THE FARM INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 500, 6 May 1909, Page 8

THE FARM INDUSTRY

DAIRY WORKERS' DISPUTE, : 'SUMMARY OF NEW AWARD! POSITION OF THE INDUSTRY. Following are the chief provisions inthe award in connection with the dispute between tho Wellington Butter Creamery and Oiecso Factories employees and tho employers:— Hours ancf Wages. Tho hours of work in butter and cheese factories shall not exceed seventy per week of seven days, exclusive of meal hours. _ln creameries the hours shall : bo arranged between tho.' employers and their workers. Overtime shall bo paid for at the xato of timeand -a quarter for 'the first four hours and thereafter at the rato of timo and a hair. Tho minimum rates of wages for workers ror workers in butter and cheese factories shall be:—(a) Where only ono adult, other than manager is employed, ho shall receive not less than 40s. per week, with free sleeping ■accommodation; (b) where two workers in addition to manager, the first- assistant to get 455. and second assistant 405., both with free sleeping accommodation; (c) whero threb or more assistants other than manager, nrst assistant, to receive 505., ■ second 455.,- tnird, 405., all with free sleeping accommodation; other hands, not including youths, 3rs. ou., with free sleeping accommodation; engmodriver, where first-class certificate is required, (SOs.; creamery managers, not less than 40s. per week, with firewood, milk,, and suitable living accommodation. Youths over sixteen may bo employed in factories at -not less than ■the following rates:—From sixteen >o eighteen, 20s. per week; from eighteen to twenty, 30s. per week, worker .who shall havo worked for not less than eight months during the" same- year for the. same employers ■ shall receive fourteen days, ..'noliday on,full pay; other workers in proportion to length of service, which must, however, 'exceed two months. A bathroom for the uso of workers shall be provided at all butter and cheese factories where two or more workers aro employed. Piece-work shall not be allowed. Employers shall bo entitled to havo all or any part of their work- done by contract, but sub-contractors must observe conditions of award. ,No employer, shall discriminate, against any member of tho.,union, nor shall any employer in .the conduct of-his inisincss 'dp, anything directly or indirectly for tho purpose of injuring the tinion. The award shall como into force on May 31, 1909, and shall continue in force until March 31, 1910.

•;;. ■:. Produce Prlcos Not Inflated^ "It was .contended on behalf of tho employers," observed the/Court in,* a memorandum, '-'that tho present, caso was one in which-.the Court should, refuse to make an award. Evidence was called to prove that inflated prices had been obtained, in recent years for .dairy products, with the result that prices out'of all-'proportion , to real value !,ad been paid for lands-purchased in recent years for dairying: purposes.'? J Most of tho .dairy factories belong really to tho dairy farmers ip the districts, where they are situated.. As, in" view of experts it is certain that reduced prices will be obtained in the future for dairy products, and that land values must suffer- a serious reduction in consequence, it was claimed that the owneTS of dairy factories, "should be left with a.fre^hand with;, regard to wages and other conditions. ; There would have been some reason, for this claim if-it 'had'boon proved that extravagant wages had been paid in the past to the workers employed in these "factories.." 'Nothing of the 'sort, bow-, over, was proved, and it cannot bo said that wages suffered any undue inflation in sympathy with dairy, •products-: and land: :

