THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2789, 25 September 1924, Page 3

THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

FLAX CUTTERS’ WAGES.

AN APPEAL TO THE ARBITRATION COURT.

At a sitting of the Arbitration Court at Palmerston N. on Tuesday, before Mr Justice Frazer, the flax millers appealed against the recent adjudication of the inspector of factories at Palmerston North (Mr J. Lowden) who had fixed the rate of-wages for the men employed at side leaf cutting at 16/7$ per ton. With His Honour on the bench were Messrs Hiram Hunter (representing the workers) and W. Scott (representing the employers). Mr B. L. Hammond conducted the case for the millers, while the interests of the employees were watched 1 v Mr A. L. Monteith, M.P. Mr Hammond explained (hat the parties were'governed by an a ward which came into force in 1015, and under which the rate of wages was fixed from time to time. It was provided that if any new machinery was introduced or any new methods adopted, the rate of pay for the work should be reached bv mutual agreement, and failing this, the inspector of factories should be called upon to adjudicate. A demand had been made by the men for £1 per ton for flax cut under the sideleaf method, the parties had failed agree and the matter had accordingly been referred to the inspector of factories, who had made the rate 16/7$ per ton, and it was this rate against which the appeal had been lodged. Mr Hammond proceeded to compare the old method with the sideleaf process of cutting and said that under the old way the flax could be cut only once in four years. The rate fixed for this cutting had been 5/- per ton and was raised during the war to 7/- per ton, this figure remaining at the present time. Abont two years ago the industry suffered severely from a general depression in the market, as well as the ravages of the yellow leaf disease, as a result of which many millers were forced to cease operations for some time. This led to serious consideration of proposals for improving the industry generally by the application of more scientific methods of cultivation and cutting. The adojjtion of the side-leaf*cut-ting was the outcome. It was submitted, "Mr Hammond' continued, the rate was quite too high and it was the hope of the appellants that the Court would take a more logical view of the whole question, and revise the figure fixed by the inspector of factories. Evidence on behalf of the millers was given by Alfred Seifert, managing director of A. and L. Seifert, Ltd., who detailed at length the effect on the industry of the introduction of the side-leaf method of cutting flax and although he recognised that more satisfactory results could be obtained, the cost of the method induced him to abandon it, though recognising the benefit of the innovation.

Prom tests lie liad carried out over an area of 100 acres of ground, witness gave extensive details of the yield and the profit derived. Under the old method the computation had been based on 5/- per ton, and this revealed a profit of £OO7, while un- % der the side-leaf process, assuming that the rate of 16/7$ was to be paid, the profit was reduced to £473. Exactly similar conditions had prevailed in each instance, and the same kind of ground had been used in the production. MARKETS GOVERN WAGES. - Witness in response to Mr Hammond, traced his own efforts in the improvement of the industry by experimenting with the side-leaf cutting, and said that the prices he paid were governed by the fluctuation of the market prices. Por nine years the company had endeavoured to give the employees the benefit of any appreciable increase in the price of the prdouct, and taking it all-in-all it had been quite satisfied with the labour. He was quite aware that other millers were standing aside and awaiting the results of his experiments before taking up the system themselves. If he received no alteration in the rate from the Court the quetion which he had to consider was whether he could carry on. Unless the rate remained in the vicinity of 16/- at the highest, there would be very little flax cut by side leaf. In some cases the flax had been cut by side-leaf at intervals of seven months and nine months, but this did not establish as a fact, the assumption that this could be dbne successfully year after year. Herbert Albert Seifert, son of the previous witness, in charge of the operations of the mills at Miranui, gave evidence of the experience of men in certain gangs on dating work. Many, he said, were so prejudiced at the introduction of the side-leaf process that rather than \ adapt themselves to it, they left the job altogether. Some of the men who remained were now making much more than they had been making under old conditions, fhe price paid for cutting had ranged from lbs ■ to 19/- per ton, and the men averaged live tons per week. The new method was easier on the men, and any man should have no difficulty in securing the average output, in | some cases young boys were seeur- * ing wages almost as high as some of the men. As for the extra work involved in the side-leaf cutting, witness was of opinion that if developed properly, the flax employees in the Manawatu would be increased from 400 to 1,400. The Court indicated that it would narrow the issue to fixing the rate for cutting first-class flax by men of average competency and this

was agreed to by the representatives of both parties. Roy William Priest, accountant for A. and L. Seferf Ltd., gave comparative figures of the cost, of producing by hook and knife cutting and said that, under the latter system, the price had risen by 100 per cent.

Alexander Ross, flaxmiller, of Foxton, produced records of the operations of a gang of cutters on both hook and side-leaf methods, and said he was forced to revert to the hook method as he found that the side-leaf was not a payable proposition. It was shown however that the weekly wages of the men bad risen considerably when they were placed on the knife, for which they were paid 17/- per ton; while on the old method 7/- per ton was given. Witness found that the rate which could be paid for knife cutting in order io keep the. weekly earnings of the men on the same level as under the old system was 15/- per ton. Reginald Theodore Bell, flaxmiller, of Palmerston N., related his experience in the side-leaf experiments and said that when he gave his men .the option of cutting with the hook at 7/6 per ton or on sideloaf at 17/-, twelve out of fifteen men adopted the latter course. This having concluded the case for the appellant millers, Mr Monteith addressed the Court, stressing the fact that both parties had agreed upon certain figures relative to the production, cutting and milling of flax, which were submitted to Hie inspector, upon which to base his computations when assessing the wages. He submitted that the millers should have given the Inspector’s rate a fair trial before any action in the way of a reduction should have been taken. He expressed that on account of the flax being cut once a year hv side-leaf as against once every four years under the hook, the. yield was 100 per cent greater. Whereas with the hook, they received 27 tons of green leaf in ever5 7 four-yearly cut, with the knife they could gel 13 tons of leaf every year, or 52 tons every four years. Then, allowing for the increased cost of production, he submitted that while the yield was 100 per cent, greater the profit would be at least 16$ per cent greater than under the old method of hook euttng over a period of four years. The employees, he assured the Court, were asking only for a rate which would be the equivalent of what had been received when they worked with the hook.

Percy Tucker Robinson, secretary of the Flaxmill Workers’ Union. testified to lengthy lists of figures, which he sad, had not been objected to by the employers when they had been presented to them at a previous conference, and later when handed to the Inspector. The high wages received by one particular man who had been quoted, was explained by his working exceptionally long hours. Witness quoted figures to show that the earnings of certain men over a given period, working in the same swamp and under the respective methods of culling were with but two exceptions, more under the hook method than under the knife or side-leaf cutting. This concluded the case for the men and Mr Hammond submitted that as the figures and tallies given by both parties comprised such a hopeless tangle, the matter should be held in abeyance for some time till proper and accurate tallies over a given period could be presented. His Honour agreed that both sides should commence taking tallies at the same time, and should agree upon the method to be adopted. Mr Monteith did not agree to an adjournment. The Court reserved its decision, His Honour remarking that a difficult task lay ahead “I am glad,” he remarked humorously, “that both Mr Hammond and Mr Monteith sympathise with each other and I hope they both sympathise with the Court.”

It was unfortunate, His Honour added, that tallies had not been taken by both parties under the same conditions, and he commended the action of the inspector for having the courage to adjudicate iu the matter. .