FARM LABOUR

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21178, 30 July 1940, Page 10

FARM LABOUR

MARRIED AND SINGLE EXPERIENCED MEN WAITING REFERENCE OF EMPLOYERS (By Telegraph.—Special to Times) WELLINGTON, Monday “ There is still a large number of experienced farm workers awaiting engagement/’ said the Minister of Labour, the Hon. P. C. Webb, today. Apart from nearly 1500 experienced men enrolled w ith the State Placement Service, there were'nearly 1750 experienced workers employed on various State works who were ready to transfer to farm jobs as soon as required. More than 1600 inexperienced State employees were also available if wanted. Mr Webb emphasised the advantages attached to engaging married men. He said there was a marked tendency on the part of farmers to apply for young, single, inexperienced men, whose wages could be subsidised under the 4F subsidy scheme. Already in July 135 men had been placed under this scheme, and the bulk of them had been young and single, a type that was becoming much more difficult to provide. More Married Men On the other hand, departmental statistics showed that at July 19 there were available 2213 experienced and 2438 inexperienced married men. Taking into account State employees who had volunteered for farm work, there were also 969 single experienced men available at the same date, but a large proportion of them lived in the South Island, where the demand was not yet so great. In urging farmers to take the single or married experienced men whereever possible, Mr Webb said that many of the married men, both experienced, were prepared, with the accommodation allowance being paid by the Government, to go on farms without their families and be regarded from the point of view of farmers as single employees. The Minister added that since the beginning of July the Placement Service had filled 438 farm positions, and 42 of the men placed had been State employees.