■;': '■'.■ A Fair Thing. , f 1 ' "If nothing moro than fair : wages ! havo been ; paid in tho past, it .is not. reasonable to.ask that-factory owner's'should .be free- to reduce them ■ merely • because; a.- number of farmers havo been. so .unwise as; to', pay : ex-trayaga-ntly.highpriees for dairying land. Mr. >Pryor, who appeared -for, tho employersj , in--.dignantly. repudiated thef suggestion, that his amounted 1 to'sayingthat the- employers desired to bo at 1 liberty,.if ito sweat: the workers.-< in. tho factories. If, h'ow6vor',"thoy .'have paid only fair wages-'m ■the past.and do not desirb to payanything less m tho future, why should they, object to an 'award' 1 which '.'will not oblige them to do morothan.tliat?'. Employers in.Taranaki and Canterbury-havo ■recognised tho necessity for regulation by; respectively entering into an industrial agreement. ' '■ ■ ■ ... ■ "We think," continued the Court, "that novalid reason has , been adduced for .refusing to make an award in tho present case. In view, however, of the present state.of tho industry, there should not ,00 any alteration in the pror sent conditions,-and tho rates- of wages .fixed '■by the;.. award,. aro.v: those; , offered •■'by..^'tho j '6mployerßJi/. : ..Tith|;.'V)nly/-'-- i one;'.;';-in6dificfitipny. ' viz.-, -in thV case, of .-.hands -other Hhan thoso : specifically mentioned;. The-employers offered 35.5. per weekias" ■a ■: ■ minimum .'for.' those workers, and tho'Court hiid.fixed ,the,min!•jnu'ra at 37e/6di' per- weekri'Tho."rates fixed, by the award represent, about the average'of; tho wages now paid : in the. factories, and are. less than those payable under tho industrial;! agreement in' Taranaki;. ■'-.-' :: . ",'.■;-.. Why Seventy Hours Per Weak Were Fixed. • "The employers asked , that, if an" award were made, no limitation should be imposed as to the number of hours to bo worked. Wo ,aro satisfied -that not. less than- ten hours per -day' are necessary for the' daily 'work in -cheeso factories in the busy 'oart of. the season. •■ The hours aro| fixed- at ten por. "day. by i the Taranaki agreement,' but, even this restrictiori'according to tho evidence of Mr. Siugletoii,. Government Dairy Instructor, led to hasty work, and deterioration in the quality of-the cheeso produced. In order .to give greater.latitude wo-have fixed the hours.at seventy-:per week. ..This we think ought toenablo the work to be, dono without increased expenditure in the shape of payment of overtime.- The timo required for the daily work in butter factories is less than that in cheeso factories, but as some factories manufacture cheese- at one time and butter at the Court has decided not to mako any distinction between the two classes ,of factories. Tboi Canterbury award, which does not include cheeso factories;, fixes tho , hours of work at fifty-two per week during sis months of the-year, and iorty r four during the'remainder of the: year." :■' - . ■

DAIRY SCHOOLS. Those wlio were confidently expecting, before tho present .retrenchment began, that New Zealand would soon possess a dairy school, will do-glad to learn from Mr. Alexander (Professor Lowrio'.s successor at Lincoln College) what Ireland has done in that direction. ' Mr. Alexander states that two dairy schools for girls, at Cork and Cooksr town, are very popular. So warm is the enthusiasm that the Cork school has its admission., books full over three years ahead,, while' at Cookstown, founded about eighteen months p.go, ,tlie number of the chosen applicants was sufficient for two years. The popularity of those. schools is partly attributed to the fact that domestic economy is part of' tho curriculum. Girl students representing all classes of society : are in attendance. Tho course is a short one—six weeks —but the very promising students may take- a second, and even' a fourth •term. The dairying industry in Ireland has gouo ahead with, leaps and bounds since 1892, wHcn tho co-operativo system ousted the proprietary concerns. ... ' • PROFESSOR LOWRIE'S SUCCESSOR; "'. Professor Alexander, Vrho is succeeding Professor Lowrio as principal of Lincoln Agricultural Collego, arrived in. by tho Rimutaka from London yesterday morning. He is accompanied by Mrs. Alexander and ono child. They proceeded on to Christchurch last evening. BRANDED MEAT. Among tho matters under consideration recently by", the Parliamentary Committee of tho Central Chamber of Agriciilturo of England was tho promotion of a Bill for tho comI pulsoiy marlung of imported, meat. It was Baid to ho on similar lines to a measure laid before tho Houso of. Coinmoua .lost year.