FARMERS AND THE ARBITRATION COURT.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 17015, 11 December 1920, Page 9

FARMERS AND THE ARBITRATION COURT.

TO TKt EDITOR OF "1118 TRESS. '* Sir.—l accept tho invitation of "Farmer No. 1" to join in the <«sou!p si on of the above question. tration Court lias helped, or could _ help, tho New Zealand farmer, oradu to his wages fund by one penny pieceso long as tho bulk of his products has to iina its market at the other end or tho world, and there have to come into competition with world products, produced under such widely dissimilar conditions. Oti the other liaud, he is, nna always must be. a sufferer by the imposition of tho increased costs whic-i aro tho inevitable results of tho Court a decisions. Tho worker benefits by tho increase, the employer benefits bv tho opportunity to extract more profit, and the farmer, as the greatest user of tno articles or services which are involved, and as tho last brick in tho row, pays tho piper, though ho has no part in tho choice of the tune. Of course, anyone with anything between his ears, cou.d easily see what would bo tho result whion, sooner or later, must come :rom such a course of action : a drop 1a the valuo of tho commodities from which the wages fund of the community is derived: a reduction in the spending power of the great producing section ot tho community; a stoop-ago 0 f employment, and then, the deluge. It oniy needs tho farmers to inaugurate a "stoo spending'' strike, and the who.o house of cards will come tumbling down "in hideous ruin." In the face of theso facts, it is marvellous that, the workers, through their unions, and tho employers, through their culpable, if not criminal, acquiescenco in tho procedure, can still go on with tho wretched system, as I suppose they will, until the question of tho reduction yes, Mr, the reduction —and not tho increase oi wages is forced upon tliem by tho relentless logic of tho situation. Am then what will happen? When tlu•worker has to choose between tho reduction of Ins day's wages by twentyfive, thirty, or forty per cent., or no wacos at all, becauso thero. will bo no work for him to do at the present rate, what then will happen? Sir, I remember Ohristchurch in tho days Oi tno soup kitchens, and it looks to nio n? though wo aro heading in t'lat direction again. Tt is to bo lipped that due provision has been made for the rain> dav." But has it?—Ymir^otc FATtMTIR NO. L\