WORKERS ON FARMS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 158, 5 June 1940, Page 6

WORKERS ON FARMS.

RECRUITING PROBLEM. MANY LABOURERS LEAVE. The drain of Workers from farms because of recruiting for the military forces was referred, to at the annual conference of sheepfarmers at Massey College, to-day, when the seriousness of the position arising was emphasised by speakers. Mr. J. E„ Hewitt (Mangamaire) said that it production was to be kept up a halt must be called to farmers and trained farm hands leaving the country. .He referred to the Government scheme for subsidising the wages of untrained men. All knew, he said, that for at least a year these untrained men would be of very little use. The recruits from farms would be doing their greatest; work for the country if they remained here. Mr S. K. Siddells said that a 6 Mayor of Pahiatua he was also recruiting officer for that district. He could support- the . contention that farm workers filled in their occupation in enlistment papers as “labourers” so as to be accepted.. These men were enlisting because they resented the odium of being conscripted. The Minister of Mail-Power had recently said that of 22,110 men posted to camp 2869, or 13 per cent,, were! farm labourers. Pahiatua had a population pf 4760, and it had already sent away 62' men, of whom 28, or 45 per cent., were farmers’ sons or farm labourers. He had sent 10 recruits to Dannevirke last Saturday Vfor medical 'examination, and eight of them were farmers. He would, be sending six men next Saturday, and four of them were farmers. Professor G. S. Peren- said that there was a certain type of man who was determined to. fight and nothing would stop him, and this was recognised at headquarters. ‘