SHORTAGE OF LABOUR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2893, 4 October 1916, Page 4

SHORTAGE OF LABOUR

, __ : ■ ' . . POSITION IN THE COTJNTRY DISTRICTS. Shortage of labour is being felt sev verely in some of the farming districts at the present time, and no relief apv pears to be iii sight. In the Hawke s Bay district, for example; the demand for competent farm labour is keen and unsatisfied, and reports indicate that the farmers are being embarrassed severely iby. their inability to get the help that thev require for .their spring; work. Cultivation that would have been undertaken under ordinary conditions has had to bo abandoned, and it is-stated in some quarters that the shortage of labour may have _an ap-. preciable effect upon production during-, the present season'..':..:.._..'' A gentleman closely identified with. . agricultural and pastoral interests told a Dominion reporter yesterday that he had heard lately of some cases of real hardship caused by the shortage of qualified farm labour. There seemed still to be a fairly large supply of unskilled labour' of sorts, but that wad not very much use to the farmer; Efficient farm labourers of all kinds were very hard to find, and the trouble - was aggravated by the fact that_ sn many of the farmers' .sons had joined tho "Expeditionary Forces, and left places that could«not be filled. A case might be quoted of a well-to-do farmer who, after confining himself to supervision for many years, is compelled now to milk a couple of cows for the homestead supply, in addition to taking a' very active part in tho general work of his property.