FARM LABOURERS' DISPUTE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 179, 24 April 1908, Page 5

FARM LABOURERS' DISPUTE.

IMPORTANT EVIDENCE. THE PRICE OF WOOL. IBT TELEGRAM—PRESS ASSOCIATION.! Ghristchi-rch, April 23. At the . hearing of the farm labourers' dispute before the Conciliation Board to-day, ovidence was given by. Edmund Georgo Staveley, manager of the Now Zealand Loan and Mercantile Company, Christchurch, who stated, in reply to Mr. Evans, that ho did not think that tho timo was opportune for altering the conditions under which agricultural operations aro being conducted at present. Can' you givo tho Board any reason for that opinion ? I should say that tho small farmer is not doing so well as ho .has been during a series of years, owing to the lower values of some of tho principal products. Wool is considerably lower this season than for' somo years past. Sheep aro lower in price. Fat lambs, which aro a considerable sourco of .revenue to tho small farmer, aro very much down from what they. wero. • ■ The Chairman: What about tho prospective outlook regarding these particular items? I don't ask you to prophesy. Witness: It is very difficult to say. I certainly do not anticipate' any serious deterioration in the value of our staple 'products, though it .frequently happens. Continuing, in reply to Mr. Evans, witness stated that there had been a very dccided and serious fall in the valuo of somo classes of wool, which was as much;as 3d:- to 4d. per lb. , ' Tho Chairman: At present prices for products, can farming be conducted profitably? Witness: That depends oil tho conditions. If expenses such as rent-, interest, or wages wero increased, then there would be so much less profit .to the farmer. Is thero any possibility of any increaso on these N three items?. I don't know in regard to rent and wages, but as far as interest is concerned tliero is every prospect of .that. An increaso in tho price of money? . Yes. ' , Witness, continuing in reply to Mr.. Evans, stated that conditions that would increaso tho expense on .farms would bo undoubtedly detrimental to the small farmer. Ho knew that a good many , small farmers were bearing as much as they could at present. His company would not advance to farmers so freely if the conditions wero mado- more adverse than tlioso at present existing. To Mr. Thorn:.Tho .price of wool.last.year was about the average. Five or six years ago tho average prico was about sd. or oJd. The prico this year in tho • Dominion was 7d. to 9d., but the price had fallen oil tho London market. Taking all things into consideration, is the prico of wool exceptionally low, or is it just about, an avcragorato at present? It is not exceptionally low. Continuing, ho stated that the ■ present price of fat lamb? was fairly high. Prices had, fallen from ' exceptionally high figures to a good prico. His company did not lend money on town property. Ho imagined that tho offect of. an award would be tho same as regards tho question of advancing money "whether it applied to industrial or agricultural pursuits. \ • \■■ • Why do you say there is a possibility , of tho price of money going up? I can scarccly give tho causes, but thore is a stringency existing which, according to thoso ill financial circles, is likely to continue for some time. Continuing, witness stated that in advancing money to farmers ho took into consideration all tlio circumstances of tho fanner, and ,did not specially tako into account, whether or not lie paid Lis sons wages., But if farmers had to pay their' sons ..wages it would not improve their position financially. . . .. i ■ Mr. Kennedy:, Supposing .a farmer had a family of sons, would, you advance money moro readily to him than\to oncwho'se family consisted only of girls?' (Laughter.) ' Witness: I am sorry, to say that, from "a; financial point, of view a family of boys' is a bigger asset to a farmer than a family of girls. Wo lend on live stock and produce, but wo do not schedulo his family..- (Laughtor.) ' : 'i' -. , . •To Mr. Evans: His company had pursued l a conservative policy during tho past year or so on account of-" disturbances in the air." To Mr. Thorn: Tlio American financial •crisis had had a-far. greater effcct oil the policy of tho 1 company than the farm lab-, ourers' dispute. . ; This concluded tho evidence available to : day. ; Tho Board then adjourned till 10 a.m., to-morrow, when the final witness will bo taken.