POSITION OF SHAREMILKERS

Chronicle (Levin), 1 June 1946, Page 5

POSITION OF SHAREMILKERS

WELLINGTON, Alay 3H J n a statement issued today, the acting Minister of Labour, llon. J. O'Brien, intimated that tlie Goveniment had given serious consideration to representations which had been made to it regarding the position of sliare milkeis throughout New Zealand. Goucerning tlie fiftv-lifly sliareiuilkers, although tlie Court of Arbitration had rei-onimended to him that agreements entered into by this class of shareinilker should be brouglit witliin the provisions of tlie Sluiremilking Agreelueuts Act, it was realised tliis was something that could not .be done withont full considera.iou of all aspeets of the muller. ' He tlierefoie suggesteu that representatives of the iifty-iiftv sliareiuilkers and tlie Sharemilker Employers' Association, should meet together in conference as had been arranged prior to tlie subinission to tlie Court of the preliminary point as to whether this class of agreement should Iie brought under the Sharemilking Agreements Act. He gave the assurance of the Government that 110 standard terms and conditions that might be Jaid down as a result of sucli a conference, would be applied to any agreemeiits previously entered into with the (iftv-fifty sliareiuilkers for the coming season, uuless representatives of tlie parties at such conference were agreeable to this being done. \ In regard to the position of sharemilkers whose eiuplovers provide herds, the Minister said tlie . sinai 1 increases recommended by the Court appeared to liini to be reasonable, particularlv in view of the fact that the Court had tlie advantage of hearing evidence and arguments from both sides on the matter, but he would like further discussions. with the parties on the other recommendations that had been made to him by the Court.