THE CHEESE INDUSTRY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 June 1938, Page 3

THE CHEESE INDUSTRY

IN A SERIOUS POSITION. HIGH LABOUR COSTS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) NEW PLYMOUTH, June 23. The serious position of the cheese industry as a result of high labour costs in cheese factories was referred to by the president of the National Dairy Conference, Mr A. Morton, when addressing delegates to the conference at New Plymouth today. He said it seemed that unless something were done to remedy the situation the industry would be almost wiped out in the South Island, where factories were smaller than in the North. “Labour cost in connection with the work of cheese factories is one of the greatest difficulties the industry is experiencing,” said Mr Morton. “The situation promises to become worse. When I was in Dunedin at the South Island Dairy Conference a fortnight ago, I heard statements made to the conference that were simply astounding. Costs, insofar as the small cheese factories are concerned, are prohibitive and are tending to drive them out of existence. “Fortunately the position is not so serious in the North Island, where factories are larger, consequently factories in the North are not endangered to the same extent as those in the South.”