4B SCHEME LABOUR

Taranaki Daily News, 17 September 1940, Page 2

4B SCHEME LABOUR

SUSPENSION OPPOSED A definite -opinion that the 4B scheme should not be fully suspended was exprftssed by the North Taranaki executive of the Farmers' Union. when a resolution to that effect was carried. Members generally recognised that the 4B scheme had been suspended with the object of making labour available for ordinary farm work. but. while realising that position must be safeguarded. it was felt that there were many men not suitable for farm hands who would do more useful work under scheme 4B, which was the only way in which improvements to backblock country could be carried out, as otherwise the cost would be prohibitive. Scheme 4B had been definitely suspended. existing contracts would be allowed to go on but no new contracts would be permitted under that scheme, it was stated by the chairman. Mr.- H. E. Blyde. It was the only scheme by which production in the backblocks could be economically increased, said Mr. A. R. Alpe (Uruti), in expressing the opinion that the executive should take the matter further. Members of local primary production committees in some districts had persuaded farmers to go in for scheme 4B contracts in order to clear land for increased production and now it was found that the scheme had been suspended, Mr. J. D. Pearce remarked.