GENERAL CONDITIONS IN NEW ZEALAND 63 
of the year, and at these times it is necessary for the 
farmer to increase his hands for a period. Thus in the 
winter and early spring the work of preparing the soil 
and sowing the seed requires many more farm labourers 
than are necessary during the summer. Then again at 
harvesting there is a keen demand for farm labour, for 
the satisfaction of which a large number of casual work- 
ers is necessary. But of recent years all the industries 
of New Zealand which employ such casual labour are in 
full operation at this period of the year. Thus freezing 
works are working up to their maximum efficiency as are 
consequently the transportation industries, which absorb 
much casual labour. The supply of such seasonal labour, 
as is necessary in the case of the wheat industry, is 
always a matter of difficulty, but in New Zealand this 
difficulty is exaggerated by the absorption of much casual 
labour by other more or less ‘‘seasonal’’ industries. 
9. Government Encouragement.* 
Directly and indirectly the State has assisted agriculture 
in New Zealand. The land legislation of the Dominion 
has undoubtedly contributed largely to the development 
of mixed farming, which is probably the most potent 
factor tending to advancement in the rural industries 
and to progress generally. The wheat industry in partic- 
ular has received a measure of encouragement from the 
Government. 
(a) Experimental Farms.—In the first place not a 
little advantage accrues from the growth of experimental 
farms and agricultural colleges, some of which are under 
the direct supervision of the Government, while others 
receive distinct advantages from the State though not 
under direct State control. There are six experimental 
farms in the Dominion, which carry out experiments and 
*See Chapter X. 
