SEASONAL LABOUR

Waikato Times, Volume 129, Issue 21583, 20 November 1941, Page 6

SEASONAL LABOUR

STUDENTS ORGANISED ASSISTANCE FOR FARMERS The State Placement Service is this season undertaking a scheme for the placement of schoolboys and university students in ordinary as well as purely seasonal farm jobs. This will interest many farmers throughx out the country who are struggling . along with insufficient labour to carry „ out satisfactorily routine farm duties, and who look forward appre- . hensively to the approach of the 3 cropping and harvesting season. Placement officers and the secre- ? taries of Government Youth Centres , (juvenile vocational guidance and employment offices located in the four main centres) are already well ahead with the work of compiling a register of schoolboys and university students who will become available i/r farm work from the middle of December onwards in the cases of schoolboys, and from early November onwards in the cases of university students. » Officers Visit Schools Schools are being visited by placej ment officers and Youth Centre sec- ; 1 retaries and the boys are being ad- | dressed on the subject of vacational ! j farm work. Widespread enthusiasm , | to assist the Dominion in its war efi fort is evinced among schoolboys, ! placement officers report, and as far [ ! as university students are concerned i | the student association executives at | each of the university colleges have j done good work in enrolling interestied students and sending the enrol- ! ment forms on to placement officers. I Farmers wanting the services of t; etiher schoolboys or university stud- ' ents should communicate with their ; nearest placement officer, who will ! take details of the work offering, | starting dates, etc., and then refer . | labour that may be available to the | vacancy or vacancies. Placement ofj fleers will also co-operate with stud- ! ents and farmers in advancing recoverable fares to students going ; | forward to farm positions, j The Controller of Employment is of ! the opinion that the plan to take advantage of university students and schoolboy labour should prove much more valuable to farmers this season than it did last when it was also operated—at least in part. Earlier Start This Year Last year the scheme was late get- | ting under way. The result was that | although 754 schoolboys volunteered I for holiday farm work, farmers em- | ployed only 318 of them. Fifty of ! these boys were placed on sheep farms, 114 on dairy farms, 62 on mixed farms and 92 on properties j where they were performing purely j seasonal duties. Thus there was a reserve of over 400 schoolboys which | farmers did not call upon. Farmers who engaged boys for the Christmas | vacation last year were generally | warmly appreciative in their comments upon the service given by the | boys. I This season, with the scheme in hand much earlier and extended to • embrace university students, a much i larger number of boys and youths should become available. Furtherj more, the labour position on farms i since last season has under war conditions certainly not become any ; easier, # and if farmers get into touch | early with placement officers and give j some idea of their needs the scheme | should be much more effective this j season than was possible last season.