SHORTAGE OF LABOR.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 September 1916, Page 7

SHORTAGE OF LABOR.

SEVERELY FE!7T T\ COUNTK r, DIS tUr.C i:s, (From Our Own Correspondent). Wellington, September 4. With the approach of the summer months the demand for labor is inereas'"S> particularly in the countiy, and something is being heard again of the possibility of a serious shortage, in consequence of the withdrawal of a substantial section of tile male population for war purposes. Statements made to a reporter to-day indicated that the position in the -city was by no means acute, despite the heavy "dram made upon men of military age during the last two years. Over GO,OOO men have been enlisted in New Zealand since thf- cutbreak of war, and a very la'ge proportion of the recruits have been taken from the ranks of labor. But reports from, the country districts show that a shortage of labor is facing felt severely in many quarters, though farmers do not agree as to the extent of the trouble.

. Information which has reached the headquarters of the Farmers' Union indicates that many hundreds of farmers are embarrassed by their inability to find the workers they need. The Dominion secretary, Mr. E. 0. Jack, stated' in answer to a question on the subject that lie had received very many complaints regarding the shortage. The farmers had given their sons freely in the cause of the nation, and they had not been able to replace these men on th 4 farms. He had heard of dairy farmers selling their properties or turning their cows out in consequence of tlieir failure to secure labor. Farmers' wives and daughters were 'being required to undertake work they had never performed before. "I can say confidently that a 'shortage of labor is being felt very generally in the country districts," said Mr. Jack, "though it is a fact that there appears to be a fairly ample supply of casual labor of a kind. Tlie number of swaggers about the country is said to be larger than usual. The position is a bit perplexing in some respects and one hesitates to make confident predictions after the experience of the last two years. But the shortage is there, and men are still being taken into camp, so the position can hardly be expected to improve." Another representative of farming interests referred to what happened in 11114, when the Labon iDepartment and the Farmers' Unions co-operated in efforts to safeguard the farmers against a fserious shortage of labor for the harvest. Some 20,000 men had been enlisted at that time, and it was expected that the farmers would suffer great inconvenience. But as a matter of fact there proved to be plenty of labor, a circumstance not explained fully by the small harvest. There had been a little more difliculty in connection with the harvest of 1913, but the position had not become acute and he was inclined to believe that the 1910 season was not going to present any overwhelming difficulties. The country had accommodated itsell wonderfully well to war conditions and had been able to spare (>O,OOO able-bodied men with a surprisingly small amount of inconvenience, though tlve farmers naturally were a bit anxious at the present time. Reports made of officers of the Labor Department throw some light upon the I position, without suggesting that there' is a serious shortage of labor. They may be summarised as follows: Auckland: The unemploment question so far as this city is concerned is not acute. Cisborne: No applications have been received for farm hands during the month (July). Employment is decidedly scarce for unskilled labor in (the country districts. New Plymouth: Good laborers have no difficulty in obtaining employment at present. Wellington: There are vacancies for carpenters, brickmakers, bricklayers, bushmen, scrubeutters and farm hands. Xelson: Farmers are willing to take any workers wlip have any knowledge of farming. Christchurcli: There is little or no demand for country workers (in July). A fair number of unskilled men are out of work. Dunedin, Invercargill, and other southern centres showed no demand for country workers in the July reports. A substantial reduction in the number of hands employed on co-operative works by the Public Works Department may have helped the farmers. The number of men employed on co-operative works (roads and bridges) at the present time is in the neighbourhood of 2200, as compared with 4703 in August, 1914. The number is likely to be still further reduced owing to the decline in the expenditure on railway construction, and this must release some men for work on the farms, though many of the men employed on co-operative works admittedly are not suited to the requirements of the farmers.