SHORTAGE OF FARM LABOR.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 February 1917, Page 7

SHORTAGE OF FARM LABOR.

IMPORTANT WORK LEFT UXDOXK. (Special to News.) Wellington, Felh 22. Reports from the country districts continue to indicate a serious shortage of farm labor. "The position is far worse than the authorities appear -to imagine,•' said a Wairurapa man jester-. da\. It is true that farm operations are not at a standsill. The farmers are doing their best to keep tilings and many of them are able to make some use of unskilled labor. Rut much impel taut work is being left undone, and I believe tliat the shortage of efficient farm labor is already affecting production. Farmers are simply forced to curtail their operations. They cannot carry on any other way. -I sec" that the area under crop this year lias fallen by over 100,-000 acres. That is just what I should have expected." A farmer in the Auckland district, writing to a friend in"Wellington, has a similar story to toll. "We cannot maintain production if we have not the labor," he says, ';and at present we find it utterly impc: Se to. get an adequate supply of labor. The shepherds, rouseabouts, bushmen, cooks, and so forth are all being drawn in the -ballot,- and as far as I can see most of them re accepted for service when they go before the doctors. I cannot get- men for love or money, though the wages are good and the work is waiting. Of course a fellow is not going to grumble about inconvenience and overwork in these days, but the simple fact is that under present conditions there is hound to be a decline in production. We farmers cannot carry on at the old gnit- We must handle a smaller quantity of stock, plough less land, 1-ai.se fewer lambs, and mill" fewer cows. Why does not the Government turn some of the Home Service men into the essential industries?" f A third farmer, occupying a 120-acre farm in one of the tf-iryine districts, mentions in a letter t'-t his last son .has been drawn in the ballot and has decided to enter camp. "The boy does not want me to appeal for him, ind so I will let him go," writes the father. ''But- from inquiries X have made I am afraid I shall not be able to find a man to take his place, and if that ig so tf e shall have to sell some cows.. The prices are ail right just now, but' it seems a pity to have to sell if the Government really wants cheese for the soHitrs. I hear that something is being done in the way of organising labor, but surely. it ig ipoor economy to take the skilled worker off the farm-and put in Mother Avho' will not be able to do }— l l? mueli, Coal-miners and shfearcrs are bef""). <a> emjgted.- Wiy rjot-dairy