LABOUR FOR FARMS

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 31, 31 October 1942, Page 6

LABOUR FOR FARMS

Union President On Relief Measures “Anything that will provide additional labour will help,” said Mr. W. W. Mulholland, president of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, in referring to the Ministerial announcement of the scheme whereby schoolboys and ■teachers will help on farms during the summer vacation. Mr. Mulholland said there was going to be considerable difficulty in many cases in harvesting special crops, such as small fruits and tobacco, which required a large amount of labour in very small districts. It appeared that the position was going to be particularly acute, and he was glad to see that the Government was taking some action. Experience in England had shown that schools could help very materially, but it meant a certain amount of organization, and unskilled labour needed a good deal of supervision.

Shearing was going to present much difficulty. Reports from many districts were that sheds had less than half their usual complement of men. but the Army was supposed to be releasing a number of men for shearing, although there were reports that this had been held up to an extent which would seriously interfere with the usefulness of that arrangement. Harvesting would probably present less difficulty than other seasonal work. However, something had to be done, and the Primary Production Council’s committee was busy on it now. The real difficulty confronting farmers still remained, said Mr. Mulholland. It was the same old one of labour for the ordinary routine of farm work.