BOYS FOR HARVESTING

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 54, 27 November 1917, Page 8

BOYS FOR HARVESTING

FARMERS NOT RESPONSIVE. "Many hundreds of applications havo been.reoeivod from schools throughout the Dominion on behalf of hoys who are willing to do farm labour during the coming holidays, and ;i number of lads havo been placed," states Mr. \V. Ferguson, chairman of tho National Efficiency Board. "In many cases," he added, "the lads havo mado their own • arrangements to go to frionds to work during the holidays and harvest season." Speaking generally, however, reports , from different parts of the . Dominion showed that there had not . been so 1 much demand from farmers for boy labour during harvest as in some quarters was expected. Many farmers have written acknowledging the patriots spirit shown by the lads, hut apparently hoy labour will not be utilised to any very largo extent during the . coming harvest. In other countries—America and England especially—such labour has been much availed of. It is explained that in New Zealand the lack of a 1 more • general request for boy labour ' probably arises from the fact that the | farmer's wife does not want the extra bother in the busy season of looking after boys. Tho National Efficiency Board "insists that tho provision for the boys must be comfortable—that proper accommodation shall bo provided for them in every respect, and that, as a rule, more than one boy .must go to the same farm; also, that the boys must not live with the farm hands. In the case of ordinary farm labourers, they have their meals provided, hut beyond, that there is not tho same responsibility so far as the farmer is •concerned. In letters to the Efficiency Board, many farmers state that they are obliged for the offer of assistance, but regret they are unablo to avail 'themselves of it.