The Feilding Star. Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette TUESDAY, SEPT. 29. 1896. FARM LABORERS.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 78, 29 September 1896, Page 2

The Feilding Star. Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette TUESDAY, SEPT. 29. 1896. FARM LABORERS.

Thk fact that colonial young men do not readily take up the occupation of farm laborers has Jong been recognised, but it is only lately that it has been openly acknowledged In New Zealand owners of farms— agricultural and pastoral — find it almost impossible to work their lauds at a profit, and are crying out for the importation of men brought up to farming pursuits, with practical knowledge and useful experience. We are not alone in this for we find in West Australia the same dearth exists, and in Parliament a uaotion has been made expressing the opinion that Government should take some steps to attract the attention of farm and other laborers to the large requirements of that colony for labor in the immediate future Notwithstanding the large influx of population, attracted by the gold mines, at the rate of something like 2000 a month, in thecountry districts there can be little doubt (says the West Australian) that scarcity of labor is beginning to make itself felt, and it will probably be much ag gravated when the bay harvest approaches. For two reasons the farmer is the first to feel the pinch. He cannot pay tbe high wages obtainable on the goldfields and public works, and it is seldom that he can offer continuous employment. At certain seasons of the year he requires additional assistance, and at a time when every department of trade and industry is busy, it is scarcely surprising if he does not always succeed in getting it. One objection raised was that though farm laborers might be introduced there were no means whereby they could be prevented seeking more remunerative employment. The best class of farm labor must be scarce for many years to come, for the simple reason that the right sort of men will seldom consent

to work long for an employer. Another fact is that agricultural labor is comparatively scarce even in England, because the position of the rustic has considerably improved, owing to the steady exodus of the younger men to the towns reducing the number of competitors for employment so that he can get better wages and more constant work. Still, rural labor is not the most popular, and it is difficult to see how it can be made so. But the land must be tilled and the crops raised, otherwise food supplies will become scarce and consequently abnormally dear, therefore we think the youth of the present day should be discouraged as much as possible from flocking to the towns, and encouraged to " go on the land," while the owners of land should be on their part encouraged to develop their properties by a reduction of the State taxation, which it is now too much the fashion of politicians to pile upon them.