§ 30. Mr. T. WILLIAMSasked the Minister of Agriculture how many rural workers were unemployed on the latest date for which figures are available?
Mr. GUINNESSNo statistics are available of the number of agricultural workers unemployed, but the information obtained by officers of the Ministry in various parts of the country suggests that unemployment amongst regular workers is practically negligible, and that such casual workers as may have been unemployed during the past winter are now being largely absorbed by work on spring cultivation.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSAre we to understand that there is a fairly considerable number of part-time rural workers who are pretty well constantly in and out of work?
Mr. GUINNESSOh, yes; we publish the figures, as far as we are able to assess them, in the annual Agricultural Return.