DAIRY FACTORY WAGES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 48, 19 November 1937, Page 9

DAIRY FACTORY WAGES

— Press Association.)

"Industry Unable t© Meet Workers' Demands" EMPLOYERS^ CASE

(By Telegraph-

1 AUCKLAND, Last Night.Further evidence was called to-dav by Mr. W. E, Anderson, secretary of ■the Employers' Association in connection with the dairy workers' application for a Dominion award. Eorbes Herbert Anderson, director of the Cambridge Dairy Factory, and • chairman of the Auckland Dairy Employers' Association, said the demands of the union were assessed at approximately £10,000,000. At preaent the employing farmer had allotted to him under the guaranteed price an average income of £4 weekly plus a free house. That was not the guaranteed income, but could be attained only under favourable conditions by working long houra. Compared with the present position of a iirsfc assistant in a factory with a wage of £5 3s- 6d the dairy farmer was not so favourably situated. The dairy farmers' reward under th© guaranteed prices was what remained after meeting maintenance and interest charges on the farm aiid any increase in costs, whether wages or not, had not to come out of that reward. "We submit that the dairy industry is unable to meet the increased demands," said witness, "and cannot sea why it should have to considering the Government has collaborated in fixing the wages of farta employces for this season at £2 5s, plus 17s 6d, making £ 2s Cd weekly for employees quite as capable as general hands in dairy factories. ' ' "I am not going to taka any notice tof this guaranteed price or negotiations between the farmer and the Government," said Mr. J. Eoberts on rising to cross-examine. After lengthy questions about costs, Mr. Eoberts asked whether the wages paid to factory hands over the year were less than the basie wage. "I suppose they are," xeplied witness. Herbert Edward Pacey, managing director of Glaso Laboratories (N.Z.) Limited and chairman of directors of the New Zealand Casein Company, Limited, erpressed the opinion that the Court should consider the precarious position of the casein industry. "Beturns to producers from this source have in the past varied to an abnormal extent. Increased costs of| manufaeturing, the larger differentialj allowed in favour of cheese over butter; and the collapse of the Japanese market will deplete the returns to an extent which will seriously menace the fcasein industry," witness added. He said the German market had also de« .'clined to a marked degree. "There are in New Zealandi to-day 35 casein precipitation stations," witness con-tinued. "I say with a full aense of responsibility that, if the* present demands are acceded to, many of these will cease casein precipitation; indeed, even on to-day's wages costs some of theso factories will be confronted with difficulty." Witness said the present system of classification worked admirably. It had been in operation for many years, and he saw no reason for it being altered,. __ __