ARBITRATION AWARDS

Hokitika Guardian, 21 May 1931, Page 5

ARBITRATION AWARDS

DIFFICULTIES OF CHEESE -MANUFACTURE.

(JJy Telegraph —Ter Trees Association)

WELLINGTON, May 19

A meeting of dairy producers last, week called attention to the difficulties imposed on the maimln; Hiring side of tho industry through the rigid limit* ation of arbitration award conditions to dairy factory working. Tills point was discussed by the committee of experts whose report on problems in dairy manufacture was recently submitted to the Prime Minister, and considered by the dairy industry conference called last week hy the Minister of Agriculture.

The experts point out that cheesemaking is a biological process, and that the changes which occur in the material depend c:i toe rate of living of bacteria tnat do not adapt themselves to the clauses of any Arbitration Court award with it s limitation of hours of work for the day. The committee framed its opinion on this point in tlie following recommendation.?: (1) Since time taken in cheese manufacture is necessarily limited to a minimum of seven hours, and subject to longer periods beyond the control of the maker, the time of milk delivery to the factory should be. limited to a reasonable time for effectively dealing wjtli the whole supply, and no supplies should he accepted after 9 a. lll

\2) For the same reason, Arbitration awards should make special provision for the impossibility of rigidly adhering to time limits, particularly in small cheese factories, where relief labour cannot easily be arranged. The principle of fixing time limits and paying overtime i s not conducive to careful 'manufacture,