FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 March 1916, Page 2

FARM AND DAIRY.

NOTES. \ The agreement come to for two years in the conference between the dairy representatives and their employees at provides that the hours of worK in the butter factories shall not exceed 00 per week, and in the cheese factories 70. The rates of wages have been fixed as follows:—Butter factories —First assistant, .£3 os; second assist•ant, £3; third assistant, £2 15s; casual ■hands, £2 10s; engine driver (second certificate), £3 ss. Where only two adult workers are employed the wages shall be:—First assistant, £3 per weqk; second, £2 las; casuals, £2 10s. CheeSe factories—The schedule of wages at cheese factories where only one adult worker is employed other than the manager shall be £2 15s. Where two are employed: First assistant, £2 15s; second assistant, £2 10s; where only three are employed, first £2 17s, second £2 15s; third £2 10s; where five are employed, first £3 2s fid, second £3, third £2 17 8 Cd, fourth £2 15s, fifth £2 10a. Speaking to a Christchurch Star reporter, a leading Ellesmere farmer expressed the opinion that the Government Statistician's estimate of the current season's wheat yield—2l.B!) bushels per acre—was absurdly optimistic, and at least 30 per cent., above what would be gathered. In his own district, which had a reputation for its wheat, the yield would probably not e.vceed. an average of ten or twelve bushels. There were isolated cases of small paddocks yielding forty bushels and even more, but tho areas were, insignificant, and it would take many of these to pull up the average, since in numerous instances the returns did not exceed four bushels per acre. His own wheat crops, although perhaps above the average, were poor indeed compared with those of normal years, their inferiority being shown by the fact that the threshing—the. mills working at per hour in consequence of of the small returns—cost him Od per bushel. The theshing returns provided the only reliable data, and he felt convinced that when these were available they would reveal yields much below those given in the Government estimate. Instead of there being a considerable surplus, as shown by the Government Statistician, .he. was 'firmly convinced that there would be an actual shortage.