CHILD LABOUR

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19897, 28 May 1936, Page 7

CHILD LABOUR

’ WORK IN MILK snaps. l _..... ‘ REMIT FROM WAIKATO. . .___. I (Special Reporter.) ! AUCKLAND, ’Wednesday. I A warm discussion on the question lof child labour in milking sheds in lwhich Vigorous expression of opinion iboth for and against the employment [of children in the milking sheds was lmadc, took place during the afternoon “session of the Auckland Provincial Conference of the Farmers‘ Union today. The remit brought forward for consideration was to the effect tl'ltt [the Union should support legislation prohibiting the employment of Chll'il—[ren under school—leaving age in milk—ing sheds. In support of the remit Mr S. N. Ziman, of Cambridge, said that it had 'been forwarded originally by a branch 01' thcAVomen’s Division in the \\'aihalo. They did not ask that. children the prohibited entirely from the mill;— ing shed, but that they should be pro—hibited from being regularly employed in sheds. They did not want to be ridiculous in the matter, but they did want it to be made illegal that children be em—ployed regularly in the milking sheds. Other speakers in favour of the remit stated that children were going to school absolutely exhausted because of the several hours they had already spent in the milking shed in the early hours or the morning. Upposition was voiced by other speakers who stated that farmers would be subject to in—terference from Government inspectors. “I believe. this remit is making us absolutely ridiculous, and I will cppose it lock, stock and barrel," com—mented Mr F. stead, of Pokeno, when expressing his rigorous opposition to the remit. Obstacle to Progress. “It‘ at this late hour we are prepared to place obstacles in the way of a remit such as this we are only impeding inevitable progress," declared .\lr J. J. Shine, of Putaruru. In stress‘ing that the health of the children tutu-st be considered of paramount im‘portance, the speaker appealed to the meeting to remove the present stigma ‘from their industry and to give the children of the country better condi—tions. “ The present position is positively scandalous," stated Mr F. G. Roberts, ot‘ Te Kowhai. There had been much talk about inspectors interfering on the farm, but he would remind the meeting that inspectors were allowed into factories and why should they not be allowed onto farms? In many cases share—milkers were working children long hours in the milking shed and to his mind this was a radically wrong principle. Walkato Oompllmented. In complimenting the Walk-ate on unanimously passing the remit, Mr A. E. Robinson agreed with other speakers that the wording,r of the remit Could be altered to advantage. He would. therefore, give notice to more that branches of the Farmers‘ Union report to the Child Welfare Otlicer when cases of ill-treatment came under their notice. In replying to the argumenés against the remit, .\lr Ziman said that for the past five year-s “milk and water" resolutions had been passed at similar conferences. The position was a blot on the dairying industry and the conference should he prepared to do away with the present abuses of the employment of children in the milking sheds. “ You have it, in your hands to remove this blot on our industry.” continued Mr Ziman." How can we ex—pect tle townspeople to help farmers who exist. by the forced labour of their wives and children?“ Finally an amendment made by Mr H. E. Hewlett, Whangarei, and sec—onded by Mr A. \Viblin, Hukerenui. that “we call attention to the serious disabilities which many children on dairy farms suffer through over-work. and urge the Government to alter the economic conditions which render this inevitable," was carried by 40 votes to 32. Mr Robinson‘s motion was lost.