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Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 February 1940, Page 11

POSITION OF DAIRYING INDUSTRY MEETING LABOUR ON FARMS. CATERING FOR SINGLE MEN. | (By W. .1. Thomas, of Carterton.) The whole question of increasing dairy production in this district was recently gone into in consultation with three chairmen of local dairy factories and the chairman of the Wairarapa Pig Council, and generally speaking, it was thought that as regards this district, no great increase in production could be looked for under present conditions of monetary return, labour supply and costs, as it was the general opinion that dairy production in this district, under existing conditions is already at a high level. Climatic conditions have a big bearing on production and as the average rainfall over the last two years has been low, a greater rainfall could give a temporary increase. It was considered that most farmers in the district were making full economic use of manures. A very great increase in production had been made between the early 1920’s and 1934 as the result of the adoption of grassland manuring and generally the peak in this respect appears to have been reached. Production on these farms can only be maintained at the present high level by the continuation of a policy of manuring and it is essential that the price of lime and manures should be kept at an economic level. There are, however, several- farms where manuring is not generally practiced and where brown-top and the coarser grasses have gained control. Production on these farms could be greatly increased with regrassing and/or manuring. The Government has arranged for the price of superphosphate to be available at the present cost until next July and as it is not expected that there will be any immediate shortage of manures, farmers are recommended to make full use of these for the coming season. NUMBER OF DAIRY COWS As regards the number of cows at present being milked in the Wairarapa district, the bobby calf statistics show that these must be substantially the same as last year. A factor which may have some bearing on the number milked in the future is the supply of dairy heifers which in the past has been largely met by hill country stock. The hill country sheepfarmer has broken in a lot of his country by the use of weaner dairy heifers; however, once his grass is sufficiently improved he runs more sheep. The last two years has seen a big drop in the number of this class of stock coming on the market and the result will be that more heifers will have to be reared on the farms, possibly reducing the number of cows at present being milked. Wintering of dairy cows on sheep country is also on the wane and this will also tend to have an adverse effect on dairy production, it being generally recognised that spelling of dairy pastures during winter months by grazing out, increases carrying capacity to a large extent. In view of the special call for increased production, the provisions in the sharemilkers’ agreements limiting the number of calves to be reared should be rescinded and it is also suggested that the sharemilker should share the cost of calf meal similar to the position with pigs. This expected loss in production may be partially, at least, offset by the use of concentrates such as bran and linseed and such root crops as swedes and mangok.S, fed with ensilage or hay. Despite their costs concentrates are invaluable in the early spring months and although it is perhaps not so profitable to feed in to the summer, a herd started off with root crops, ensilage or concentrates will give an increased yield throughout the year. With root crops, ensilage, etc, the labour problem is a deciding factor while if concentrates could be made available to the farmer at an economic price this class of feed could be more widely adopted than at present. PIG REARING There is possibly room for a consid- ■ arable increase in the rearing of pigs • in this district and as the call by Great Britain is for - baconers, it means carrying them on further than was previously the case. The difference between skim milk and whey can be made good < by pig meal so that there is nothing to 1 stop cheese factory suppliers from go- 1 ing in for pig raising. To meet the de- 1 mand for baconers meal feeding of the ' early litters will definitely get them off 1 at bacon weights before the second lit- ( ter comes along. Various good pig 1 meals are now available, also cheap * supplies of Australian barley and this. 1 together with the price, should encourage their use with consequent in- ( creases of total weights put off the £ farm. 1 It might be pointed out that increas-’ 1 cd production in the Wairarapa dis- c trict is dependent on climatic condi- c lions and with the most careful prepa- 1 ration a heavy flood or drought would upset all our calculations. It must be 1 admitted that at the present time dairy 1 farmers are not fully satisfied with tho *• economic position of the dairy industry. e It is felt therefor that this report would c be incomplete without some reference 1 to the general disabilities under which- ' farming is conducted today and long *• term methods of correction which have been suggested at Farmers' Union and c Dairy Industry conferences. ‘ ATTRACTING LABOUR c Some time back representations were a made by the Union that: c (1) A greater agricultural bias be t

given in primary and technical education. (2) That inexperienced youths should receive initial training in farm schools or under a system of farm apprenticeship. (3) That to further attract youths in to farming as a career, suggestions have been made that in order to provide a future for youths entering farming as an occupation there should be greater provision for married workers’ accommodation and also for closer settlement in order to provide those who want them, on reaching maturity, with farms of their own.

There is no doubt that more efficient training in the early stages and the attraction of the right class of youth in to this occupation will go a long way to dispel tho unhappy relations and lack of confidence which unfortunately exists in many cases between employer and employee today. One burning question which probably is largely responsible for farmers’ wives assisting their husbands in the sheds is the present day necessity foi the single farm worker to "live in” with the family. In many cases this does not conduce to a happy life for the employee and adds to the duties the farmer's wife has to perform, which are already more onerous than those of her townsfellow. While the standard of accommodation has already been dealt with under the Agricultural Workers’ Act, further attention to the problem would be well worth while and an investigation of the possibilities of central accommodation covering a number of farms in suitable areas which could allow for: (1) Catering and sleeping accommodation for employees in these central units. (2) More congenial companionship for them in the evenings. (3) No excessive travelling to and from work. (4) Provision for relief for regular workers on off days and holidays. If some such scheme could be adopted. it would relieve the farmer's wife and. by providing help on the farm as well as. in thb shed, would make for the more efficient running of tho farm. DIRECT COSTS Attention to direct costs in the form of land tax and rates and the correction of anomolies connected therewith to which attention has been drawn sc many times will undoubtedly provide the means for the employment of more labour. That many farms could produce more with the employment of more labour cannot be questioned but the whole question is one of costs and returns. There is a fairly widespread feeling of unrest among many, with the rising spiral of wages and costs for which they feel that they are not being ade'uately compensated. The fact of this disability is a deterrent to full efficiency and a solution of this problem merits further consideration. The reflection of the depreciation of tho £N.Z. as compared with £ sterling in tho rate of exchange would provide that higher average price recommended by the Guaranteed Price Committee of 1938 and by providing the means for the repatriation of those on relief works and other dead end occupations to primary production, would relieve the possibility of a further rise in the i cost of living or a lowering of tho standard of living of those not engaged in primary production. While some of the matters mentioned in this report have already received attention, it is felt that further consid-1 eration is of urgent national importance. i