§ 18. Mr. Hiltonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why it is proposed to increase the number of the non-industrial staff and to reduce the number of the industrial staff employed by the Forestry Commission in the financial year 1962–63; and if he will make a statement as to his future employment policy of employees in these two categories.
§ Mr. SoamesThe proposed increase in the non-industrial staff is I per cent. and consists almost entirely of additional foresters. These are required to deal with an increase in the acreage under plantations. The reduction in the directly-employed industrial labour force reflects a trend which has been going on for some years due to improved techniques, mechanisation and greater productivity.
As the total acreage increases, the management of the Commission's plantations will require small increases in non-industrial supervisory staff. As the volume of timber put on the market increases, the total employment in forestry as a whole will rise, but since it is the Commission's policy to sell as much of its timber standing as practicable, there is unlikely to be a corresponding increase in the numbers of its industrial staff.
§ Mr. HiltonIs the Minister aware that the growing practice of taking work from regular forestry workers and giving it to private contractors is causing not only grave concern but also redundancy in certain forestry areas? These men have a splendid record of work. They live in the Commission's houses, often in very remote areas, and they deserve better treatment than this. If 15 there is any extra money to be earned, the men employed by the Commission should certainly be entitled to it. Will the Minister give this matter serious consideration, otherwise I can see him having on his hands forestry houses stuck in the middle of forests with nobody in them.
§ Mr. SoamesI look to the Forestry Commission to run its enterprise in as economic a fashion as it possibly can. It has decided to sell as much of the timber standing as is practicable. It regards that as the most economic way to do it.