Does Farmer Get His Share Of National Income?

Chronicle (Levin), 25 March 1949, Page 5

Does Farmer Get His Share Of National Income?

WELLINGTON, March 24. The question whether \.age rates. should refleet changes in export prices of primarv produce was discusscd in the Court of Arbitration today when .Mr. . Justice Tyiulrrl 1 was qnestioniny Mr. U. L. AI. .Martin, economic researcli ollicer for Federated Farmers. Gener ally it was onlv fair and reasonalde that if export prices and the general prosperitv of tlie countrv increa.-ed so should the standard of living of every one in the country, .Mr. .Martin said. The trouble was that costs went up in good tiines. but did not come down r omparably in bad times. His llonour said that despite the in fluence of the change in the exehange rate last year the export price indcx had inereased by 82 per cent sinee 193.H In the same period minirnum wage rates had inereased by onlv 44. per cent though it might be that award rates had lagged bt liind actual rates. I)o you think the farmer is recoiving a fair share of the national income l his Honour aslced. " Yes I tliink he is, " Mr. Martin I answered. He thought most' sections ot ) the community were getting a fair share. His Honour: So the status quo is per-

fection? Asked whether the farmer was a cliscontented vvorker, Mr. Martin said he Ihought tlie farmer was comparati vely happy compared with other periods, though there were still injustices he would lilce to remedv. Comparati vetv. the farmer was receiving a fair share of tlie national income, Mr. Martin added.

His Honour: Tlie status quo is satisfaetorv from the farmers' point ot view, but farmers would oppose any furthor increase in wages? Alr. Alartin: I have not said that a slight increase in wages could be absorbod by the farming community.