FARMERS GET THEIR DUES

Chronicle (Levin), 2 October 1947, Page 7

FARMERS GET THEIR DUES

SATISFACTORY FEATUKEb UF NEW PRICE INCREASES WELLINGTON, Oet. 1. One of the niost satisfactory features about the increased price to dairy farmera, was the tangible recognition of the 1'act that workers on dairy farms w*ere eutitled to spceial pavments for work done at weekends and on public hoiidays, similar to those enjoyed by workers in other industrios. Tliis statement was made by Alr. A. J. Binclair, secretary-manager of the Te Awamutu Dairy Company and a inember of the Dairy lndustry Conncil, in an interview. Alr. Binclair said that witli the reasonably satisfactory adjustment on the question of prices, the dairy farmer was now free to conceutrate his wholc efforts in increased production for the Lnited Kingdom. The new season liad oxiened uji well and with favourable climatic conditions there was good prospect of a substantial increase in the exports of butter and clieese. Alr. Binclair added that in the interests of ihe people of Great Britain, an appeal for maximum production could now be made confidently to the dairy fariners of New Zealand. Alr. Binclair said the increased priee to dairy fariners liad been carefully assessed" by the Dairy Products Alarketing Coinuiission. " lt represents, '* he said, ' ' 10s b'd weekly as froni November 1, 1!)1(5. In addition there is a further increase in wages of 5s weekly as from August 1, 1D47, so that dairy farm wages have gone up froni £5 10s 9d to lct) 11s (id. Before making adjustments with their emplovees, however, dairy fariners xnay consider it desirable to nwait the gazetting of rogulations, especiallv as a deeision has

sti'll to be made on the industry's requesl that tlie existing scale of £1 weekly for board aud lodging sliould be reviewed. Where dairy farmers have already becn.paying iu excess of £5 l()s weekly, tliey will be entitled to take tliis- into consideration in making adjustments with their emplovees. The statement by the t'omuiission doos not specihcallv mentiou ihe total increase of 4.£02d per lb. oi butterfat. Iu the guaranteed pricu forinula, the basic payment per lb. of butterfat of the average efficienL liutter t'aclory, is set out for 1940-47 at 21.(575d and tliis now becomes 2 5. 90 7 d. The increases are made up as follow: — Ketrospective payment of 10s Od weekly as froni November 1, 1940, 1.710d; increased labour reward of 5-s weekly as froni August 1, 1947, .52d; additional farm costs allowance covering the cost of reirioval of subsidies on fertilisers. etc.. 1.990d — tolal 4.2l!2d. lncludcd in the new prices to be paid 10 dairy companies tliis season there are allowouces for increased factory costs of .422(1 per lb. butterfat for liutter and .S.'Md per lb. butterfat for c.heese. "After assisting in the negotiations between tlie industry aud coinuiission, [ should like to enipliusise tlie inarked change tliis season in Ihe wholc anproacli to Ihe sotiiewh'at conteiitious subjoct of iucieased costs. When we appeared before tlie eoniniission t Jiyt't} was no lack of questioning by iuenibei;s but it would have been impqsjdb.le for the outsider to tell wlio Ihe Govermuent and industry rpji'rescntulives respectivdy. "Dairy fariners are warncfl not tii.be 100 optimjstic about the increased price. ior 1947-48. When tliev receive their . ertiliser " ahcouuts for' ■an,stance „thqy' will realise jqst .why a e.pi^sidO'i-'Mrii* portion of th-i#" increase has been ■lecessary, but 011 the other hand few dairy fariners will have anv legitiniate excuse for curtailing their fortiliser 0 rdcrs. "For the lirst time a f'air and reasou able eoverage has been given to average efliciont dairy farmers for iuterest " of his eapital iiivestnicnl, farm and factory costs of liiaintenaiice 11m! >labour reward, provided there is no iu sistence that the.se should be calculated 011 the basis of the 40-hour week. The retrospeetive paymeiit will be drawn froni the industry 's slabilisation account but tliis should still show a credit balance not far shart of '67, 000,000. Bo far as the new prices for the curreut season are concerned,

there niay be ccrtuin factors whici uiake it undesirable to press for tinalit,1 in nogoliatiuns with ihe Lnited King doni at tliis stage but dairy farmer.can, reasoiiably anticipate that tluprice to be, paid by tlie 1 nited Kiug dom will cover payinents made to theifor butterfat and nray possibly leave snme - balance lo be added to tin stabilisation account.