BACK PAY FOR FARMERS

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25304, 2 October 1947, Page 6

BACK PAY FOR FARMERS

EFFECT ' ON DAIRY ' POOL

ABOUT 57,000,000 STILL LEFT From Our Own Reporter

WELLINGTON, October 1. The dajry industry’s stabilisation account will still show a balance of about £7,000,000 after the withdrawal from it of the large sqm needed fpr the retrospective payment to producers announced yesterday by the Dairy products Marketing Commission. It is expected that the price to be paid by the United Kingdom for butter and cheese in the current geason will cover the payments made to ffairy eempanies, and may possibly leave some balance tp be added to the stabilisation account " The recognition in the guaranteed price that dairy farm workers are entitled to special payments for work done at the week-ends and en public holidays is regarded as a most satisfactory feature of the commission's announcement.

One result of the extra payments will be that dairy farm wages will be increased from £5 lOg a week to £6 10s 6d a week, less keep where that is provided. A decision has still to be made* on the industry’s request that the existing deduction of £1 a week for board and lodging be reviewed. Where dairy farmers have already been paying more than £5 10s a week they will be entitled to take this into consideration in making adjustments with their employees. Included in the new prices to be paid dairy companies this season there are allowances for increased factory costs of .432 d a pound butter-fat for butter, apd .835 d a pound butter-fat for cheese.