IMPORTING FARM LABORERS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 228, 20 January 1911, Page 5

IMPORTING FARM LABORERS

FARMERS' UNION TAKES ACTION. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. The Auckland executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union has decided to undertake the importation of farm laborers on its own account. The subject of shortage of workers was raised at to-day's meeting of the executive in a letter from the secretary of the Clevedon branch, in which he drew attention specially to the difficulty in obtaining workers for dairy farms. In one instance, he said, a farmer who owned 80 cows was left to milk them singlehanded at Christmas time, and after a couple of days gave it up in disgust, and sold his herd. In another case a child of twelve had to milk sixteen cows twice a day.

The members of the executive discussed the matter at some length. One of the aspects of the question was tha't the dearth of workers prevented farmers from expanding theii energies, restricting them to small outputs, and preventing the full development of the capabilities of the land. Mr. Joseph Flanagan, a member who takes an active interest in questions of this sort, stated that he was about to make a trip to England, and would undertake to secure ns many English or Scotch agricultural workers as positions could be found for. It was immediately determined that Mr. Flanagan should act as the union's emigration officer, and that steps should be taken to communicate with farmers, and ■find out what definite arrangements would be made as to employing men brought out. In the meantime, the executive will find out from the Government and the steamship companies what facilities can be obtained. -