Lump Sum Payments

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 51, 1 June 1948, Page 5

Lump Sum Payments

More Opposition From Dairying Interests

Presenting the second annual report of the Dairy Section of Federated Farmers of New Zealand (Auckland Province) Inc. at the Auckland provincial conference recently, the chairman, Mr R. J. Glasgow, said that, although representation of the Dominion Council had not been equal to that justified by membership, the Province’s views had had considerable weight in all matters considered and dealt with.' When the Dairy Industry (advisory to the Dairy Board) would probably consist of the Dairy Board members, three members from the Dairy Section of Federated Farmers, two fi'om the National Dairy Federation, one from the Town Milk Producers’ Federation, an one co-opted member.

There had been two meetings of the Dairy Industry Council called for the purpose of dealing with the prices necessary this year to be paid to make provision for ascertained increases in. costs, in accordance with Government policy. Costs were previously met by way of subsidy. The total increase for the present year is 2.516 d and if is made up of 0.52 d for labour reward, and 1.996 d for farm working and maintenance costs. The increase in the labour reward provides for an additional 5/0d per week adult male unit farm labour, and the total labour reward equivalent in farm workers’ wages, including the allowance for board and lodging then becomes £5 15s per week, to which must be added 16/6 allowance for work done at week-ends and holidays. Of the increase of 1.996 d in farm working and maintenance costs, the largest factor arises from the passing into price of fertiliser subsidies for which there is an allowance of 1.54 d per pound of butterfat. This, on 12,000 pounds of butterfat, provided an additional allowance for fertiliser of £77, and it was considered by representatives that that increases reasonably met the position. “With regard to next year’s prices, which have yet to be fixed,” said Mr Glasgow, “representatives of the Dairy Produce Marketing Commission are now in England for the purpose of discussion with the representatives of the United Kingdom Government, and because of the apparent wide disparity in prices that Britain is paying for like goods from other sources, notably the contract of 40,000 tons of butter from Denmark, at 321/6d and 22,000 tons of cheese from Canada at 170/od, compared with our price of 205/0d for butter and 118/0d for cheese, it can b 6 reasonably expected that every endeavour will be made to bring these prices more into line.” “There has been some talk of associating lump sum payments either previous to or in conjunction with the above discussions, and any move in this direction will be bitterly resented and combatted by our organisation.”