POSITION OF SHAREMILKER

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 32, Issue 3292, 23 July 1943, Page 5

POSITION OF SHAREMILKER

(To the Editor.) Sir,—In the Hauraki Plains Gazette of July 9 you publish an article from the Standard under the title of “Position of Sharemilker,” in which Mr Barclay, Minister of Agriculture, is reported as saying that he considered a return of £742 for the year for three milkers for milking 100 cows left nothing to complain abput. Now I think that this statement made by Mr Barclay is very enlightening. When we consider it in detail, I find that these three workers on the farm receive about the same return for their work as one worker who loads the produce which they produce on to the ■overseas boat.

I also find that , the farm worker’s wage works out not more than 2s per hour with nothing extra, for overtime or Sunday work or holidays. How does this compare with the policy of the Labour Party of which Mr Barclay is a member ? They state that a man is entitled to a good standard of living for 40 hours’ work per week. Taking the . case stated in th* Standard as a basis I find that Mr Barclay’s sharemilker, his wife and son “who he says have nothing to complain about” have worked about three days a week for nothing as the pay they received would be earned in 40 hours (four days at 10 hours per day), leaving three days per week when they were not receiving any pay at all. I also notice that Mr Barclay and

his sharemilker only allowed 60 weeks’ work for the year. I find I have to pay not for 50 weeks* work hut 56 weeks’ work per year on account of the workman’s holiday of one month per year on full pay. It is no wonder the young people of to-daygAre leaving the for/ work in the cities when they are told they have nothing to complain about if they receive a wage of about 2e per hour.—l am, etc., W. H. CHEALE. Awaiti, 19:7:43.