Manawatu Herald TUESDAY, JULY 17,1928. UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3819, 17 July 1928, Page 2

Manawatu Herald TUESDAY, JULY 17,1928. UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE HEMP INDUSTRY.

IT is very unfortunate that some temporary working arrangement has not been arrived at between the fiaxmillers and employees in order to keep the mills going and relieve unemployment. A large number of men, many of them with wives and families to support are idle, while the millers are burdened with interest charges and other overhead expenses which are mounting up. Because the mills are idle it is foolish to imagine that expenses automatically cease. Apart from this, however, the low market prices for hemp have been in favour of buyers and many of the millers have had to face serious losses. An offer has been made by the millers to start up provided the employees are prepared to meet the situation by accepting a slightly reduced scale of wages until the market improves. The employees, however, demand the award rate of pay with consequent unemployment. The idle men are thrown into competition with other labour and some of them are accepting work at a lower rate of wages than would obtain if they accepted the millers’ offer. We are of opinion that the men in not accepting what is offered are ill-advised and there is some talk of a meeting among the local men to again confer with the millers and if possible come to a mutually satisfactory arrangement to meet the present situation. It is to be hoped that wise counsels will prevail to relieve present unemployment.