THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

King Country Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 35, 21 June 1907, Page 3

THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

The following is a copy of a circular letter, addressed by Mr Wesley Spragg, managing director- of the New Zealand Dairy Association, to all persons concerned: —

I think I ought to at once advise you that while considering the published demands of the Canterbury Employees' Union, and the prospects of a similiar union being formed in our own district, we have thought that the hurtful operations of such unions may be greatly reduced by the adoption by dairy companies of the contract system, instead of the present wages plan. This system will, we think, be more useful in the case of companies which have a number of contributing creameries. Creamery work, where one or at the most two persons are employed, especially lends itself to being done by contract. Some of the more definite operations of the butter factory may also be specified so as to be let on contract. The advantage of this would be that all work so let would be outside the influence of industrial unions. You will doubtless appreciate the safeguard which this proposal would supply. The contract system would provide for the worker's remuneration being fixed upon his own tender to perform the work. Laws either at present existing, or which may be introduced, would not touch this manner of conducting the business, provided that bona fide contracts for specified work were entered into. You will understand that contracts would require to be in contradistinction to an arrangement for " piece work. " This latter you will remember, comes under the jurisdiction of the Arbitration Court.

I think there need not be any question as to whether there would be healthy competition in tendering. My own experience leads me to suppose, that at present it would be possible to find an abundance of ordinary qualified persons who would be willing to specify the remuneration which they would accept for the performance of creamery duties. My purpose is that each of the dairyicompanies concerned, shall draft in detail, suggested specifications and agreements. These might be sent to Mr Harkness, secretary of the National Dairy Association, for him to combine the best or most useful portions into the draft. The latter could be sent for the guidance of all dairy companies each of which could again revise the draft so as to make it fit their particular case and circumstances. Possibly it would be well in preparing specifications, to have alternative proposals, one of which should include the supply of fuel, and all other creamery requisites such as oils, washing materials, etc., also cartage of cream, maintenance of property, and any other matter which it is thought fit to include. As far as we are concerned, we shall desire to give our present employees the fullest fair opportunity to continue at their work. We have no quarrel with them nor they with us, nor do we expect to have. Our chief anxiety is to keep out of the hands of professional labour agitators, whose positions and emoluments must to a large extent depend upon their ability to keep things in a condition of ferment.

I shall be glad of your early acknowledgment of this letter, and your opinion respecting the proposals. I think care ought to be exercised at the present juncture, so that there might be a reasonable unanimity in the action of the dairy companies. I think we ought also to let it be emphasized that we have no quarrel whatever with our men and that we are willing to meet them fairly, while at the same time we are safeguarding the interests of the people who are carrying the heavy end of the burden of the industry, that is the dairy farmers, and especially the smaller ones. I learn that the agitation, both in the South Island, and as far as it has yet made way in the Auckland district, has only affected a very small proportion of the dairy employees, probably not, I understand, amounting to three per cent, of all persons employed in the industry. Many of the rest are anxious that the excellent relationship between employers and employees shall not be interfered with, but, as you are aware, seven persons in a district can form a union and force the position, even in opposition to the general wish to the contrary. It is this which makes it desirable that we shall forthwith consider the proposals which I have, or such others as may have been suggested. Awaiting the favor of an early reply.