Farmers’ Leaders’ Views On Salaries For Scientists

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29239, 24 June 1960, Page 15

Farmers’ Leaders’ Views On Salaries For Scientists

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, June 23.

-My attitude and the attitude o f the whole federation to scientists’ salaries has been completely misrepresented by the superintendent of the Ruakura animal research station, Dr. C. P. McMeekan.” said the Dominion president of Federated Farmers (Mr S. D. Reeves) today. -We have never opposed any increases in scientists’ salaries. We believe margins for skill and ability in New Zealand are generally too small, but we have refused to single out a section of Government employees for special treatment.” Dr. McMeekan yesterday commenting on the stock losses suffered by farmers in the Waikato because of bloat, said that he could assure Federated Farmers that as long as their official policy was against placing New Zealand scientists on a competitive basis with world scientific salary levels, there would be less research work done on bloat in New Zealand. Dr. McMeekan, who leaves shortly to preside at an international grassland conference in England, said he was leaving New Zealand this time more depressed about the future for high calibre agricultural research than at any time during the last 20 years.

“It is surprisng to me that Dr. McMeekan should say that because of Federated Farmers’ attitude to scientific salaries it will mean less research not more on bloat.” said Mr R. Woolerton. chairman of the Domonion dairy section of Federated Farmers, today. “Dr. McMeekan is well aware that Federated Farmers have no objection whatever to adequate salaries for our top scientists. Their only objection that, under the present system, the increase goes right down the scale regardless. “Surely just because a man works in a scientific atmosphere it does not entitle him to special treatment. I can sympathise with

t?ni.^ CM . eekan when he is continually losing staff. That is a to°ln r v a ren l‘ Salaries c °uld not any great extent offset this happening throughout all professions and industry. To suggest that unless we place New Zealand scientists on a world competitive basis of salaries. or essential problems will suffer is a very alarming picture and one that should be investiwiolertom medlately ’” Said Mr