FARM LABOUR.

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20276, 19 August 1937, Page 13

FARM LABOUR.

PROBLEM VERY ACUTE. MR. MCKENZIE’S SUGGESTIONS. “ The labour problem looms largely on the dairyfarmers’ horizon,” said Mr McKenzie. “ Machinery has in many industries almost eliminated manual labour, but with the dairyfarmer it is otherwise. Whilst it is true that tiie milking machine has reduced physical effort in tiie extraction of milk there are very definite limits as to the number of cows that can be handled per labour unit. *' With the introduction of tiie 40hour week and the high -standard rate of wages paid on public works it is not to be wondered at that suitable farm labour has been harder to obtain and retain this season than at any otner period in the Industry’s history. Dairyfarm work is the least popular form of labour In New Zealand, rendered so chiefly by the housing problem. Married farm labour is the onl> solution. “Huge sums are being spent in providing homes for city workers whilst country employees are entirely neglected. The city business man is not called upon to provide housing accommodation for his employees a paternal Government does this, providing money at a very low rate of interest. That the city housing scheme will ultimately result in heavy losses to the country no one with a knowledge of what has taken place in the past will doubt. The average farmer is not in a position to finance decent housing accommodation for married employees.” he adds. “ Tin* duty of the Government is to place him in a position to compete for labour and it can do so withou incurring loss to the country by making money available at the same rate of interest as it is now being made available to the Housing Department, and take an order prior to other interests to cover the repayment of principal and interest. With the prospect of raising families under healthy , conditions men would take on farm i work, for it certainly has some compensations. Single men would not then regard the occupation as one equivalent to taking a vow of celibacy," 1 he concluded.