THE BUTTER PRODUCER AND HIS CRITICS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 8, 5 October 1920, Page 7

THE BUTTER PRODUCER AND HIS CRITICS

——<► (To the' Editor.)' Sir.-.Butter ia the' nil-absorbing topic in this country at the moment, and I observe that the Parliamentary committee requires anofher week to consider this all-important question, which ft dairyman summed up in. a few words by telling the committee that if the townsmen would only work another hour a day they could well afford to' butter their bread on both sides, and pay merchantable price for it. If the pushful lady who is so much in evidence beforo the committee would only exohango places for a day with oiw of her sisters in the milking sheds she would ceaso urging the townsfolk to sponge upon these hardworked and uncomplaining women, who as a rule aro far happier and more contented with their lot in the country than the "hardy climbers" .in town, who regardless of theft - circumstances, want to appear a shade better than their neighbour over the fence, and lack the spirit of independence of their sisters in the country. Much money is being spent in this Dominion in teaching the children tho three E.'s. Let our now Minister of Education try to teach the grown ups the three I.'s, viz., industry, independence, and. inexpensive habits, and employ sandwich men, if necessary, about the wharves and coal mines, and most Government works, with the well-known text exhibited back and front, which they all appear to have forgotten: "Tho hand of thVindustrious make'th rich."—l am, etc., DAIBY FAKMER. Sir.—l notice in your issue of September 27 a letter regarding butter and cheese factory employees, and fully endorse tho Ternaries oi( "Buttermaker." There is no trade that pays such low wages, as reference to 'advertisements for factory hands will bear out that Fancy afcking a man to do any sort of labour in o%' other trade for a week, and tho most they are paid is about M. Taking a week at 70 hours the .£3 ft week man is getting less than one shilling an hour, and the £i a week man only just about that. It is not fair to any man to be asked to work for that. True, we, get a fortnight's holiday pay, but that is only if we aro employed tne wholo season of about nine months. Anything under nino months is taken off in proportion, so that tho last men that go on in the factories get nothing. It is high time something was done, arid tho sooner tho better for the farmor himself, Thoy do not care one straw what happens to us In tho winter months while the factory is plosed, and thoy mo beginning to wonder why there is a shortage of factory hands. Butter-fat has increased over ISO per cent, since 1914—wages have increased about 25 per cent. They will wait until they have another big union to fight, and then perhaps they will learn that they cannot expect men nowadays to work on a miserable shilling an h>ur.—l am, etc., CHEESEMAKER.