trouble. > Information which has reached the headquarters of the Farmers' TJmon indicates that many hundreds of- farmers are embarrassed by their inability to find_the workers they need. The Dominion secretary, Mr. E._ C. Jaok, stated, in answer to a question on the subject, that lie had received very many complaints regarding the shortage. The farmers had given their sons freely in the cause of the nation, and they had not been able to replace these men on the farms._ He had heard of dairy farmers selling their properties or turning their cows out in consequenco of their failure to secure labour. Farmers' wives and daughters were being required to undertake' work they had never performed before "I can say confidently that a shortaeo of labour is being felt very generally in tho country districts," said Mr. Jack, "though it is a fact that thero appears to be a fairly ample supply of casual labour of a kind. The number of swaggers about the country is said to be larger than usual. The position is a bit perplexing in some respects, and one hesitates to make confident predictions after the experience of tho last two years. But the shortage is there, and men are still being taken into camp, so tho position can hardly be expected to improve." Another representative of -farming interests referred to what happened in 1914, when the Labour Department and the Farmers' Unions co-operated in efforts to- safeguard the farmers against a serious shortage of labour for the harvest. Some 20,000 men had been enlisted at that time, and it was expected that the farmers -would suffer gTeat inconvenience. ' But as a matter of fact there proved to bo plenty of labour, a circumstance not explained fully by the small harvest. There had been a little moro trouble in connection with the of 1915, but the position had not becomo acute, and ho was inclined to believo that tho 1916 season was not_ going to nresent any overwhelming difficulties. The country had accommodated itsolf wonderfully well to war conditions, and had been able to spare 60,000 ablebodied men with a surprisingly smnll amount of inconvenience, though the farmers naturally were a bit anxious at tho present time. Reports made by officers of the Labour Department throw some light upon tho position, .without suggesting that' thero is a serious shortage of labour. They may be summarised an follows:

Auckland. —The. unemployment question so far as this city is concerned is not acute.

' Gisborno.—-No applications have been received for farm hands during the month (July).' Employment is decidedly scarce for unskilled labour in tho country districts. New Plymouth.—Good labourers have'iio difficulty in obtaining employment at present. Wellington.—There are vacancies for bushmen, scrub-cutters, and farm hands. »

Nelson.—Farmers arc willing to take any workers who have any •knowledge whatever of farming. Christchuroh.—There is little or no demand for country workers (in July). A. fair number of unskilled men are out of work.

Dunedin, Invercargill, and other southern centres showed no demand for country workers in tho July reports.

A substantial reduction in the number of hands employed on co-operative works by the Public Works Department may have helped tho farmors. The number of men employed on cooperative works (roads and bridges) at the present time is in the neighbourhood of 2200, as.compared with 4793 in August, 1914. The number is likely to be still further reduced owing to the decline in the expenditure on railways construction, and tin's must release some men for work on the farms, though many of the men employed on 00-operativo works admittedly are not suited to tho requirements of the farmers.