Student Labour

With the drain on labour available for seasonal work caused by the war, the employment of students in the long vacation has become sufficiently important to warrant an attempt at organisation. Last year the position regarding supply of labour for seasonal work was acute, and with every change of its being worse this year, the labour division of the department of manpower has approached N.Z.U.S.A. for co-operation in making an enquiry into available student labour. It is hoped that if there are sufficient students free and willing to do seasonal work over the vacation, some organisation might be undertaken in getting such students into jobs.

Otago University made preliminary investigations and the possibilities of the scheme were discussed with the Otago branch of the National Council of Primary Producers. The outcome is a questionnaire which students will be asked to fill in shortly to investigate the numbers available and the employment desired. Following on this it is hoped that a register of country and city work of different kinds might be made for the use of students so that they can find the job they want where they want it.

This scheme will provide an opportunity for all students to earn some good money in the vacation. At the same time we will be doing a valuable job of work. It is important that the country's primary produce should be made available for export as soon as posible. The seasonal nature of much of the work to be done in achieving this creates a serious embarrassment in the labour market during the few months of the summer. Now, with so many of our seasonal workers doing an even more important job elsewhere, all students who give a hand for a few weeks during the vacation will be doing a national service. Think about it then and if you can handle a bale-hook or drive a hay rake be in to help the country and earn some money.

—W.