A STRONG PROTEST.

Wairarapa Age, 8 March 1927, Page 5

A STRONG PROTEST.

AGAINST FREEZING AWARD. ■ MR. POLSON INTERVIEWED. ■ L FARMERS AND THE COURT. WANGANUI, March 7. Mr. W. J. Polson, president of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, when asked his opinion of the new freezing workers’ awasd, said that the worst feature was the pronouncement accompanying the award. Evidently, he added, the uncontradicted evidence of the farmers had no weight with the Court and that the effect of the award upon the fanning industry was a matter of indifference. He had no doubt the lower prices were not merely temporary, as the Court suggested, and the figures this year would he worse than those of last year. In spite of this the Court had planted another £15,000 a year of costs on the backs of the producers. Mr. Polson said that the Court's attitude was this: “We are not concerned with what happens to the community as a whole as the effect of conditions. These workers have got behind a bit, in spite of our efforts to keep them well on the rim of the ascending spiral, and .we must again increase their wages to restore them to their place.” The freezing workers, it must not be forgotten, had their wages reviewel and increased in 1925 by the Court. What justification was there for a further and retrospective increase? The public could judge for themselves. The immediate effect of it on the producer would probably be to reduce the price of fat sheep by twopence per head for the rest of the season. "Mr Justice Frazer refers with some asperity to the demands of the farmers for the abolition of the Arbitration Court,” added Mr. Polson. "His remarks cannot, of course, refer to the Farmers’ Union, whose policy hitherto has been opposed to the abolition of the Court, but such a pronouncement: as this last one will go far in forcing the organisation into line with those who seek a change.”—(PA.) WORKERS JUBILANT. "There is jubilation in the ranks of the New Zealand Freezing Workers’ Federation, for although the Arbitration Court did not accede to the requests made by the federation, freezing workers throughout the Dominion will benefit by a general increase in wages,” states the Christchurch "Sun.” "Mr. H. C. Revell, New Zealand secretary, said on Saturday that the federation was quite satisfied with the increase, which was twelve months’ overdue. He was pleased to note, too, the references made by His Honour Mr Justice Frazer in regard to the unfair tactics adopted by the farmers’ and sheepowners’ organisations during the hearing of the federation’s claims, in passing motions relative to the constitution of the Arbitration Court and its methods.”