Industrial Unrest

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31730, 13 July 1968, Page 12

Industrial Unrest

Sir,—Federated Farmers appear to have some mystic influence over the present inept Government. The trouble all stems from the fact that farmers are not treated as they are in other countries. In most places throughout the world a farmer is a mere peasant. The sooner they go back to the soil and stop using influence against the Government the better for all.— Yours, etc., D. T. STICKINGS. July 12, 1968.

Sir,—Federated Farmers have twisted the Government’s arm again. This pampered, over-subsidised minority group, with tax concessions on nearly everything, kicked up such a row when they learned that the Government intended to remove the subsidy on wheat that the Government said, “Calm down, boys; we will leave it on.” Just because they pay their own workers a slave wage they would like to bring all workers down to their level. I think they have overreached themselves this time and their actions will bring down their Tory Government and so kill the goose that laid them golden eggs. —Yours, etc., percy l. mcmillan. Saltwater Creek, July 12, 1968.

Sir,—The leader of the Federation of Labour refers to Federated Farmers as a minority group. This may be so, but the fact remains that this hard-working and dedicated body is the backbone of the economy, which is more than can be said of the Federation of Labour and the trade unions. This section of the community is only concerned with the maximum returns for the least effort, which is the short cut to inflation and general recession. Fortunately for this country, we have capable administrators to cope with the present situation, but what will happen after November, 1969, is anybody’s guess. At least we have been warned.—Yours, etc., L.G.W. July 12, 1968. Sir,—lt Is time someone put forward the farmers' case. First, it is not correct that the wage-earners have borne the brunt of the recession. Not many have had their incomes reduced by 20 to 30 per cent as have most fanners. For the smaller farmer this has been nearly disastrous as the increased living costs are the same for all. Second, in the years of prosperity the Federation of Labour successfully argued at wage hearings that the wage-earners were not getting their fair “slice of the expanding national cake.” Now that the cake has shrunk they are not prepared, like the rest of us, to take a smaller slice and have dropped this form of reasoning. The Employers’ Federation is not so concerned about increased wages as its members pass these on to the local consumers, whereas the farmer is at the end of the line and bears the brunt, having no-one to pass them on to.—Yours, etc, COCKY. July 12, 1968.

Sir,—When is the voice of sanity going to be heard in this present time of industrial unrest? It is high time that the so-called workers and labour organisations stopped behaving like spoiled children because the Arbitration Court has turned down the claim for a general wage increase. The Court has served New Zealand very well over many years but it is juvenile to expect that it will go on granting increases for ever. If those who are raising such a rumpus would only stop and think, they would realise that each wage increase results in a further increase in the cost of living. It is high time the spiral was stopped.— Yours, etc, THINK AGAIN. July 10, 1968.

Sir,—What a lot of moaning in this fair land of ours!

The cause? Greed, jealousy, selfishness, covetousness, lovers of pleasure rather than of God. The proof that wages are ample is in the fact that many thousands of Christian people give 10 per cent of their wages for the work of the Lord, some of them beginning their giving after the 10 per cent has been looked upon as not theirs at all. One never hears of these people grizzling and stirring up strife, and none of them lack the necessities of life and are able to educate their children the same as others. And we old people should be the most carefree of anyone Crops may fail, wool be low in price, lambs die, butter price drop; it is all the same to us. No taxes to worry over, we collect our $B4 every four weeks. We are indeed in clover. —Yours, etc, PLAIN TRUTH. July 12, 1968.